Microchip?
 

Maggie was not micro chipped by her rescue group before I got her. And I have not had her chipped. Should I? I know if she ever got lost I would wish she was chipped. But is it very painful for them to have it done? I really have no idea. And I forgot to ask at her last vet appointment. I am willing to do it if its crazy and careless not to. But I also hate for her to suffer if its a big ordeal. Thoughts?

I microchip all my 12 week old puppies prior to them going to new homes myself....I have only had one or two even whimper when it was done, and I really do not think it was the "pain" from the insertion of the chip but more of a dislike being restrained during the insertion!! If someone does it that KNOWS what they are doing, and inserts the chip with the slanted angle of the needle placed alongside the surface of the skin, there is no problem! Even if done incorrectly, with the bevel down, it only is uncomfortable for a second......and it is such a valuable, valuable tool in getting lost/stolen dogs back to rightful owners!

Yes, yes a thousand times yes! It is so worth it to have it done! Neither of mine even knew they had it done.

There have been threads where members got their dogs chipped. If I recall correctly the needle is thin, causes no pain. But, if you have a drama queen like I have a drama king mine will scream bloody murder if a tech takes him from my arms lol. I have read it is not painful. To quote Yorkiemom1
" it is such a valuable, valuable tool in getting lost/stolen dogs back to rightful owners".

Depends on how expensive the chip is to install. If someone have the opportunity to steal your dog, you can pretty much wave goodbye forever to your little friend and no little chip is going to get the dog back. Yorkie's look expensive and they are expensive so that makes them a target for theft. Id would never let the dog out of my sight even for a moment and always on a leash whenever outside. If you don't want to chip your dog then just get a tiny dog tag because chip doesn't track your dog, it just an id.

I would definitely get your dog chipped!

Teek is 9 years old and he was not chipped when I got him. We have a mobile vet here that microchips for $15.

I was nervous about having him chipped, but I showed up at Pet Sense the day of the mobile vet. I got the time wrong, so I was 30 mins early and we were first in line. I signed him up and they put in the chip. It took like 3 minutes for me to get him signed up and for them to chip him. He did not fuss or anything. It is just like getting a vaccination.

It gives me peace of mind that if he wanders off or escapes that maybe someone will check him for a chip and I will get him back. It is not a guarantee, but anything to help is better than nothing.

I am getting both puppies microchipped when they are fixed.

Some vets charge a lot to microchip them. It should not cost more than about $30. I would look around for a spay and neuter clinic in the area or a mobile vet if it is more than that. I asked the vet that Teek had been going to about chipping him and they wanted $60 for it and I actually laughed at them. My old vet charged me $20 for chip my english setter. I looked around and found the mobile vet and had Teek done with them.

Even if your dog gets stolen after being chipped, it still increases the chance of getting them back. Because it can provide proof of ownership as well as identity (say if you offer a reward and someone brings in a yorkie similar to yours but it's not). Also depending on the brand and offers of the microchip, it can offer a sort of shout out to nearby vets, shelters and people part of the program (at least that's what the program I use for my chip). Granted if the thief never takes them to a vet and you don't know or have an idea who the thief is, yes, it's almost impossible. But chances are, if they are thieving for money and the yorkie is fixed (thus unable to be bred for more yorkies), they'd sell it to someone who's most likely to take them to a vet. Of course, if the thief was wanting the dog themselves, then yea that wouldn't work much. Either way, it's offering more chances than without (even if slim). The chip I gotten can even be scanned if my girl is somehow overseas, as long as they use the standard scanners. I went through AKC to get my chip etc and just have my vet insert it for me. Costed me a lot less with more benefits offered and the vet did it for free :)

Will it hurt? Probably, but only temporarily.

You can leash your dog all day and carry your dog and do what you need to do for theft but what if your dog runs out of your front door, or escapes from the harness in a way which you had not imagined? Having a chip means that someone like me knows where your dogs home is in the event they are lost.

I would definitely recommend it because I know that my chances of finding Teddy following an unforeseen circumstance, like those above, are increased exponentially.

Thank you everyone!!!! I am going to get her chipped! I never leave her outside unattended or home with the door unlocked or in the car....but if she ever slipped out of my sight i would FREAK OUT! Sounds to me like it would be comparable in discomfort tot getting her yearly shots, and she's a trooper with those.

