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Microchipping Your Pet – Must Know Facts To Keep Pets Safe 24/7

Microchipping Your Pet
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Microchipping your pet- Can you keep your pet safe 24/7?

You are walking with Tommy, and at the street corner, you are greeted by a poster that says, “Lost,  Reward for the right person.“ The innocent-looking pet face touches a chord in your heart.

From that moment you realize that wherever you go, Tommy should accompany you.

Could your dog be next?

Why Should You Microchip Your Pet?

Only 3% and 25% of cats and dogs are ever recovered by their pet owners respectively.

Microchipping a dog procedure

The most advanced and simple method to track your pet 24/7 is getting it microchipped.

A small chip is placed, normally between the shoulder, using a clean needle. A distinct and unique number on the chip enables it to be picked up by a scanner.

Microchipping is not restricted only to cats, dogs, horses, and, in fact, it can be used on different mammals.

How Much Time Will It Take To Microchip My Pet?

Yes, anyone can microchip their pet, but a vet does it way better. Microchips should be injected under a vet’s supervision because they know exactly how to place and where to place them.

The amount of time needed to microchip a pet is equal to the time a vet would take to give an injection. It takes just a few seconds. The paperwork related to microchip will, however, take more time than the actual implant itself.

Can I Do It Without A Vet’s Supervision?

It’s better to do it under a vets supervision.

If any problem arises, the vets know how to rectify them which untrained dog lovers cannot do.

Will My Pet Feel Any Pain When The Microchipping Goes On?

Your pet might feel the pain but no way more than a normal hypodermic injection. The vet will use a large needle. Many pet owners get their cats or dogs microchipped when they are being neutered or spayed for that reason.

Does My Pet Need Anaesthesia For Surgery?

A lot of them won’t even battle an eyelid when it actually happens. Anesthesia or surgery is not needed for your kind information.

How Much Does Microchip Dog Cost?

A vet will probably do it for $ 50. If you do it with a routine pet check-up, it may cost a bit less. There are lots of animal shelters that microchipping at a concessional rate.

Can My Pet Die If A Chip Was Placed Wrongly?

Yes, there are certain cases where the pet has been given the boot. It’s very unusual, but it cannot be ruled out. That’s the real reason why many pet experts recommend vets because how you put it and where you inject it does matter.

Microchip In Dog Side Effects

While extremely very rare, a small dog breed bled to death after a microchipping procedure. The Vet is unsure what transpired, but the Chihuahua died due to blood loss via the needle site.

The needle used for microchipping is a large one and does cause some pain. In case, the pet moves during the process, the chance of a microchip getting placed in the wrong location is high.

Keeping this mind, vets advise microchipping pets when they are neutered or spayed. The migration of microchips is a common problem.

The biggest problem involves rescue homes and shelters that scan only certain areas in the pet dog and do not scan other areas in case the chip has migrated to a different location.

Can Microchips Cause Cancer In Pets? 

In certain cases, there have been some cats and dogs that have got cancer after the implant of the microchip.

In most cases, the dog displayed deadly cancer almost less than five years right after the electronic chip was injected.

There’s very little chance for a dog to develop tumors because of microchipping. People should take a calculated risk since the number of pet theft cases are on an increase in recent times.

There is always this question of whether the microchips are to be totally blamed or if something else caused these diseases. Materials used to cover the chip is also under the scanner. Some pet owners prefer smart trackers to track their pets.

 

Can You Feel The Microchip In A Dog?

Under normal circumstances, dog owners cannot feel the implanted microchip because they are placed in a secured location near the shoulder blades.

In certain cases, dog owners have reportedly felt a lump while petting the dog. The microchip is a very small piece of the electronic chip and the chance of finding it using bare hands is quite low.

Will The Microchip Procedure Hurt My Cat?

Generally, cats have a natural tendency to duck the pain. They stay still or hunch up while in pain. In extreme pain, cats may cry and howl. Drawing blood from a cat and microchipping a cat releases the same amount of agony and pain alike. The microchip comes readily in a sterile applicator. It is usually implanted near the shoulder blades.

