So worried about microchip on Saturday
 

I called the vet again and the receptionist told me that 'yes' the chip will hurt Teddy a lot due to the size of the needle versus his size but he'd be over it quickly. I've read that there are special needles available for smaller dogs i.e. I could buy one and ask them to use it instead of the standard sized one they use but I'm not sure if it's necessary?


I wouldn't worry so much but Teddy is neurotic and the vet didn't want to chip him the same day as his annual check up due to the terror he displays at new situations and people. Ugh............................................


I just want to make sure he comes back my same ol' neurotic Teddy and not a new one with additional issues...:confused:

It is absolutely inconceivable that a vet receptionist would tell a client something like this!!! I insert my own chips!!! I personally have a worse reaction to the inserting of the chip than any dog I have ever done simply because I hate needles!!! The needle is extremely sharp, with a cutting edge...and if the person that is inserting the needle knows how to correctly insert a needle delivery system, ie, as with all needles going in sub q, bevel side up, the pup will not probably even feel the needle going in!!! If Teddy is neurotic, he will react to someone fooling around with the scruff of his neck....but the actual insertion of that needle will NOT cause him "a lot of pain"!!!! Now, all bets are off if they have no idea how to insert a chip and do it incorrectly, like trying to shove the needle into the skin with the bevel side DOWN....but if they know what they are doing, and it is NOT rocket science or brain surgery, there should NOT be a problem!!! The worse "hurt" will be no worse than getting his vaccination shots or you getting a flu shot!!! I can NOT believe a receptionist told you that!!!!!

Why in the world would she say that? My breeder also chips herself(AKC requires her to chip). The needle is large compared to the needles used for core vaccines. My bully was about 10/12 lbs when she received hers and didn't make a sound. Rasta yipped but he's tiny at a little over 2 lbs. I think I was more of a wreck than he was(i hate needles with a passion). A receptionist telling a patient that can deter a pet owner from even getting their pet chipped:thumbdown. I assume getting chipped is like drawing blood for us. You have to have the "right" nurse/tech doing it to make it as painless as possible.

I would find another place to get the chip - like animal control. They do these all the time and know what they are doing. Zoey didn't make a peep when her chip was inserted. I would tell the vet what this uninformed woman said.

I have never had a puppy....I chip all mine at 12 weeks old....so much as cry out in pain from this!!! I have had some of them squirm because that particular pup has places to go and people to meet immediately, and resents being held still while it is done....

I have heard the needle for chipping is bit bigger but vet/vet tech never said it would hurt alot.

Like Yorkiemom1 said, I would think it depends on the person administering the needle. Even with humans, if they don't know what they're doing and just poking you, it freak'n hurts.

Maybe you should ask for the vet instead of talking to the receptionist.

If it's really bothering you, you could also ask them to give a shot of lidocaine to the area prior to giving the chip shot. Lidocaine can sting a bit, but it would make the insert pretty much painless. Maybe call and ask if that's an option....?

I doubt there is a smaller needle. The needle is larger bc it has to be big enough for the chip to pass through, which is about the size of a grain of rice. I've had several fosters that needed chips put in. They always take them to the back to put them in but I never hear a yelp or scream. Though there will most likely be some blood.

I would ask to speak with the vet and tell him what the receptionist said. Many receptionists give advice when they have no real knowledge. I think it will probably hurt, but I don't think she needed to add "a lot", and I think it would probably hurt a big dog as much as a small one, I don't think small dogs have more nerve endings per square inch do they? I do think it depends more on the technique and some practitioners are better than others.

I wish I knew where"the sands of time" were located....I would come inject that micro chip for you!!! By the time they get a neurotic Teddy injected with Lidocaine, which DOES sting, injected into his scruff, he will be a raving psycho, climbing the walls by the time they go to inject the chip!! Totally unnecessary!!! If the vet did not want to inject the chip the same day they do a simple exam on him, injecting Lidocaine first will have him so wired they will have to give him a general anesthesia to get that chip in!!!

It will be okay! I just had Teek chipped and I was right there when they did it. He squirmed a little bit but never let out a peep of any kind. He bled about 6 drops of blood, I was the one holding the paper towel on the back of his neck so I know. They scanned him to make sure the chip was in and he was done.

