Orthopedic health is a critical aspect of responsible breeding and long-term care in Toy and Miniature Poodles. While these graceful companions are known for their agility and intelligence, they can also be genetically predisposed to joint and skeletal issues—especially in the knees and hips. Early detection through orthopedic screening can help prevent discomfort, promote mobility, and support ethical breeding decisions.

Here’s a breakdown of the most essential orthopedic evaluations for Poodles:

OFA Patella Evaluation & Legg-Calvé-Perthes Disease Screening

Why it matters:
Toy and Miniature Poodles are particularly prone to luxating patellas (slipping kneecaps) and Legg-Calvé-Perthes Disease, a condition involving deterioration of the femoral head (the ball part of the hip joint).

OFA Patella Evaluation checks for:

• Stability of the kneecap (grades 0–4)

• Risk of dislocation

• Proper alignment of the femur and tibia

Legg-Calvé-Perthes Disease Screening includes:

• Clinical orthopedic exam

• X-rays to detect changes in bone density or joint structure

• Often recommended between 6 and 12 months of age

Who should be tested:
All breeding dogs under 20 lbs should receive patella exams, and those used for breeding in Toy or Miniature lines should also be screened for Legg-Calvé-Perthes to ensure they are not unknowingly passing on risk factors.

OFA Hip & Elbow Evaluations

What it is:
This traditional orthopedic screening method involves taking radiographs (X-rays) that are evaluated by three board-certified veterinary radiologists at the Orthopedic Foundation for Animals (OFA). Results are graded based on joint conformation and signs of hip or elbow dysplasia.

When it’s done:

• Dogs must be at least 24 months old for official OFA certification.

• Preliminary evaluations can be done as early as 4 months and are often used to assess breeding prospects before full maturity.

Why it matters:
Hip and elbow dysplasia can severely impact a dog’s quality of life, causing pain, lameness, or arthritis. Early identification helps breeders make informed decisions and allows owners to adapt care strategies if needed.

PennHIP Evaluation

What it is:
PennHIP (developed by the University of Pennsylvania) is a cutting-edge radiographic technique that measures hip joint laxity—how loosely the femoral head fits into the hip socket.

Why it’s more precise than OFA alone:

• PennHIP can detect predisposition to hip dysplasia as early as 16 weeks of age.

• It provides a Distraction Index (DI)—a numerical score that correlates with long-term risk for degenerative joint disease.

• It can detect subtle joint looseness even before bone changes appear on X-rays.

Ideal candidates:
Breeding dogs of any size can benefit, but it's especially valuable in lines where hip dysplasia has been observed or suspected. It’s also helpful for performance dogs or those engaged in agility and active lifestyles.

OFA (Orthopedic Foundation for Animals)

– Hip & Elbow Ratings

Hips:

• Excellent: Superior joint conformation, very tight and well-formed hips.

• Good: Normal, healthy hip joints with no signs of dysplasia.

• Fair: Slightly less than ideal, but still considered within normal limits.

• Borderline: Not clearly normal or dysplastic—recheck in 6 months.

• Mild/Moderate/Severe Dysplasia: Signs of joint looseness or degeneration; not recommended for breeding.

Elbows:

• Normal: No evidence of elbow dysplasia.

• Grade 1, 2, 3 Dysplasia: Increasing severity of joint abnormalities or arthritic changes.

PennHIP (University of Pennsylvania Hip Improvement Program)

PennHIP evaluates hip laxity (looseness) using a Distraction Index (DI) from 0 to 1+:

• Lower DI (closer to 0): Tighter hips, lower risk of developing hip dysplasia.

• Higher DI (closer to 1): Looser hips, higher risk for dysplasia.

• Breed Average Benchmark: Each DI is compared to the breed average—dogs with a DI lower than the breed median are considered better candidates for breeding.

Example: For Poodles, a DI under 0.30–0.40 is considered ideal.

Summary: A Sound Foundation Starts with Screening

Responsible breeders and devoted owners alike should prioritize orthopedic health screening. These evaluations not only protect the integrity of the breed, but also ensure puppies are set up for long, active, and pain-free lives.

