Glossary

Orthopedic Foundation for Animals

A US non-profit that keeps open databases of health screening results for dogs, including hip and elbow ratings, to help breeders choose healthy parents.

Also called: OFA, OFA hips, OFA elbows, OFA rating, OFA certification, hip certification

The Orthopedic Foundation for Animals, or OFA, is a non-profit based in Missouri that keeps a public database of health screening results for dogs. It was founded in 1966 to reduce hip dysplasia and now covers many conditions, including elbows, patellas, the heart, the eyes and the thyroid. Breeders submit test results, such as hip x-rays, to the OFA, and specialists read them.

Hip results are graded as Excellent, Good or Fair, which are normal, or Borderline, Mild, Moderate or Severe. A final hip rating is given at age 24 months or older, and a preliminary opinion can be given earlier. Normal results are posted with an OFA number so anyone can check them.

An OFA rating describes the dog tested, not its puppies. It is one kind of health testing, and it complements PennHIP, which measures hip laxity in another way. Ask a dog breeder for the parents' numbers and look them up.

Last reviewed November 8, 2026

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Related terms

PennHIP A hip screening method that measures joint looseness with a stressed x-ray, reported as a distraction index, and can be done in puppies from 16 weeks. Health testing The screening of breeding dogs for inherited conditions, such as hip, elbow, heart, eye and DNA tests, whose results are shared with buyers. Dog breeder A person who plans and raises litters of puppies; a responsible breeder health tests the parents, follows a breed standard and stays involved with each puppy. Dog DNA test A cheek-swab or blood test that analyses a dog's genes to estimate its breed mix, check for inherited disease variants or identify certain traits.