It was seriously nothing at all. Teddy will be just fine and no worse for wear than if he was getting a simple shot.

Relax and it will all be done and he will be back in your arms. It didn't hurt my other dog when I had her chipped either, she didn't even hardly notice. Teek is 1/4 the size of her so I was more worried about him, but he did not cry out and it really did not seem to hurt him much at all, like getting your ears pierced I would think.

Hi all,


Thanks for the replies - truly helps to have different perspectives.
The receptionist is a vet tech and she didn't tell me anything differently than what the vet told me himself during Teddy's annual check up in September. During that visit, the vet said he thought we should wait to get Teddy chipped because it would 'hurt a lot' and Teddy was already scared from the visit so suggested that the chip be done at a later time i.e. Saturday. There is a different needle, I believe, which some people use for chi's and small Yorkies but I don't think it is widely known or used. I just thought maybe someone would be familiar with it here...


I know it needs done as it is the law here (England) that all dogs are chipped by April 2016. Even if it weren't the law, I would get it done anyway. If they mean it will hurt a 'lot' as in more than a vaccination, I get that. However, they just keep saying 'it will hurt' and freaking me out about it..lol
I'm hoping it's no different than the shots you get your kids which 'hurt a lot' and then life goes on. I don't know. Like I said, I wouldn't be so worried if Teddy wasn't such a nut. I guess I just have to hope he'll be okay since I really have no choice. Thanks all. :(

:thumbup::thumbup::thumbup::thumbup:
You are getting all worked up over nothing! This is what I do to myself before I get a flu shot, a pneumonia shot, ANY kind of shot! By the time I go in to get the shot, I am a nervous wreck......grey, cold, clammy, and almost pass out! Then the actual shot turns out to be nothing!! I am another Teddy!!! Teddy will be fine! YOU can have a positive contribution to the process by telling the vet to "be sure the bevel is up when you insert the needle"!!!

:) Misty....like you said, it's got to happen...would love to take it all away from you and Teddy, but sorry - I can't...

It's like a grain of rice being injected through a needle - it's instantaneous - might be a bit of a yelp - but then that's it....

Huge Harry even yelped at that moment - but a bit of a massage for a couple of minutes....and then it was all forgotten. I promise you, that's all it was xxx

I totally agree! I was worried about Teek and it turned out that it was nothing at all and not even a big deal. I was not nearly as worked up about it, but realized as soon as it was over that I was worrying about nothing at all. It was absolutely no different than when he got his rabies shot. Just take him in as if it is no big deal and it will be over with in a few seconds and he will be totally fine. I think me getting my ears pierced was a much bigger deal than Teek being chipped and my ear piercings were nothing. Please, relax and just have it done and don't worry about it.

What chip do they use? Then you can look it up and see for yourself what is involved....I have never heard about different size needles for different size dogs....sounds like something said to just reassure the owner...kind of like saying they can adjust the dosage of rabies vaccine according to the size of the dog, which of course can NOT be done....that is illegal. The needle used is like a 14 guage needle....large enough to inject a grain of rice thru the bore.....I dont see how that size can change according to the dog being chipped.

I looked it up and there are 3 companies that have a "mini chip"....I dont know if those companies are in the States or overseas, but the do have a smaller chip/smaller needle delivery system.
I copied the info below from a universal (standard size chip delivery system) microchip site, just answering some FAQ....

"I have toy breeds/kittens. They are so tiny. Can I use the chip?
Absolutely. We have thousands of customers who have toy breeds. It might help you to know that the same sized microchip and needle are used in animals even smaller than yours...including mice, baby birds, and newly hatched sea turtles! Does the procedure hurt the animal?
Although the microchip needle is larger than a typical vaccine needle, animals do not over react to it. Anesthesia is not required or recommended. What is the best age to inject the chip?
Most breeders inject the chip between the ages of five and eight weeks. Of course, the injection can also be done at any time after that. "

Hopefully, you are feeling better about this.....Teddy will pick up on YOUR anxiety and react accordingly! Before you go to the vet, throw back a couple of shots of Butterscotch Schnaaps....it will help you!!

