Soph was done during a regular vet visit. she didn't even flinch when the chipped her and the needle looked huge to this mama's eyes
, kicked up more of a fuss with her regular vaccinations which use a MUCH smaller needle. Gulliver was done when he was neutered but neither one of them act like it affected them in the slightest. The cost as far as monthly/yearly monitoring depends on which chip company your vet uses and also on which particular service level with that company. it ranges from free after the initial imbedding fee to various pricing levels. Soph is just on the basic plan for petfinders which is free. for a fee they offer different levels of assistance should she be lost. Gulliver is with Banfield's plan, also free. No matter which plan you choose, microchipping is something I would definitely recommend.