Since we involve our pets in so many aspects of our lives they are out and about with us constantly. Unfortunately, that means there is a risk for a pet to be lost. Doors get left open, gates aren’t closed properly, storms or fireworks scare nervous pets and off they go. If your pet gets lost traveling they may not know where home is located. We recommend having a collar and identifying tags on at all times, but collars and tags can fall off or get lost. Microchipping is a great way to have a permanent identification of your beloved pet in case anything happens.
An animal microchip is a permanent form of identification. It is not a GPS or animal tracking devise. A microchip contains a unique number that is registered to your pet only. The microchip itself is about the size of a grain of rice and is injected underneath your pet’s skin, usually between the shoulder blades. The insertion process is similar to administering a vaccination and only takes a few seconds. Insertion of the microchip does not require anesthesia or sedation. Typically, pets do not react to this process any more than they would to a vaccine.
The microchip will last a pet’s entire life and is read by passing a scanner over the pet’s shoulder blades. The scanner detects the unique microchip number and the microchip company can be contacted to retrieve the pet owner’s information from their database. It is important to mention, the microchip does not store personal information; only the microchip number given to that specific pet and the company in which it is enrolled. The pet’s owner can be contacted and reunited with their lost pet.
If registration is not completed, the microchip is virtually useless. If a pet is re-homed to someone else or you change contact information, the microchip database should be updated by the pets owner so current information is available.
Microchips are made out of inert, biocompatible substances. This means there will be no degeneration of the microchip and minimal to no allergic reactions exhibited by the pet. Microchips can migrate outside of the implantation area, but this usually does not cause harm to the pet. There have been a very small number of cases where inflammation or growths have occurred around the microchip and have required medical care. Fortunately these incidences are very rare and generally microchip placement is considered safe.
If you have any questions or wish to make an appointment to have your pet microchipped, please give us a call or text 417-725-2386.