I agree with what everyone has said. I've been with all my dogs when they get the chip and it seems to bother me more then them. Dogs feed off energy so if someone is giving off a nervous vibe, it may affect the dog. Just get yourself in a super calm place and don't let the vet or the tech freak you out. Maybe the vet is nervous with very small dogs? If so perhaps a different vet would be better.

you make me laugh- thank you xox


Thanks all! It will be okay, I'm sure. Hubby told me I could wait outside and he'd take Teddy in so I'm not the 'bad guy' that took him in and you are all def right about how Teddy will feed off my energy.


I often underestimate my ability to cope with things until during and after the fact only to repeat the whole thing again before another potential drama! I always say Teddy is like me :p


At any rate, this whole thing will be over in about 36 hours from now. So, hopefully, I'll be able to come back and say that all went great.


Thanks again x

Yes........well, now YOU have ME concerned.......about the vet!!!!! Please be sure hubby tells the vet "Bevel up!!!".......and you and I can have that shot of schnaaps in the car while we wait for hubby and Teddy to emerge!!!

I went and ordered the syringe and chip myself, as it was much cheaper and I can get a real decent/good chip, too. The chip package I got from AKC was $25 including lifetime membership cost and tag (I went ahead and added the lifetime lost and found program for xtra where I can have an alert sent out). So the total was under $40. If I gotten it done through my vet, it would've been $70 ($50 for the chip and $20 to transfer information registry to my name instead of the vet). They injected it in her for me, for free when I had her fixed. ^^

Little Galen got chipped by the vet. He did really good. . . I agree you can also ask for a little lidocane . But it will be ok. It gets done real quick. Like any shot, it hurts for a second.

Good luck today with the chip. Cody is a big drama queen, when the tech or the vet walks into the room he is screaming and not even touched yet lol, he climbs up my chest onto my shoulder like a parrot lol. Teddy will be fine, we work our selves up with worrying, I do it to myself all the time, when it's over I say, is that all there is....stay calm, remember, our babies feed off us.

My Lily is right under 4 lb and had no issues with microchip. She let out a small yelp and that was it. She cried worse just getting her vaccines. And she's a big baby. When they clip her nails she acts like they are killing her! I'm sure your baby will do just fine!

Interesting...so they'll just sell a chip kit to anyone, then? Is the kit intended to be used by the owner, or do they include the recommendation that a vet insert the chip? I'd worry people would try to inject it themselves, and that does concern me.

Misty - hoping Teddy does just great today at the vet - thinking of you both! I think you should just ask the vet for a bit of valium...one for Momma-bear, and one for baby-bear :D. Okay, maybe 2 for Momma :p. Let us know how it goes!

I agree selling chip kits worries me that lay persons will try injecting their dog themselves!

Hoping it's all over & a little Lidocaine or freezing spray helped dull the pain. The first week Tibbe had his I wanted to feel for it but was afraid he was sore and then forgot about it. Months later I did try to feel it and never could. But now, if Teddy should somehow get lost, you have an increased chance of one day having him back in your arms and even a 1% chance is worth the moments of pain to me and I think Tibbe would agree, being the practical little guy he is. I know I'd undergo the same or a lot worse pain than he had to if somehow chipping me would increase his chances of return to me.

I hope soon we can get a gps locator in the chip that way we can track our dogs ourselves.

Any updates on how he did?

There is some controversy over how safe those are. That type of chip is much more "active" instead of passive, and there is concern about cancer.

Hi all,


Well, Sir Teddykins is now Sir Chippingtons!


I went in the room with hubby and Teddy was so scared. He was shaking and his ears were wide and he kept looking at me ... SO, I just kinda acted all natural like we did this everyday. The vet, whom I'd never met before, tried to relax him with some treats which were rejected by Teddy. I was feeling sick (due to my ulcer issue) but was managing to feel okay when the vet said, "This needle is VERY big." Well, with Teddy looking freaked out, me feeling sick and her comment?? I said, "I'm gonna go..." and I walked out and left hubby there to deal with everything.


I sat down and waited to hear Teddy scream. Out of nowhere, hubby's head pops out of a door and he tells me all is finished. Teddy apparently screamed and then yawned as he always does when he's stressed but I never heard him at all even though I was intently listening for his wails.


Saturday progressed as normal and he seems fine.


SO, it's done! I'm glad all is over with and I don't have to go through that again anytime soon!


Thanks for everyone's help and moral support xoxox