SAC/OVC Hip Dysplasia
Certification Program
Our HD Certification Program
was started in the 1960’s by Dr. A.J. Cawley and the
members who first formed SAC. When Dr. Cawley moved to the U.S. in 1970, Dr. Paul Pennock,
BS, DVM, MSc. Dip. ACVR, Professor
of Radiology,
then became our Official Club Radiologist and was instrumental in its
continuation until his ‘semi-retirement’ in early 1995, when Dr. Howard
Dobson took over administering our program. Dr. Dobson is a graduate of the University of
Edinburgh. After two years in practice he came to O.V.C. and completed an
internship in large animal surgery. Returning to the U.K. he spent five
years in practice before returning to O.V.C. to register in the DVSc.
program in 1985, studying diagnostic imaging. In 1989 Dr. Dobson joined the
Department of Clinical Studies as Assistant Professor in
Radiology and during that time gained
considerable experience in hip dysplasia diagnosis.
We were
one of only 2 National Breed Clubs to have such a program with OVC (Ontario
Veterinary College), and the only one to receive printed HD Certificates.
The money which we
received for the HD Application from the member was sent to our Official Radiologist twice
each year as a donation to Canine Research. Our Official Radiologist at the
Ontario Veterinary College, University of Guelph, in
reality donated his time to evaluate our x-rays as the application money was used to print
and mail the Certificates and other costs incurred.
The program has now been discontinued.
