Microchipping your pet is an effective way to ensure their safe return if they get lost. Our South Lebanon vets discuss the advantages of microchipping cats and dogs in this post.
Microchipping Your Pet
In the past, the only way to identify a pet was by using a license tag, which is still useful for determining the pet's owner. However, tags and collars can become loose and fall off or be taken off, making finding lost or missing pets challenging.
For a long time, veterinarians applied medical tattoos as the preferred solution, but pet owners had to register the tattoo with a national database. Additionally, different vets used different symbols, and pets with dark skin pigments had difficulty displaying the marks. That's where microchips come in!
Microchips are tiny radio-frequency identification (RFID) chips, about the size of a grain of rice. In pets, they are typically placed under the skin on the back, between the shoulder blades.
Is inserting the microchip painful?
Microchipping a pet is a simple and relatively painless procedure, similar to a routine vaccination. Your cat or dog will experience minimal discomfort during the process. Once the chip is implanted, it provides your pet with a permanent form of identification, increasing the chances of being reunited if they ever get lost. You should register the chip number with the company that produces the chip so that your pet can be traced back to your household.
What information does the microchip provide?
A pet microchip typically stores, in a secure database, a unique identification number linked to the owner's contact information. This allows for easy identification and reunification of lost or stray pets with their owners.
Additionally, some advanced microchips may also store medical information or vaccination records for the pet's health and safety.
How Microchips Work
Microchips are tiny electronic devices that can be implanted in pets. These chips contain a unique identification number that can be read using a special scanner.
Most veterinarians and shelters have these scanners. In the past, different brands of chips required different scanners, but today's universal scanners can read all modern types of chips, regardless of their brand.
To scan a pet's microchip, the scanner is passed over the pet's back and sides. The microchip then transmits its identification number to the scanner. If a lost pet is found, the rescuer can contact the national database using the identification number.
The database will then contact the owner of the pet and take the necessary steps to reunify the pet with its owner.
Microchips are not only valuable for returning lost pets, but also for proving ownership. So, if you are a pet owner, it is recommended that you get your pet microchipped for their safety and your peace of mind.
The Safety of Microchipping
Many pet owners may have concerns regarding allergic reactions or internal migration of the microchip. However, this identification method has been used for several years and has been implanted into millions of pets without causing any issues.
The newer microchips are even better and have very low chances of rejection or allergic reactions.
Thanks to microchips, lost pets can be reunited with their families even after many years of separation. To ensure your furry friend's safety, consider having them microchipped by consulting with your local veterinarian at South Lebanon as soon as possible.
Note: The advice provided in this post is intended for informational purposes and does not constitute medical advice regarding pets. For an accurate diagnosis of your pet's condition, please make an appointment with your vet.