09/18/2025
From The September Issue of : Hips, Elbows… And Beyond
By Sue M. Copeland
The idea for Orthopedic Foundation For Animals (OFA) started in a lab. Not a laboratory, but a Labrador Retriever.
It grew out of a breeder’s concern after seeing some of his aging Labs go lame. That observation and the deep care he had for his breed launched what is now the largest animal health database in the world.
“OFA’s founding principle came through philanthropist John Olin, who owned Wi******er Arms,” says the Foundation’s president, and top Labrador Retriever breeder Dr. Frances O. Smith, DVM, PhD, DACT. “His interest in orthopedic disease started when he observed some of his Labrador Retrievers becoming lame in their later life. He provided the seed money to start OFA, whose veterinarians’ and radiologists’ work eventually led to the discovery of hip dysplasia in dogs, how to diagnose it, and how to make inroads in controlling it through selective breeding.”
She continues, “Without a caring owner who loved Lab-radors, OFA probably never would have existed.”...
Read the entire article here: http://caninechronicle.com/?p=337480
