Microchips And How They Work
Microchips are still a fairly new concept to pet owners, and can be a source of confusion. I’d like to clear this up. I’m 100% behind the idea of microchips and think every pet should be required to have one.
I can’t count the number of times I’ve been asked if a microchip is like a “tracker”. The answer is no, it’s not an implantable GPS device. A microchip is a small chip, about the size of a grain of rice, that is inserted through a needle under the skin between your pet’s shoulder blades. The procedure is different at some clinics. Most don’t require sedation, but occasionally it is necessary. Often they will shave a small area for the injection and possibly prep it with some betadine or alcohol. After they, that insert the chip in the same way they would give a shot, only with a larger needle. They will then scan your pet to make sure implantation was successful.
You may be given paperwork to fill out and send in, or the clinic may do it for you. This all depends on the brand of chip that they use. Regardless, your personal information such as address, name, phone number, and pet’s information will be sent to a database. If your pet is lost or stolen, the chip will stay with them when a collar or ID tags may be removed or fall off. If your pet winds up at a shelter or rescue, they are required to scan all pets for microchips before placing up for adoption or euthanizing. In the event of a stolen pet, it can be harder to track them down from a microchip, but some clinics will mandatorily scan for chips if someone claims to have “found” the pet recently, so there is always that chance.
Scanning your pet involves a rectangular or wand-shaped device that you wave over the animal’s back and if it identifies a chip, a long number will appear on the screen of the scanner. This number is then used to call the chip’s manufacturer, and they look in their database to match the number to the previous owner. Sometimes if chips are implanted into a puppy or kitten, by the time they reach adulthood the chip may have migrated into a front leg or further down it’s back. If you ever have your pet scanned for a chip, make sure they run the scanner up and down the back, but also up and down the front legs. I once found a chip in a rottweiler’s front right paw. No idea how it got there, but the point is, if I hadn’t been thorough with my scanning, her owners never would have been found.
There are several different manufacturers of microchips. Unfortunately, the technology is still new enough that there is not a universal scanner that will read all brands of chips. The most common types of chips are AVID, HomeAgain, and the new Bayer chip, called resQ. They all come with their own scanners, and some scanners will read other types of chips, but not always. It can be confusing trying to figure out what is what, but the Wikipedia article on microchips can help you get an idea.
I’ve seen enough chips save enough lives to vouch for the efficacy of the product. They usually run $40-$80, which is well worth every penny. Chips should be paired with a collar and ID tag for maximum effect, but when all else fails, the chip will be there, and provide you with the peace of mind that if your pet does end up in a shelter, you will be contacted.
Tagged as 24hour pet watch, avid, bayer, collar, home again, homeagain, id tag, implanted, micro chips, microchips, resq, scanning, tracker + Categorized as Medical