OFA Hip Number. An OFA hip test measures the degree to which the dog has hip dysplasia. The OFA Hip test results will be in this format: AS-1234G28M-T. This number contains a significant amount of information. Here is how to interpret what it tells you: AS = Breed Abbreviation (In this case, Australian Shepherd) 1234 = Certificate Number G = Result (E=Excellent, G=Good, F=Fair) 28 = Dog's Age in Months (Should be at least 24 for a hip evaluation) M = Dog's Gender T = The dog has a permanent ID, such as a tattoo or microchip Notice that nowhere in the number is the kind of test results the number represents. You must be able to identify a hip result by the format of the results. OFA Elbow Number. An OFA elbow test measures the degree to which the dog has evidence of elbow dysplasia. The OFA Elbow test results will be in the following format: AS-EL123-T. Here is how to interpret what the Elbow Number tells you: AS = Breed Abbreviation (In this case, Australian Shepherd) EL = Elbow test results 123 = Certificate number T = The dog has a permanent ID, such as a tattoo or microchip Notice the OFA Elbow Number does not indicate the results of the elbow exam. You must consult the OFA report itself to find the results. Results may include: Normal - No unusual conditions detected. Grade I - Indicates minimal bone change along the anconeal process of ulna, or where the ulna unites with the elbow joint. Grade II - Indicates additional bone proliferation along anconeal process and subchondral bone changes. Essentially, this means that the area where the ulna unites with the elbow joint may have excessive bone development, or changes to the bone in the joint itself. At the very least, this may eventually result in arthritis, and may cause more severe problems. Grade III - Indicates well-developed degenerative joint disease. Elbow dysplasia is an inherited disease. Dogs that display elbow dysplasia should not enter into a breeding program. If puppies display elbow dysplasia, it may be a sign that the breeder is not a responsible breeder, or has intentionally bred a dog with known genetic problems