Well there has been lots of rumors that microchips are unsafe lately, and I believe this is due to recent legislation being proposed in many states that will require commercial breeders to microchip their dogs. Commercial breeders are fighting this legislation, not because of the great concern that their dogs will get cancer, but it will cost them about $20.00 a dog. The main reason that they are fighting this, I believe, is that these dogs can be traced back to them should they be found shot dead lying in the road, when their breeding career is over. How do they fight this legislation? All they have to do is spread enough rumors around saying that the microchip is unsafe. If enough of the general public believes it, they aren't as likely to pass these laws. Remember the study that showed a tumor relationship between mice and microchips was not a controlled study, also they used a special genetically engineered, tumor making mice, and from this the conclusions were that these mice did develop tumors.
However, these genetically engineered mice were developed so we could study cancer more carefully, not to show that dogs would get cancer. We have to be careful what the real conclusions are from a study, and the popular media, sometimes badly misinterpret a study for their own purpose.
When testing microchips in dogs they found that:
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The use of microchips in pets is a safe, effective, and durable means of identification that has been used globally in millions of animals for nearly two decades. To date, the entire global database of sarcoma development in microchipped dogs is limited to a single case-report involving 1 animal. Furthermore, though low incidences of vaccine-related sarcoma development have been documented in cats (even more rare in dogs), microchip-associated sarcoma development has never been reported in felines. In the context of millions of microchip implantations spread over many years, this near absence of adverse event documentation comprises an impressive and expansive safety record. Therefore, the benefits of microchip implantation with regard to the safety and welfare of pets should they become lost or separated from their owner have proven to be infinitely greater than the remote and unsubstantiated risk of tumor development associated with microchip implantation. Technical Bulletin: FINAL 9/20/07 Tissue Reactions to Microchip Implantation in Laboratory Animals and Pets Introduction |
One dog in Russia has sarcoma development, and we can't even sure if it was from the microchip or something else entirely. One dog out of millions who have been chipped. That actually is truly amazing. This means that they are probably safer than anything else you do to protect your dog.