Microchipping?
 

I took Pann outside and put him on his leash thingy outside well when trying to hook it onto his harness he was doing his potty dance and I accidentally hooked it to his license and the connector busted and his license rabies tags went everywhere and he went running off down the street, so scary! Since then I have been wondering about micro-chipping. What are the pro's and con's? How do you feel about it as a pet owner? and does anyone know where to get a keyring small enough to reattach his tags :rolleyes:

Oh the little stinker, I guess you got him back, but I'm sure you were scared to death. Joey got microchipped when he was neutered, and as far as I'm concerned there is no downside. The company we are with has a one-time lifetime charge, and you only pay again if you are changing information. Many states are making breeders who breed over a certain number of dogs microchip their puppies, and for a while there was a lot of propaganda put out about the dangers of chips. The millers just didn't want to pay the extra money, and also didn't want anyone to have the capability to trace a dog back to them. Microchips are about the safest medical procedure there is, and literally thousands of dogs are returned yearly because of this technology. The chip isn't active, it's not "sending" information, you need a reader to read the chip, so it's really safe. The only thing I would suggest is to use a chip that is popular in your community and where your pound has a reader to that particular chip. There are a couple of major companies, we have Home Again, and have been happy with it.

Im sure you can find an extra ring at petsmart, or like a key shop or like walmart!

I have Pnut microchipped, like Nancy I don't think there is a downside. I also did it when Pnut was netuered, but I have seen it done on dogs that have been awake and it is honestly not that bad- If the tech is good at it!

At first I was not going to get him chipped, I know I wont probably get Pnut back if he got out, but you never know, so thats why I decided to do it!

^ Ditto them.

Jackson was also chipped while being neutered and I'm so glad I did it. Just in case.

P.s it is better to chip while under, to make sure it is in the right spot and the dog doesnt move!

I don't know of any downsides to microchipping. Levi is microchipped and it does give me a little more peace of mind. His brand (resQ/petlink) came with a one-time fee, no annual charges or anything. Luckily, we've never had to actually use it, but I have asked the vet to scan it and make sure it works. :)

My two are chipped. They were done during a vet visit and were wide awake. The tech was very good and the vet checked it and said that she had put it in a great place. Mine did not even cry out.

Because they are small the tech seemed to take it worse then they did.
She hugged them and apologized twice to each one. :D

I am thrilled that they are chipped. My vets policy is that if a new dog comes in and the owners cannot give them any background vet stuff then they scan them to make sure they are not stolen. I really like that.

Hi there...I got Sassafras microchipped before I even brought her home. ( It was only an extra 30 bucks so I figured I couldnt go wrong). It has never been a problem so I HIGHLY recommend it! ALSO I have learned to make sure she is hooked up BEFORE I take her outside just to be on the safe side. ;) Better safe than sorry dear. :thumbup:

I have one of those thingys that go in the ground I can't for the life of me think of what they are called, I carry him out set him on the large ledge on the porch never taking a hand off him hook it on then let him go it just happened to hook it onto the tags this time :rolleyes:

thanks all for the advice and input I am going to look into the one best known around here and get it done I think it would really benefit us just in case!

Chip your baby. It gives you an extra chance of getting him back in your arms should he ever go missing.

I chipped Princess at the time of her spay, and it really feels like a weight off my shoulders knowing I've taken one more step to protect her. The Humane Society here only charged me $10-$20 can't remember, but that will cover her for life.:)

Darwin & Mabel are both micro-chipped. Darwin was awake - vets forgot to do it while he was being neutered - he wasn't happy at all. Mabel was done when she was spayed - I also had her tattooed - has a registry like the micro-chipping. I want to have as much help in case they ever get loose.:)

All of my dogs are chipped. My fiance's 2 dogs are also chipped - last Spring his dogs got out when the wind knocked down part of a fence. Thanks to the chip he had them back w/in a few hours. Its well worth it!

They microchipped Jacob right before we left the shelter. I never gave it much thought until recently but I will have all our animals chipped from now on. (Homeagain)

I am just another member who will encourage your to get your dog microchipped.

Also important to update you dogs records with the microchip company at least once a year. I make sure Sophie Kates picture is updated and any vital information regarding her (phone numbers, health information).


I also saw something on line for a national data base where they are storing all chip information but there was a fee involved and at the time I could not research it further. I need to make time to do that soon.

Here is the link Microchip Database

My husband and I have been debating chipping our new little one (last one was not chipped). We have read all of this stuff online about chip migration and possible tumor growth in the tissues surrounding the chip...Is there any validity to this stuff? You all sound very happy with your chips.

with mickey i always wanted him chipped but we just kept on forgetting every year... and now he's too old (15) im afraid it might shock him too much.

Coco, if i want her pedigree I need to have her chipped because I am recieving export pedigree. im afraid tog et her chipped next week because she'll be awake and watching her get her rabies was painful enough... I think its the greatest thing u can do for your dog. because tags come off but chips don't.

& migration and tumors i read those don't happen any more with the new technology.

I just had Bevo chipped last weekend. He did really good for being awake! I plan on having Macs done when he is neutered. I found more pros than cons in the decision to chip both of them. Good luck with your decision!

