I worked at a veterinary clinic where the microchip, both dogs and cats was a popular service. The clinic was located in San Francisco's Pacific Heights, a very affluent area. The clientele were wealthy, educated people with the time and inclination to provide the best for their pets. And on those rare occasions when Fifi managed to stray out of the mansion and some good Samaritan brought her by the clinic, the first thing we did was run a scanner over between Fifi' shoulder blades. We'd detect the ID number, contact the database only to find out that the owner hadn't registered their personal information. FYI, The following database will handle most microchips in the United States...http://registermicrochip.com/. but you actually have to register the chip.
Sometimes, the owner would come in on their own soon enough to claim their dog. Sometimes, we'd turn the dog over to Animal Care and Control.
This anecdote serves to illustrate several points, not the least of which is that even educated people do some extremely stupid things. You need to REGISTER the chip. Always. Period.
If you don't already know what microchips are (if you've been living in a cave...before this economy, that used to be a metaphor)], microchips are tiny implants (about the size of a grain of rice) that are place under the skin, usually between the shoulder blades. The chip had a distinctive I D number (which the owner MUST register with a database). If the dog or cat is lost, a clinic or shelter will, hopefully scan the animal, find the chip, contact the database who will then contact then owner.
Microchips have clear advantages......if your animal is found, you will be contacted in a timely manner. This can clearly save both owner and animal a lot of grief.
Having said all this....
My research indicates that sometimes, the info on the chip can be damaged or corrupted with time....it's a good idea to have your animal scanned routinely every time you take them in for a check up or treatment.
Please keep in mind that the microchip is NOT some kind of tracking system...There isn't a satellite in space tracking the movements of every animal with a microchip...no one will be able to track your animal's movement. The chip is for identification purpose only.
Are there medical consequences for microchips? In a British study of 4 million microchipped dogs, less than 400 developed medical problems, these included site infection, migration of the chip, swelling....in two cases, cancerous tumors developed at the site of implantation....your dog is far more likely to be involved in a car accident (hopefully, with a human behind the wheel), than develop any serious medical issues.
In the United States, micro-chips are about $50...still a bargain.
Sometimes, the owner would come in on their own soon enough to claim their dog. Sometimes, we'd turn the dog over to Animal Care and Control.
This anecdote serves to illustrate several points, not the least of which is that even educated people do some extremely stupid things. You need to REGISTER the chip. Always. Period.
If you don't already know what microchips are (if you've been living in a cave...before this economy, that used to be a metaphor)], microchips are tiny implants (about the size of a grain of rice) that are place under the skin, usually between the shoulder blades. The chip had a distinctive I D number (which the owner MUST register with a database). If the dog or cat is lost, a clinic or shelter will, hopefully scan the animal, find the chip, contact the database who will then contact then owner.
Microchips have clear advantages......if your animal is found, you will be contacted in a timely manner. This can clearly save both owner and animal a lot of grief.
Having said all this....
My research indicates that sometimes, the info on the chip can be damaged or corrupted with time....it's a good idea to have your animal scanned routinely every time you take them in for a check up or treatment.
Please keep in mind that the microchip is NOT some kind of tracking system...There isn't a satellite in space tracking the movements of every animal with a microchip...no one will be able to track your animal's movement. The chip is for identification purpose only.
Are there medical consequences for microchips? In a British study of 4 million microchipped dogs, less than 400 developed medical problems, these included site infection, migration of the chip, swelling....in two cases, cancerous tumors developed at the site of implantation....your dog is far more likely to be involved in a car accident (hopefully, with a human behind the wheel), than develop any serious medical issues.
In the United States, micro-chips are about $50...still a bargain.
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