Pennhip & Vetscoring
What is the difference between VetScoring and PennHIP?
Both VetScoring and PennHIP assess hip health, but they measure different things.
VetScoring evaluates the current condition of the hip joints by looking for any signs of hip dysplasia or arthritic change visible on X-rays. It provides a snapshot of the dog’s hips at that point in time. The dog must be 12 months of age to have VetScoring done.
PennHIP measures the amount of looseness (hip laxity) in the hip joints. This allows it to estimate the dog’s future risk of developing hip dysplasia and arthritis. Research has shown that dogs with tighter hips are much less likely to develop hip disease later in life.
Viewing Our Dogs’ Results
We believe transparency builds trust.
The health testing results for each of our adult breeding dogs can be viewed on that dog’s individual page on our website.
For privacy and concerns breeders may use our records falsely, we have edited the reports only to remove personal information such as addresses, contact details, registration numbers, microchip numbers and other identifying information. No health results or veterinary findings have been altered.
When you welcome a Falconwood puppy into your family, you will also receive unedited copies of your puppy’s parents’ health testing results in your puppy pack for your own records. The only time you wont get a copy is in the very very rare occasion we use an outside breeders stud dog and they don't want copies made. You will absolutely be able to site them on property.
To the best of our knowledge, Falconwood is one of very few Australian breeders who openly publish our breeding dogs’ health testing results on our website. We believe our puppy families deserve complete transparency and the opportunity to make informed decisions based on the actual reports, not just a breeder’s word.
We are proud to share this information because we are committed to continually improving the health, temperament and wellbeing of future Falconwood generations.
Understanding Hip Health Testing at Falconwood
At Falconwood, health testing is one of the most important parts of our breeding program. We believe in being transparent about the testing we perform and helping our puppy families understand what the results actually mean.
VetScoring
VetScoring is an independent assessment of a dog’s hips using X-rays. It evaluates the current condition of the hip joints, looking for any signs of hip dysplasia or arthritic change that may already be present.
Think of VetScoring as a snapshot in time. It tells us how the hips look on the day the X-rays are taken.
How are VetScoring results calculated?
VetScoring assesses nine different features of each hip joint. Each hip is scored individually, with the two scores then added together to give a total score.
The scoring system ranges from:
- 0/106 – Perfect hips with no detectable abnormalities.
- 106/106 – The most severe degree of hip changes that can be scored.
Lower scores are always better. The closer a dog’s score is to 0, the healthier the hips.
It is also important to compare a dog’s score with the breed average, as different breeds naturally have different average hip scores. A dog scoring well below the breed average has healthier hips than the average dog of that breed.
PennHIP
PennHIP (University of Pennsylvania Hip Improvement Program) is one of the world’s most respected methods of assessing hip health.
Rather than simply looking at how the hips appear today, PennHIP measures hip laxity (how tightly the hip joint fits together). Research has shown that hip laxity is one of the strongest predictors of whether a dog is likely to develop hip dysplasia and arthritis later in life.
This means PennHIP provides information about the future risk of hip disease, rather than just the current appearance of the hips.
PennHIP reports a Distraction Index (DI).
- Lower numbers are better.
- The closer the DI is to 0.00, the tighter and more stable the hip joint.
- Dogs with a DI below their breed average have a lower predicted risk of developing hip dysplasia than the average dog of that breed.
Why doesn’t every breeder use PennHIP?
PennHIP is relatively new in Australia compared with traditional hip scoring systems and its use is steadily increasing.
There are several reasons many breeders have not yet adopted it:
- It is considerably more expensive than traditional hip scoring.
- Only specially trained and accredited veterinarians can perform the test.
- PennHIP is a more demanding assessment because it measures hip laxity. As a result, dogs that achieve an excellent traditional hip score may still have average or below-average PennHIP results.
Understanding VetScoring
Current Old English Sheepdog Breed Average: 10.41
Current Old English Sheepdog Breed Median: 7
| Total Score (/106) | General Interpretation |
|---|---|
| 0–5 | Exceptional |
| 6–10 | Excellent – Better than the breed average |
| 11–20 | Very Good – Around or slightly above the breed average |
| 21–40 | Fair – More hip changes than average |
| 41–60 | Poor – Significant hip changes present |
| Above 60 | Severe hip changes |
Please note: VetScoring does not officially grade dogs as "Exceptional", "Excellent" or "Very Good." These descriptions are provided simply to help our puppy families understand the results.
The most important comparison is how a dog's score compares with the breed average. Lower scores indicate healthier hips.
Understanding PennHIP
Current Old English Sheepdog Breed Average: DI 0.55
| Distraction Index (DI) | General Interpretation |
| 0.00–0.20 | Exceptional |
| 0.21–0.30 | Excellent |
| 0.31–0.40 | Very Good |
| 0.41–0.55 | Good – Better than or around the breed average |
| 0.56–0.65 | Fair – More hip laxity than average |
| Above 0.65 | Increased predicted risk of hip dysplasia |
Please note: PennHIP does not officially grade dogs as "Exceptional", "Excellent" or "Very Good." These descriptions are provided simply to help our puppy families understand the results.
The most important comparison is how a dog's DI compares with the breed average. Dogs with a DI below the breed average have tighter hips and a lower predicted risk of developing hip dysplasia than the average dog of that breed.
Our Health Testing Program
Over the past 18 months, we have expanded our health testing program to include PennHIP.
As a result, some of our older breeding dogs were assessed using VetScoring only, as this was the testing we were performing at the time. We do not routinely re-sedate dogs simply to repeat another hip assessment unless there is a medical reason to do so.
Both VetScoring and PennHIP require dogs to be fully sedated so the hips can be positioned accurately for the X-rays. Their comfort and welfare always come first, so we avoid unnecessary repeat procedures.
All new breeding dogs entering our program are assessed using the most current testing available, which may include:
- PennHIP
- VetScoring
- Elbow assessments
- DNA testing
- Breed-specific health screening
Why We Use Both
We believe the two tests complement each other.
- VetScoring tells us how the hips look today.
- PennHIP helps estimate how those hips are likely to perform throughout the dog’s life.
Together, along with DNA testing, temperament, structure and overall health, these assessments allow us to make the most informed breeding decisions possible.
Our goal has always been the same—to continually improve our breeding program and give every Falconwood puppy the very best start in life.