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Important Notice regarding GSDF HD & ED

Dear members,

Please note that, effective 01 January 2026, ALL Hip- and Elbow Dysplasia Certifications will no longer be done via Prof Roos, but will be done via the SAVA HD & ED Scheme. Please take note of the new procedures and processes as outlined below.

Any enquiries should be directed to the National Secretary via email.

South African Veterinary Association (SAVA) HD & ED Scheme

The SAVA runs a national hip/elbow dysplasia certifying scheme according to guidelines set up by the FCI and the International Elbow Working Group. 

The grading of a dog's hips and elbows according to international standards gives breeders an idea of the hip and elbow status of their dogs, which should be considered when breeding these animals. 
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The radiographs taken by your veterinarian are sent to a veterinary radiologist, one of a group appointed by the SAVA. These are veterinarians who are recognised as specialist radiologists by the SA Veterinary Council, and some of them are also recognised as specialists by the European Association of Veterinary Diagnostic Imaging.  These radiologists give an opinion as individuals, but an appeal process is in place for owners who wish to do so.

The Federation will only accept HD & ED certificates from the members of the scrutineer panel. No SAVA certificates will be accepted from members or owners of any dog(s). The panel of radiologists appoints a chief scrutineer who acts as the liaison person between the radiologists, the SAVA and GSDF.
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The criteria for making and submitting radiographs are very strict and are in accordance with the guidelines laid down by the international bodies. Veterinarians are encouraged to familiarise themselves with the procedures as prescribed.

GSDFSA Rules & Restrictions

  1. No litters will be accepted for registration if both sire and dam concerned have not passed the GSDF's official HD scheme or an HD scheme which is recognised by the Federation.
  2. No dog or bitch may be graded “V” or higher if they have not passed both the GSDF’s official HD and ED Schemes or an HD and ED scheme recognised by the GSDF. 
  3. In addition to HD Certification, dogs born after 01 January 2023 must have their elbows certified as well.
  4. Owners must have prospective breeding stock X-rayed well before scheduled matings to ensure that results can be processed timeously. 
  5. No vet may provide any owner with any radiographs taken for certification. All radiographs are to be submitted to an accredited scrutineer of the SAVA scheme, directly by the referring veterinary.
  6. The cost of radiographing and the cost of evaluation and certification are payable directly to the referring veterinary. The veterinary may, at their own discretion, choose not to submit radiographs for certification if payment is not received.
  7. The official original pedigree of the dog must be submitted to the Federation offices for the endorsement of HD/ED results.
  8. Passing the HD/ED scheme does not in itself constitute that the dog is qualified to breed. The owner is responsible for meeting all other requirements of the Federation prior to any mating taking place.

Procedures to get your dogs' HD & ED Certification

EFFECTIVE 01 JANUARY 2026
It is important that members of the German Shepherd Dog Federation of South Africa follow the correct procedures in making and submitting their dogs' Hips and Elbows for certification.

Please note that the SAVA scheme runs in conjunction with KUSA, and as such, the official application form may refer to KUSA and/or KUSA procedures. These may or may not be scrapped out on the form, but all results for GSDF-registered dogs will only be sent to the GSDF, and not to the Kennel Union of South Africa.
  1. Ensure that you have all the relevant documentation (registration certificate of your dog) and that your dog is a minimum of 12 months old.
  2. Please note that SAVA only accepts Microchip numbers as a form of identification. Dogs that are currently only tattooed will have to be microchipped prior to radiographs being taken. For procedures regarding microchipping, please refer to the information below.
  3. Choose a veterinary practice to do the radiographs, and make an appointment. A list of recommended veterinarians can be found here. Note that other vets may be used if necessary, providing that they are willing and able to submit radiographs to the SAVA.
  4. Complete the HD/ED Certification Application Form as provided by SAVA (link available here), and take it with you to the veterinary practice. Note that, upon completing, the owner is only allowed to complete the "Declaration by Owner" Section. If not completed, the practice will require you to complete this form on the day of your appointment.
  5. The Veterinary Practice will sedate your dog and take the radiographs according to the guidelines provided.
  6. You will be charged by the Veterinary Practice for the taking of the radiographs AND for the certification of said radiographs. The price hereof may vary from practice to practice.
  7. The Veterinary Practice will then send your application, a copy of your pedigree, and the radiographs to one of a list of accredited scrutineers, who will, in time, evaluate and certify your dogs' hips and elbows.
  8. Results and certification of your dogs' Hips and Elbows will be sent to the referring veterinary practice and to the GSDFSA offices.
  9. Please note that all radiographs will be retained by the referring veterinary for a minimum of 3 years, and by the GSDFSA for a minimum of 10 years, in line with SV regulations, and may also be retained by the SAVA.
  10. Please note that official scrutineers or the referring vet may not be contacted directly for results.
  11. The official GSDF results of the HD/ED scheme will be sent to the owner(s) of the dog(s) in question via the GSDF offices, as has always been the practice. To learn how the SAVA/FCI grading translates into a GSDF grading, refer to this document.
  12. An SAVA appeals process is in place. We do recommend consulting with the  German Shepherd Dog Federation of SA offices before lodging any appeals, as the offices can assist in the appeal process.

Guidelines for dogs that have only been tattooed, but not microchipped.

  1. Only 15-digit Microchips will be accepted. Microchips may be purchased from your veterinarian or from the GSDFSA at a reduced cost.
  2. All dogs that are to be radiographed for HD and ED have to be microchipped prior to the radiographs being taken. The SAVA does not recognise the GSDF Tattoo Number as a form of identification.
  3. The microchip must be on record with the Federation PRIOR to the Federation releasing the official results to the owner of a dog. It is recommended that all microchips be placed on record as soon as possible.
  4. For dogs that have been registered with only a Tattoo Number, but where the dog is also microchipped, the owner must approach a Vet, a Breed Judge or a Tattooist, who will verify the Tattoo and the Microchip Number, and place the microchip number on record via the official form.
  5. For dogs that have been registered with a Tattoo Number only, where the dog does not currently have a microchip, the owner may approach the vet, taking the radiographs, to microchip said dog, before taking the radiographs. IMPORTANT. The vet doing the microchip must declare the microchip details via the official form.
  6. Microchipping may also be done by GSDF-recognised tattooists.
  7. Owners are NOT allowed to complete the declaration form themselves. Declarations must be completed by a Vet, a Breed Judge or a Tattooist.
  8. If you are unsure about the status of your dog's microchip, contact the offices via email.

Guidelines for Veterinary Practices

Veterinary Clinics are urged to review the guidelines as outlined in the application form, and to abide by the SAVA protocol, procedures and accepted practices. Your attention is drawn to the fact that the GSDFSA procedure is now identical to the KUSA procedure, except for additional microchipping that may be required, as indicated above.

We would like to draw the vet clinic's attention to the fact that the Federation is required to keep record of all HD/ED radiographs. We would like to urge vet clinics to send the radiographs to the Federation upon receipt of the official HD/ED certification from the SAVA. All radiographs should be sent to [email protected].
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