# what does the pedigree tell me?



## CritterHeaven (Feb 21, 2011)

So as a buyer of a hedgehog, what does the 5 generation pedigree tell me? I can see the various generations back behind my hedgehog. I can see IHR #s. But how does that tell me that there have been no health issues within that pedigree?

I have been involved in breeding large dogs in the past. You get the same type of perdigree but you also have the health clearances of the sire and dam. hips, eyes, elbows, heart whatever is appropriate. And you dont buy unless you see those clearances and that they were done after the parents turned 2 years old. 

I know there is nothing equivalent to that in HH but I am not sure I should feel any better just getting the paper that shows the pedigree?


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## CoxMD (Apr 30, 2010)

If you were to have the IHR run the numbers you can look up the causes of death of those ancestors. I think that'll allow you to trace the presence of WHS, but that's about iot.


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## CritterHeaven (Feb 21, 2011)

Which if it is taking them several months to ASSIGN numbers I would think would take about a year?  

I guess I am thinking that the presence of that 5 gen pedigree is not as reassuing as I had hoped.


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## LarryT (May 12, 2009)

With a pedigree you can check for severe inbreeding in the lines. Some peds also have the colors listed and this will help when trying to get certain colors and such. Not sure how much good a pedigree does the avg. pet owner but it does help us breeders out.


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## CritterHeaven (Feb 21, 2011)

So it would help a buyer make sure there was no inbreeding which increases the risk of WHS. But I could not use it to tell if any previous generations had health issues?


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## Nancy (Aug 22, 2008)

To the average buyer a lineage isn't going to give you much as far as health information goes unless you write the registry and ask. 

In a perfect world, every breeder that registers their hedgehog gives truthful info. Every breeder and owner informs the registry of health issues and causes of death. All the information is entered. If all this information is entered and kept up to date, we should have a wealth of information available for these lines. Unfortunately, this is not a perfect world all round, but, at this time, it's the best we have available. 

Yes, we can find out some health issues and if there is whs in the background.


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