Mine are chipped and so glad. I discussed all the pros and cons with my vet before we did it and he said that with dogs - it is not a problem. He has not seen any problems at his office in all the years he has ben practicing. Cats though have had some problems, he stated.

I heard of one story where a person was pulled over while on vacation (small problem) and they did not have a copy of their rabies/shot record with them and the officer called animal controlled and picked up their pet. When they went to go pick him up there was a problem of ownership and proof he was their dog. Luckily they had him microchipped and was able to prove it was their dog and got him back right away.

Microchip
 

Five years ago I placed a retired mom with a couple in a town 30 miles from me. She was microchipped but they didnt transfer the chip to their name.

Last week I received a call from a pet hospital about 50 miles from them.
Cinnamon had been given to this lady by a relative who said they "found" it in the town where her owner lived. They gave it to the lady who lived 50 miles away . She was concerned that the Yorkie might belong to someone who was looking for it so took her to get it scanned at the pet hospital in her town.

Through the microchip they found me since it was still registered in my name, and I was able to call the owners, who would have never found her since she was now in a town 50 miles from them.

I would definitely microchip. Cinnamon would have never have been found without the chip.

I think all dogs should be chipped. There aren't any downsides, IMO.

I have two that were chipped during their spay and two that were chipped while awake. The two that were awake didn't act any different than they did while getting shots. They didn't cry out or anything at all. They never even noticed it.

There's a small risk. Some studies have placed the risk as high as 1% in lab rats. However, lab rats are predisposed to cancer and there are major questions with the methods and results used.

It is possible (but not probable) that the chip can migrate.

The chance that your dog will become lost (or stolen) is MUCH higher than the chance that your dog will get a tumor from the microchip.

There isn't any procedure that has 100% guaranteed safety. It's all in the risk/rewards ratio. IMO, the rewards of microchipping greatly outweigh the risk.

I agree with everyone, I see no down side at all to microchipping. My dogs and cats are chipped and Alice will be when she gets spayed. The other great thing about it is you can get a "lifetime license" for the dog instead of getting and paying for a new one each year (well, that's the case in Pennsylavnia, I think dog laws are different by state so you'd have to check on it). That's just a little extra added bonus for me instead of having to pay $7 per dog per year, it's a one time fee.

Little Tibbe is just 5 lbs. and I am always rubbing his back and shoulders, scratching him, etc., and have never felt the chip and he never shows any any any reaction to my touching the area of where I think the chip is somewhere between his shoulder blades.

He had no reaction to the procedure and no subsequent ill effects. I think the chip tumor risk is so tiny as to be negligible.

I know anything that will give me an extra chance of getting a lost Tibbe back is well worth the effort and I would have paid far more than the tiny fee I was charged to get this added insurance.

microchip
 

My two yorkie girls are microchipped as well as my cat. Although kitty wears a kitty collar 24/7 with ID tags, my puppies do not. Those are attached to their harnesses. I do not like to keep dog collars around their necks because I am afraid they may get caught on something and they get get injured.

However, they always wear harnesses when we are out and about. All their ID tags are attached to the harnesses with the following CURRENT information:

ID with their name and my last name as well as my home address and phone number
ID with microchip information ( I copied it onto a dog tag at my local pet store from the cheap plastic tags that are sent and wear out quickly)
Rabies tag,
License registration
Their VPI insurance tag number ( the insurance Co. would be able to contact us if a lost dog is found).

I also have separate pictures of them as well as pictures of the two of them with me ( police, etc. would know that I am the owner when I show them my ID and pictures) at the ready --- carry them with me wherever I go in their Doggie bag.

At home, I have the emergency stickers (please rescue 1 cat and 2 dogs) attached to all exterior doors. My good neighbor always has my house key in case of am emergency.

Hope this helps. The key is to keep all info current. The microchip peope do charge a small fee --- $5.00 (?), after the chip is first purchased and information given, to change the information. The charge is well worth the cost for your peace of mind and more importantly, your fur baby's safety!

In the event the two girls escape without their harnesses, I pray that they will be found safe and sound and be microchipped immediately. Most microchip sensor wands that the shelters , vets, and police use are now universal. Annually, your vet SHOULD check for the microchip to make sure it did not "slide" out of place and that it can still be detected by the sensor wand.

DAB

Aparently I can not win with Pann. Today it was georgous outside so we were outside all day I sat on the porch and did homework. Well he was running around and his harness snapped and broke! that was the finale straw he is definitely getting micro-chipped now! He's going to be the death of me!

You might want to get a stronger harness too. :p

lol I just ordered him a step-in silk harness but until that comes he has to put up with a very pink and very bulky harness the puggle used to use

Sophie was microchipped last year. Our town had a Dog Expo and our vet was there microchipping. It was a one time fee and only $20. Sophie was one year old. She didn't cry or even flinch. Such a trooper ;)! Now our breeder chips all her dogs before she releases them to their new owners. It does give us some peace of mind. Those little rings are available wherever you get you dog license tags :).

I had my baby microchipped today... i was reading some threads and i think is the best option for me and my furbabies... i will have my Melody microchipped also, but she has to wait until next month... :)