Welcome to PennHIP
Canine hip dysplasia (CHD) afflicts millions of dogs each year and can result in debilitating osteoarthritis (OA) of the hip. It is estimated that more than 50 percent of the most popular large-breed dogs will show x-ray evidence of CHD. Many will suffer from osteoarthritis, pain and lameness, costing owners and breeders millions of dollars in veterinary care, shortened work longevity and reduced performance.
PennHIP (University of Pennsylvania Hip Improvement Program) is a not-for-profit program, wholly owned and operated by the University of Pennsylvania. It consists of three integral components.
- An evidence-based radiographic technology to accurately screen canine hips for the susceptibility to OA.
- A worldwide network of trained veterinarians to perform the procedure with competence.
- A database maintained at the University of Pennsylvania designed to accumulate and report on breed-specific trends in OA and hip dysplasia control.
PennHIP's mission is to develop and apply evidence-based technology to direct appropriate breeding strategies aimed at reducing in frequency and severity the osteoarthritis of canine hip dysplasia. The beneficiaries of this effort will be the many dogs who suffer with this controllable genetic disease and, of course, the dogs' owners.
PennHIP incorporates a new method for evaluating the integrity of the canine hip. It is accurate in puppies as young as 16 weeks of age. It has great potential to lower the frequency of CHD when used as a selection criterion.