If you have a pet that goes outside regularly or one that is always trying to escape from the house, you’ve probably worried that they might wander off and get lost. After all, you’ve seen plenty of signs posted around the neighborhood of missing dogs and cats. You’ve equipped your pet with a collar and tags with contact information, but that’s really not enough, because collars can be removed or fall off. If you want to greatly increase the chances that your pet will make it home after an unplanned excursion, you need to have them microchipped. It’s a safe, painless, and affordable safety measure available for any pet.
What is a microchip?
A microchip is a small electronic transmitter enclosed in a glass capsule about the size of a grain of rice. It can be programmed with information about your pet that can be read by a special scanner. It is easily inserted under the skin in a location where it can be found and read, usually between the shoulder blades. It doesn’t require an onboard battery because it is activated by radio waves emitted from the scanner. A microchip is not a GPS tracking device and can’t transmit your pet’s location, it simply provides an identification number so your contact information can be found in a database. Virtually all veterinarians and animal shelters have the ability to scan microchips and will check to see if a pet has one.
How is a microchip implanted?
A chip is implanted underneath the skin of a pet with a hypodermic needle. It’s just like getting any other type of injection, although the needle is a little larger. It only takes a minute, and it can be done in the course of a regular checkup. No anesthesia or surgery is necessary. Once in place, it is permanent, and can’t be lost or removed inadvertently.
Is there any maintenance required?
Once inserted, a microchip requires no further maintenance itself, but there are some things you should do to ensure its effectiveness. If your pet is found by a vet or shelter, they’ll scan the data on the chip and check the registry to locate the owner. It’s very important that the contact information in the registry be kept up to date so they can reach you. You should also ask your vet to check it once a year to ensure proper functioning.
Contact Creedmoor Road Animal Hospital for more information about microchipping your pet.
