Hip and Elbow Scheme FAQs

This page covers our most commonly asked questions for the Hip and Elbow Schemes.

Absolutely! The Schemes are open to all dogs and breeds including crossbreeds, unrecognised breeds, and dogs not registered with the Royal Kennel Club. 

We create breed specific statistics which include the breed median for every UK Royal Kennel Club registered breed of dog that goes through the Hip and Elbow Dysplasia Schemes, as well as the most common crossbreeds and unrecognised breeds that go through the Schemes.

See the latest hip breed specific statistics and elbow breed specific statistics.

  1. Contact your vet and arrange an appointment for your dog to be X-rayed.
  2. The X-rays must be taken under anaesthesia or heavy sedation which means that the dog may have to be left for a short time at the veterinary practice. 
  3. Once the X-rays have been taken, your vet will submit the details and X-rays to CHS online.
  4. The BVA fee can be paid at the practice or online. If paying online, the practice needs to select this option during the submission process to email the payment link to the dog owner.
  5. The X-rays will be scored by our Scrutineers. We hold weekly scoring sessions, where a pair of our Scrutineers review the radiographs.
  6. The results will be uploaded to your vets portal and passed on to yourself. We recommend discussing the results with your vet.

We aim to have a one to two week turnaround for hip and elbow scores/grades following the CHS team receiving full payment of a submission. Once your dog's radiographs have been assessed, a completed certificate detailing the results will be uploaded to the submitting veterinary practice’s portal, which will be available for them to download for you. We are unable to fast-track any submissions or give preferential treatment to any practices or breed clubs.

A single submission to the Hip/Elbow Scheme starts from £82.50 (inc. VAT). A full breakdown of costs and offers can be found on our fees page.

Two mediolateral views are required: flexed and extended. To ensure correct positioning please watch our comprehensive how-to video for radiographic positioning and read Section 4 in the Procedure Rules and Regulations. 

The hip score is made up of the total number of points given for different features in the hip joint, it is representative of the severity of the condition. The lower the score the better. The minimum score for each hip is 0 and the maximum is 53, giving a range for the total score of 0 to 106. This total score should be compared to the breed median. CHS recommends only breeding dogs with hip scores under the breed median.

Hip breed specific statistics

Once your dog has been graded, a completed certificate detailing the elbow grades will be uploaded to the submitting veterinary practice’s portal, which will be available for them to download for you. A grade is given for each elbow and the overall elbow grade is determined by the higher of the two individual grades. CHS recommends only breeding from dogs that have an elbow grade of 0. The grades are:

  • 0 = Radiographically normal
  • 1 = Mild osteoarthritis
  • 2 = Moderate osteoarthritis or a primary lesion with no osteoarthritis
  • 3 = Severe osteoarthritis or primary lesion with osteoarthritis

Elbow breed specific statistics

You are able to appeal the result of a hip score or elbow grade within 45 days of scoring/grading. Please be aware that the appeal process is prepared to either endorse, raise, or lower the score/grade.

Appeals process

No, you can only have your dog scored once. You are able to appeal the result of a hip score or elbow grade within 45 days of scoring/grading.

Our Scrutineers will reject any images with incorrect positioning that would affect a dog’s result. When there is clear evidence of HD/ED and/or osteoarthritis and the dog will be scored well beyond the breed median or get a high elbow grade, the scrutineers may decide to assess a suboptimally positioned dog. In the event that an image(s) is/are rejected , the submitting practice will be informed with some information regarding the reason for rejection. New radiographs are then requested. You are able to appeal the result of a hip score or elbow grade within 45 days of scoring/grading. Click the link below to see our appeals process.

Appeals process