The team at Advanced Care Veterinary Hospital knows how important the bond between you and your pet can be. In many cases, this connection is both irreplaceable and invaluable and the thought of losing your pet can often be unbearable. Unfortunately, many pets that do get away aren’t identified in the shelter system each year. To help put your mind at ease and help reconnect you with your pet if a separation occurs, Advanced Care Veterinary Hospital is happy to provide microchip identification services.
Why Does My Pet Need a Microchip ID?
Although collar ID tags are a great option for pet owners to help their furry friends find their way home if they become lost, they can become easily separated from your cat or dog. With a microchip, you can ensure that a veterinarian or animal shelter easily identifies your pet when they are found and taken into either facility. The value that a quick microchip procedure provides to pet owners is unmatched when their pet becomes separated from familiar surroundings.
Microchipping your pet is about more than just identifying them when they become lost. It can also help determine ownership if your pet is stolen from your home or they fall into the hands of someone who finds them and decides to keep them.
We encourage you to continue reading to learn if microchipping is right for your pet.
How Are Microchips Implanted?
While pet microchipping is generally considered a safe procedure, there are minor risks of side effects that could occur. However, this is true with any medical procedure that may be performed on your cat or dog.
Some of the potential side effects that may occur throughout the process include:
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Chip Migration
Once implanted, there is a potential for the chip to migrate to another location in the body of your pet. While this may not cause a medical problem to occur, it could still make identification more difficult. In most cases, this will only be within an inch of the implant site.
Does Microchipping Hurt My Pet?
At Advanced Care Veterinary Hospital, the comfort and safety of your pet is our primary concern. While microchipping may seem like an inhumane process to some, the pain your pet will face is similar to what they would experience if blood were drawn. Each microchip is preloaded into a sterilized applicator and injected directly between the shoulder blades into loose skin. In most cases, this will result in only a slight pinch that is both quick and minimally invasive.
Microchipping is not a surgical procedure contrary to popular belief and can be completed in a short amount of time. In most cases, your pet won’t even need to be under anesthesia or require a numbing agent in order to complete the procedure. However, we will try our best to ensure your pet doesn’t become stressed or upset throughout the process. This helps us maintain a smooth and safe microchipping procedure for both a pet and their owners. Although aftercare is rarely needed, we are here to assist you throughout the process if extra support may be needed following the procedure.
Schedule an appointment today!
Does a Microchip Show My Pets Location?
There is a common misconception that microchipping provides the exact location of your pet at all times. However, it is important to understand that microchips are not GPS devices and instead are used when the animal is found then taken to a shelter or veterinary. Unlike GPS devices, pet microchipping requires no external power to function and can be activated by an RFID scanner. Once activated, the scanner provides an ID number that can be run in a database to provide ownership information. Once the microchip is read the company that made the chip is contacted for the owner’s information and then the owner is contacted.
RFID chips are useless if registration information isn’t submitted or kept current. If you need to update the information on your pet’s home location or contact information, please contact the company your microchip is registered with. Failure to update this information may lead your pet to remain unclaimed or inaccurately identified.
If My Pet Has a Collar Tag,
Why Do They Need a Microchip?
If My Pet Has a Collar Tag, Why Do They Need a Microchip?
The vets at Advanced Care Veterinary Hospital recommend investing in both a microchip and collar ID for your dog or cat. That way if your pet still has their collar on and the person who finds them doesn’t have a scanner they will still be able to contact you. However, if your pet loses their collar or tag, a microchip will be the only way for you to be identified and contacted as the owner. With a microchip, your pet’s ID can never be removed, compromised, stolen or lost when it remains updated.
Do All Shelters Scan Lost Pets for Microchips?
Almost every veterinarian and animal shelter in the United States is equipped with an RFID device to detect microchips in pets. However, there are many different manufacturers of pet microchips and, unfortunately, not all RFID scanners can detect microchips in pets. To compensate for this, most vet clinics and shelters will maintain several RFID readers to detect various brands that are commonly used. Since these microchips can potentially migrate, don’t be afraid to have us regularly check to ensure your pet’s microchip still reads properly and is where it should be.
Can Anyone with a Scanner Get My Information?
In a world where we are constantly facing identity threats, it is important to understand that microchipping your pet doesn’t mean that you are sacrificing your own security. When your pet’s microchip is scanned, it only provides an ID number that must be called into a pet recovery service. Only then will the pet recovery service contact you directly. This means that at no point is your personal information exposed. However, for this reason, it is essential to ensure your pet’s ID registration is accurate at all times.
What Animals Can Be Microchipped?
At the current time, Advanced Care Animal Hospital provides pet microchipping services for dogs, cats, reptiles, primates, and small mammals. We understand how important it is to ensure that pet is identifiable when entering a shelter or veterinary facility to avoid the potential ramifications that are associated with unclaimed stray animals. Our goal is to provide a quick and easy procedure to insert your pet’s microchip and make them identifiable if a separation occurs.
When Should a Pet’s ID Information Be Updated?
Anytime your contact information or address changes, your pet’s microchip registration will also need to be updated. To do this, please contact the company your pet's microchip is registered with. We want to ensure your pet’s microchip is easily found and provides accurate information to get them back home as quickly as possible if they happen to stray away from home. Don’t hesitate to update this information immediately whenever possible.
How Much Does Pet Microchipping Cost?
Pet microchipping is generally a very affordable service. To ensure you are given the most accurate information possible, you are encouraged to contact us to set up an appointment and find out what the current rates may be. All service costs include the implantation process and cost of the microchip with no hidden fees or other unseen service charges to ensure a transparent pricing structure for pet microchipping services. Because this is such an important procedure for pet owners, we try our best to ensure microchipping remains as affordable as possible.
How Can I Get My Pet Microchipped?
If you are ready to get your cat or dog microchipped, the team at Advanced Care Veterinary Hospital is here to help. We would be happy to not only provide pet microchipping services but also ensure that your pet is registered with a pet recovery database. Contact us to get started or schedule your pet microchipping appointment today. We look forward to helping your best friend be identifiable if a separation occurs!
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