📌 OFA Patella
• Age: 12+ months
• Checks: Luxating Patellas
• For: Toy & Miniature Poodles

📌 Legg-Calvé-Perthes
• Age: 6–12 months
• Checks: Femoral Head Disease
• For: Toy Poodles <15 lbs

📌 OFA Hips & Elbows
• Age: 24+ months (Prelims from 4+)
• Checks: Hip & Elbow Dysplasia
• For: All Breeding Dogs

📌 PennHIP
• Age: 16+ weeks
• Checks: Hip Laxity
• For: Breeding/Performance Dogs​​​

How to Look Up OFA Scores & Evaluate Orthopedic Health in Breeding Dogs

Orthopedic screening—particularly for hip and elbow dysplasia, patellas, and Legg-Calvé-Perthes Disease—is an essential part of selecting quality breeding dogs. But evaluating a dog’s health isn’t just about checking their individual scores. You should also assess the consistency of sound orthopedic health in their lineage, including siblings, parents, grandparents, and even aunts/uncles.

Here’s how to do it step by step:

Step 1: Visit the OFA Website

• Go to www.ofa.org

• Click on the “Search OFA Records” tab at the top.

• You can search by:

  • Dog’s registered name

  • Dog’s registration number

  • Partial name or kennel prefix (if you’re browsing lines)

Tip: Use the dog’s full AKC-registered name for the most accurate results.

Step 2: Review the Dog’s OFA Record Page

Once you’ve selected a dog, you’ll see a page with a list of all recorded health tests. Focus on the orthopedic categories:

Key Evaluations:

• Hips – Rated as:

  • Excellent

  • Good

  • Fair

  • Borderline

  • Mild/Moderate/Severe Dysplasia (these indicate a failed certification)

• Elbows – Normal or Grade 1–3 (1–3 indicating dysplasia)

• Patellas – Normal or Grades 1–4 (grades indicate increasing severity of luxation)

• Legg-Calvé-Perthes – Normal or Affected

Each record will show:

• Age at time of evaluation

• Final result

• Registry (OFA, PennHIP, etc.)

• If radiographs were preliminary or official

Step 3: Examine the Dog’s Relatives

At the bottom of the OFA record, you’ll find a "Vertical Pedigree"—this is an essential tool for evaluating risk from a genetic standpoint.

What to look for:

• Consistency of good scores (e.g., Good or Excellent hips) in:

  • Both parents

  • Siblings (especially full littermates)

  • Grandparents

  • Aunts, uncles, half-siblings

• Avoid lines where:

  • Most littermates or parents have “Fair” or below scores.

  • There’s a pattern of failed hip or elbow certifications in close relatives.

  • One “Excellent” is surrounded by a sea of “Poor” relatives—that’s often a statistical outlier.

Why This Matters:

Genetics is about probability. Even if the individual dog has an “Excellent” rating, if its parents or siblings have mild or severe dysplasia, that dog still carries genetic material likely to pass on orthopedic problems.

Example:
If two parents produce one pup with Excellent hips and three with Moderate dysplasia, it means the genetic background is unstable. That excellent pup may look like a good candidate but is statistically more likely to pass on bad hips compared to a dog whose litter and family consistently have Good/Excellent scores.

Step 4: Cross-reference with PennHIP (if available)

If the breeder also shares PennHIP results, review the Distraction Index (DI):

• A lower DI (0.3–0.4 or less) means tighter hips and lower risk.

• A higher DI (>0.5) suggests looser hips and increased risk, even if the dog hasn’t yet developed dysplasia.

• Look for consistency across generations here, too.

Final Tips for Breeding Soundness

• Don’t be fooled by a single score. Look at the pattern of health across 2–3 generations.

• Breeders aiming to improve the breed prioritize lines with:

  • Low, consistent DI scores

  • Multiple generations of Excellent or Good hips

  • Normal elbows, patellas, and skeletal health

• Always combine orthopedic data with overall conformation, temperament, and breed-specific health testing.