As a pet owner, you should be responsible for your pet’s safety and wellbeing. One of the worst fears of every pet owner is when their pet runs away or goes missing. Using tags and collars on your pets is helpful, but when they become lost or removed, your pet is left vulnerable and without identification.
That’s why microchipping is important. It’s an efficient solution for identifying your pet and allowing them to be reunited with you when they get lost. If you live in San Antonio, Texas, you can rely on Crestway Animal Clinic for professional microchipping services.
In this blog post, we’ll share the important facts about microchipping a pet. Keep reading to discover how this simple procedure can provide peace of mind. After reading this guide, you’ll have the information needed to make informed decisions about microchipping your beloved pet.
What Is a Microchip and How Does It Work?
A microchip is a small electronic device about the size of a grain of rice. It’s implanted by a licensed veterinarian under the skin of the pet, usually between the shoulder blades. A microchip holds important information, specifically a unique identification number that can be read using a scanner.
It’s important to understand that a microchip is not similar to a GPS tracker. It does not emit signals or provide real-time location data. Instead, it acts as a permanent form of identification for your beloved pet.
A microchip is made from biocompatible materials that are safe to implant in a pet without causing adverse effects. Once implanted, the microchip stays in place for the pet’s lifetime and does not require any maintenance or replacement.
How the Microchip Process Works
When a lost pet is found and brought to a veterinary clinic, animal shelter, or animal rescue center, staff can scan the pet to check for a microchip and retrieve the pet’s unique ID number. The number is then matched with contact details saved in a pet microchip registry.
For a microchip to function properly, it depends on accurate registration. After microchipping, the pet owner must register the microchip and include their current contact information. Failure to register the microchip means it will be difficult to reunite a lost pet with its owner, even if the microchip is scanned.
Benefits of Microchipping Your Pet
Permanent Identification
Unlike pet collars and tags, which can be removed or fall off, a microchip can’t be lost or tampered with, making it the most reliable way to link your contact details to your beloved pet.
Helps Recover Stolen Pets
Microchips are effective in tracking down stolen pets. Many pets are stolen every year by criminals who plan to sell them. If a pet has a microchip, the possibility of recovery and reunification with their owner is significantly higher. It’s much more difficult to sell an animal that has a registered microchip.
Higher Reunion Rate
Pets that are microchipped have a much higher probability of being returned to their owners. Studies show that microchipped dogs are more than twice as likely to be reunited with their families compared to those without microchips.
Protects Your Personal Information
Many pet owners are concerned about whether their personal details will fall into the wrong hands. When a pet is microchipped, the owner’s personal details are not displayed on a collar that can be seen by everyone, including strangers. The owner’s important information is kept in a protected database that can only be accessed by authorized microchip providers and animal welfare professionals.
Peace of Mind
Knowing that your pet has a microchip provides assurance that you’ve done your part as an owner to help ensure they can be returned to you if they become lost.
Legal Support
Microchips have been used to prove ownership in disputes when someone is trying to falsely claim your pet. You can verify your pet’s microchip, ensure it’s registered under your name, and confirm it has updated contact details.
Common Myths and Misconceptions About Microchipping
Myth 1: Microchip Companies Can Locate a Lost Pet
Truth: A microchip is not a GPS tracker that allows you to locate and find a pet when it goes missing. Microchips only transmit information when they’re scanned by a special scanner.
Myth 2: Microchips Are Automatically Registered After Implantation
Truth: Simply having a pet microchipped is not enough. You must register your contact details with the microchip manufacturer. You must also update the contact information if you move to a new home or get a new phone number.
Myth 3: Scanning a Microchip Reveals Personal Details of the Owner
Truth: When a lost pet’s microchip is scanned, the information transmitted is only a unique ID number. A veterinary clinic, animal shelter, or animal rescue center uses the ID number to connect with the microchip company. Then the company checks the information in their secured database to contact the owner so they can be reunited with the pet.
Myth 4: Microchips Expire
Truth: A microchip comes in a package with an expiration date that indicates how long the package remains sterile. However, once implanted in a pet, the microchip does not expire. It stays inside the pet’s body and serves as a permanent form of identification.
Myth 5: Indoor Pets Don’t Need a Microchip
Truth: Indoor pets can escape and become lost. Indoor pets are often not familiar with outdoor safety risks and may not be able to find their way home. For example, if a pet dog escapes and is chased by a bigger dog, they might run away and become disoriented in unfamiliar surroundings, making it hard for them to find their way home.
Myth 6: Microchips Can Move to Different Parts of the Pet or Fall Out
Truth: While some microchips can migrate slightly, it’s a rare occurrence. Microchips typically stay close to the insertion area when implanted by a professional veterinarian. Choose a trustworthy animal clinic like Crestway Animal Clinic to ensure your pet’s microchip stays where it was inserted.
Myth 7: Microchips Can Cause Pain to the Pet
Truth: Microchips do not emit “shocks” or cause ongoing pain to the pet. Once implanted, the microchip stays dormant inside the pet’s body until it’s scanned by a scanner. The radio waves it transmits during scanning won’t cause pain to the pet.
Myth 8: Microchipped Pets Don’t Need a Collar or Tag Identification
Truth: While microchips provide permanent, protected identification for your pet, using a collar with identification tags offers additional protection. A lost pet with a collar and identification tags allows someone who finds it to immediately read the details and contact the owner without needing to take the pet to a clinic for scanning. If a pet isn’t wearing a collar with identification tags, a microchip becomes its only form of identification.
Why Microchipping Your Pet Is Important
Microchipping is not just for finding a pet when it goes missing. It’s a part of responsible pet ownership. Many animal shelters and animal rescue centers require microchipping before adoption. Some cities have made it a legal requirement for pet owners.
Microchipping your pet means you’re protecting them and doing your part to reduce the growing number of lost pets in shelters. It’s a simple, one-time procedure that provides lifetime protection for your companion.
The Microchipping Procedure
The microchipping procedure is painless and fast. A veterinarian injects the microchip using a syringe similar to giving a pet its vaccines. Little to no pain occurs during the microchipping process.
The entire procedure typically takes only a few seconds, and most pets don’t react any differently than they would to a routine vaccination. No anesthesia is required, and pets can resume normal activities immediately after the procedure.
Maintaining Your Pet’s Microchip Information
Once your pet is microchipped, remember these important steps:
- Register the microchip immediately with accurate contact information
- Update your information whenever you move or change phone numbers
- Keep a record of your pet’s microchip number in a safe place
- Verify annually that your contact information remains current in the database
Protecting Your Pet for Life
Microchipping is one of the best investments you can make in your pet’s safety. Combined with proper training, secure fencing, and visible identification tags, a microchip gives your pet the best chance of being reunited with you if they ever become lost.
Don’t wait until it’s too late. Protect your pet today with this simple, affordable procedure.
Trust Crestway Animal Clinic
If you want to microchip your pet and you live in San Antonio, Texas, Crestway Animal Clinic is your trusted veterinary partner. With more than 31 years of experience in the veterinary industry, we offer comprehensive services including dental care, medicine, surgery, and microchipping.
Our experienced team understands how important your pet is to your family. We make the microchipping process quick, comfortable, and stress-free for both you and your pet.
Want to know more about our clinic and the services we currently offer? Call us at (210) 657-6747 and speak with our knowledgeable staff.
Choose Crestway Animal Clinic for your pet’s microchip needs and give yourself the peace of mind that comes with knowing your beloved companion has permanent identification. Contact us today and take this important step in responsible pet ownership!