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Originally Posted by jencar98  Nancy, IDK about all commercial breeders but the ones I've dealt with through rescue all microchip and have for some time. I don't think commercial breeders are too worried about dogs being traced back to them.
The microchip study summary you quoted was done by "Destron-Fearing........the maker of microchips. Call me cynical because, I just don't trust those that profit from a product to do the research. I would much prefer an unbiased opinion or scientific study.
It's odd you want an independent study before you believe the most recent case of cancer in a dog at the site of the microchip, but believe a corporation with a vested interest in the outcome of these studies.  |
If you have a strong background in experimental design you can read a study and know if it's done following the rules of science, it doesn’t matter who has conducted the study, you can pick up flaws in the design. Studies published in scientific journals are picked apart if they are flawed in anyway. While one company may have conducted the studies, many independent scientists are willing to replicate it, while others change it around to see if other things can cause the effect. These studies has been done many times and replicated before the chips were even placed in animals.
I can't believe so many are willing to believe this source that has other stories such as " Read the whole story: Get "Spychips:
How Major Corporations and Government plan to Track your every Move". 
Do you believe articles written in the National Enquirer? This is that type of publication. The web isn't always the best place to find solid information; sometimes the kookiest websites get more hits and come up first on the google hit list. Aren't any of you suspicious that no names are given of the owner or the vet?
Commercial breeders are fighting this; do you honestly believe commercial breeders are afraid their dogs will get cancer, right now they use tattooing, but it's easy to change and fades over time. Dog fighting is truly a big industry, they certainly don't want their dogs microchipped, and again, do you think it because they are concerned about cancer? So how do they go about fighting these laws, they scare the average person so that they will repeal these laws. Unfortunately, what's even more sad is that they will scare many people into not getting a chip, or even removing a chip, and these chips do help recover thousands of dogs to their owners yearly. I'm just so concerned that people are to not going understand what's truly happening here, and last time a thread like this was written one person was so afraid she wanted to have the chip removed, now that would be major surgery. Please talk to your vet if you have any concerns, vets are privy to solid science found in journals not often published on the web. Even here on YT thousands of us have used microchips, on our dogs, doesn't that tell you something about their safety?
Taken from the American Veterinary Medical Association:
Q: What are some of the problems associated with microchips? How common are they?
A: The British Small Animal Veterinary Association (BSAVA) maintains a database of adverse reactions to microchips. Since the database was started in 1996, over 4 million animals have been microchipped and only 391 adverse reactions have been reported. Of these reactions, migration of the microchip from its original implantation site is the most common problem reported. Other problems, such as failure of the microchip, hair loss, infection, swelling, and tumor formation, were reported in much lower numbers. For a chart summarizing the BSAVA reports, read the AVMA's backgrounder on Microchipping of Animals.
Microchipping of Animals
Q: I've heard a lot lately that microchips cause cancer. Do they?
A: There have been reports that mice and rats developed cancer associated with implanted microchips. However, the majority of these mice and rats were being used for cancer studies when the tumors were found, and the rat and mice strains used in the studies are known to be more likely to develop cancer. Tumors associated with microchips in two dogs were reported, but in at least one of these dogs the tumor could not be directly linked to the microchip itself (and may have been caused by something else). For more details on the studies, read the AVMA's backgrounder on Microchipping of Animals.
Q: I don't want my pet to get cancer. Should I have my pet's microchip removed?
A: We do not recommend that you have your pet's microchip removed, for two reasons. First, based on our review of the studies, the risk that your animal will develop cancer due to its microchip is very, very low, and is far outweighed by the improved likelihood that you will get your animal back if it becomes lost. Second, although implanting a microchip is a very simple and quick procedure, removing one is more involved and may require general anesthesia and surgery.
Q: Do the benefits of microchipping outweigh the risks? I know that you said I have a better chance of being reunited with my lost or stolen pet if it is microchipped, but I'm worried there is still a chance that the veterinary clinic or shelter won't be able to read the chip or my pet will have a reaction.
A: The benefits of microchipping animals definitely outweigh the risks. Although we can't guarantee that a shelter or veterinary clinic will always be able to read every microchip, the risk that this will happen is very low, and getting even lower. Animal shelters and veterinary clinics are very aware of the concerns about missing an implanted microchip, and take extra measures to determine if a microchip is present before a decision is made to euthanize or adopt out the animal. Universal scanners are becoming more available, and solve the challenge of detecting different microchip frequencies.
This information has been prepared as a service by the American Veterinary Medical Association
Microchipping of animals FAQ