Should I microchip my pet?

Should I Microchip My Pet?

            The main purpose of having a microchip implanted is so that your pet can be reunited with you in the event he or she becomes lost and taken to a shelter or veterinarian.  Microchips are easy to implant beneath the skin, and no sedation is needed.  For dogs, a microchip number can also serve as a lifetime dog license in Pennsylvania.

            Just what is a microchip and how does it work?  Microchips are small, glass coated electronic radio transmitters. They are about the size of a piece of long-grain rice and are safe and non-reactive.  The chip does NOT emit a constant signal and is NOT a tracking device. It simply stores a unique number like a bar code which is revealed on a scanning device that picks up the radio frequency signal from the chip when the scanner is waved over the chip.  The microchip’s unique number must be linked to your information in the chip company’s data base in order for your pet to be reunited with you should he get lost.  Make sure to update information in the database if you move or your information changes. At this time, there are many different companies that make microchips and several different frequencies used but, luckily, all should be detected by universal scanners.  There is some push to use a universal signal and scanner for consistency, but this has not yet happened in the United States.

            Are there any risks with implanting a microchip?  Thankfully, risks associated with microchips are extremely low, but there is a slight chance of infection at the injection or implantation site or injury to the spine if implanted improperly. Microchips are implanted under the skin between the shoulder blades. Please have a veterinarian, technician or trained shelter employee implant your pet’s chip to prevent injury.  Occasionally, the chip may move or “migrate” to another area beneath the skin but this does not harm the pet and should not affect how the chip works. On very rare occasions, the radiofrequency may fail and the chip cannot be read. If the happens, a second chip can be implanted.

            There have been rumors circulating for years that microchips may cause cancer in pets.  Of the millions and millions of pets who receive microchips worldwide, only two cases of tumors that have formed around a microchip have ever been identified—one cat and one dog.  Two. Both had the tumors removed and recovered. The risk of tumor formation is so low it is considered insignificant and the benefits of a chip far outweigh any risks.

            And, while microchips serve as a permanent form of identification, they should never replace wearing a collar and ID tag on your pet as having visible identification is the quickest way to get your pet back to you. 

            So, even if your pet spends all her time inside the house, it may not be a bad idea to consider microchipping her just in case she would happen to slip outside and run away.  Patton Veterinary Hospital offers microchipping for both dogs and cats. 

This blog brought to you by the Patton Veterinary Hospital serving Red Lion, York and the surrounding communities. 

https://www.petfinder.com/dogs/lost-and-found-dogs/how-pet-microchips-work/

https://www.avma.org/microchipping-animals-faq

https://www.akcreunite.org/importance/