It is only a momentary prick, no anesthesia is needed. Because the procedure is fairly simple, microchipping a cat is not an exorbitant procedure.

Benefits of Microchipping Your Pet?

The chip will help only if any kind-hearted person takes your pet to a vet to be checked for a microchip. Many assume that the microchips are something like dog microchip GPS, but that’s not the case.

The chip will beam information only if someone scans your pet. After scanning the chip, the person can contact the host company and ultimately find the owner. Many pets are microchipped but not all are registered properly with update information.

As a loving pet owner, you can get the paperwork; ensure that chip is having all the latest phone number.

What Is “Microchip Frequency?”

The frequency emitted by a microchip actually means the frequency emitted by the radio wave. For instance,  it could be something like 128 kHz.

Can All Scanners Pick Up Each And Every Microchip?

All shelters do not use universal scanners and this means that not all scanners gather information from all microchips.

In a bright scenario, all shelters might be employing a universal scanner that performs well to pick up every pet they find.

Scanners also perform on employing the best method to know where to scan and how.

Chips can also migrate because if they scan the shoulders and the chip has been moved to the side, then they may take time to locate it.

A really useful thing every pet owner can carry out is that at each and every routine vet visit inform your vet to read and scan the chip. By this way, you can ensure that the chip is still working and it’s still in position.

Can The Shelter Help Me Find If My Pet Gets Lost?

Find out what is the most popular chip or brand people prefer in your area. You should contact your vet to know about the same.

Taking these things into consideration, you should contact your vet and see what he actually suggests. In this way, some chips are universally read.

Another important piece of information is that vets are always in a position to find the pet owners.

A good percentage of pets are still back with their owners because the chips are easily traced to the vet who microchipped that pet. The vet then identifies the real owner of the pet.

Microchips are currently manufactured by different manufacturers within America. The microchip material changes among manufacturers. They consist of titanium, ferrite, and other metals.

The surface is made using bioglass or other bioglass containing other polymers. In animals, RFID (Radio Frequency Identification Device ) are mainly implanted.

Do I Need To Tag My Pet Even After Getting Him Microchipped?

Pet owners should bear in mind that a microchip remains as one part of pet’s identification technique. Your pet should always wear a collar containing tags.

With cats, you can try breakaway collars because of less risk attached with the same.

If your pet has been discovered by someone who is not that much familiar with microchipping, they might give away or keep your pet.

In case, if the pet had a phone number, that’s self-explanatory. More than your address or your pet’s name, the person who discovers your pet will first search for your contact number.

You can add a number with an answering machine or voicemail option for a better response. No microchip or tag can save your pet from being stolen by people having bad thoughts or from being struck by a vehicle.

Finally, it’s vital that you never let your animal run loose.

Are All Microchips Installed In The U.S Carry An Alternative Frequency Chip?

Yes, the frequency used in America are 128 or 125 kilohertz. Europeans use a different frequency- 134.2 kilohertz one.

If I Take The Pet To A Country Other Than America, Will Their Scanners Stop Working?

At present, scanners are advanced enough to easily pick up these frequencies.

Before you travel abroad with your pet, plan well in advance because rules and regulations regarding microchips vary from one country to another.

Can Microchips Fail?

Microchips are not always fool-proof. At times, microchips can fail and scanners can also malfunction. A human error such as improper scanning of an animal is also possible.

Animal-related issues that can cause a failure include

  • Animals that find it difficult to stay in one position while being scanned
  • Large matted hair near the implanted site can cause troubles
  • Abnormal fat deposits in the area of implantation
  • A collar having plenty of metal

How To Maintain A Pet’s Microchip?

After microchipping your pet, you should do three important things-

  • Keep your detail up-to-date
  • Scan your pet occasionally to check whether the microchip is functioning properly
  • Register your microchip

The Bottomline

Once you have microchipped your pet, sit back and relax. Update the information if required, and this means the chances of getting your loved pet back is much more than those pets that are not microchipped.

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