Readers can differ slightly in interpretation. The BVA use two readers from a panel of 9 or 10 selecting fairly randomly. Nevertheless even they can differ slightly in their interpretation of plates. These schemes also have appeal systems. Thus a dog that is anaesthetized MAY show a higher score for Norberg angle and Subluxation than the same dog would if merely sedated.
Most schemes seek to anaesthetize dogs and thus all are being compared on valid terms.
If however, a breeder is submitting animals that are sedated it could lead to slightly lower scores and thus apparently better results than rivals who are using anaesthetics. Thismust be borne in mind when considering score data. In man, female children are at greater risk of HD than males. In the dog it looks as though a similar status exists. In most breeds with enough data females score some 3-4 points higher than do males.