The wisest choice to chip. Accidents do happen, as much as we watch them like a hawk, it happens. My adopted boy of 20 months now was chipped when I rescued him. Last month and do not ask me how he did this, I watch his every move, never take my eyes off him because he was a city boy, now lives in the country with woods, deer, bear, and many other wild animals, everything is new to him. I have a low fence so as not to block the beauty of the woods, it worked for my other now passed girls. Well last month he got out of the fence, how is still a mystery, he was running through the woods like the devil was chasing him with me right behind him, I have emphysema can't walk fast let alone run, crying and calling him, he was hell bent on finding that pesty squirrel that torments him or the deer that graze close to the yard. My mind was screaming GOD please do not let him get lost in these woods, then he paused, he looked left then right and I was able in that split second to grab him. Crying and hardly able to breathe I got him home, put him in the house, closed the door, went to my shed and pulled out 4 foot high fencing and started to put it up. He did not go in the yard until all the higher fencing went up. As carefully as I watch him, he somehow managed to get get out on the yard. So accidents do happen, micro-chipping helps.

Ugh, I would be in such a panic!!!! My back yard is in the city and is small but luckily is enclosed with a 6 foot high brick wall! LOL but it really wouldn't surprise me if she, left on her own, found a way out!

I think you should absolutely chip her. It will hurt just a bit, for just a second, and then it will be done. You will feel better having had it done, believe me.

Why didn't your rescue group chip her? That seems weird to me. Rescues would want their dog back if it ever got out and was turned in. In fact, our rescue group chips and registers the dog with the rescue and the new owner cannot change it to their info.

And to the comment that a chip is only an ID. Not true. It's not a GPS but there ARE still good people in the world. And there have been stories of dogs being returned years later bc of a chip.

When they did the chip on Bella, she didn't really even flinch. I don't think that it hurts, even for just a little bit if it is done correctly.

Teek acted just like he was getting a regular shot. He didn't fuss, but you could see he didn't like it either. Not a peep out of him. He did bleed afterwards but very little and only for a few minutes. I was the one taking care of him as he is my dog and I just took over caring for him and the bleeding was a couple dots on a paper towel and then stopped. No big deal. He is also 9 years old and not a young little thing. He was a real trooper about it. I gave him a treat afterward and it was all better.

types of chips
 

We are getting two puppies in October and will get them chipped. Have a question about the brands of chips - and does the scanners the vets have read all the different manufactured chips? Is one chip brand better than another? Tks, Lynn

From what I understand... I could be misunderstanding it.

There are 2 types of chips. There are 2 different readers. The readers will "see" the other chip type but can not read it. They will know the dog is chipped though and can try to borrow a reader from another vet's office or from the local pound if necessary.

I think they are making more and more of the chips more universal though so that it can be read by all readers.

My sister used to work in a vet's office and they had one type of reader and a vet they knew had another type of reader and they would take dogs to the other vet's office to get a reading if they couldn't read the chip, but they knew there was a chip. This was several years ago though and I have heard that they are trying to make the chips more universal. If your dog is chipped and taken to the vet they should be able to see that it has a chip even if their reader can't read it.

I wish all vets would scan all new dogs brought in for chips at the first visit to help track down stolen dogs. I went to a vet that took a digital picture of your dog on your first visit and put it in your file. I think that is a good idea. They had a description of the dog and any markings on it as well. Very detailed. Not just Yorkie, silver and tan, but actually a picture and any other details about the dog and chip numbers and it was awesome.

Absolutely chip AND register it online. Chipping does little good if you don't follow up! Jmho.

And Buddybear hardly knew what happened it is so very fast.

When my vet gets a new client they always scan the dog for a chip to make sure it belongs to the person that brought the dog in and not a stolen dog. I don't know about various chips.

Thanks Joan, that helps. I have also heard of some people doing a Tattoo on the dog, say at the top of the leg on the inside. When we owned horses, they use to Tattoo a number inside the upper lip.

Microchip Lookup Tool
 

My little girl has an international chip, since she she came from a Canadian breeder who purchased her microchip from the Canadian Kennel Club. Katie was three years old when she joined our family. I had her vet records when I brought her see my vet, who I have been going to for the past nineteen years (except for the almost two years after I lost my last Yorkie). They scanned her for a chip and wrote down her microchip number for me. A scanner checks for participating microchipping and pet recovery agencies and the link below helps you to check to see if your information is up to date. It's a good idea to check this list periodically and to have your baby scanned to make sure the chip is still working. . Katie's registration paperwork also contains her microchip number.

All it could take is for you to sneeze for an instant to lose sight of your pup. It can happen to the most careful of owners. There are microchip companies that offer enhanced services for a yearly fee, but for basic recovery services there is no fee other than the initial cost of the microchip.

Microchip Search | AAHA Universal Pet Microchip Lookup
FAQs | AAHA Universal Pet Microchip Lookup

Has anyone used that lookup site with success? I've tried both Uni and Toto's on it. They both have Avid and they have never given results for me. It shows no info other than it may be an Avid chip. I know their info is UTD.

As stated above, I was able to use the tool to find out which registry. I could have gotten it from Katie's breeder, but this was so easy. It said Katie's registry is EIDAP. I went to their site and put my number in. It brought me to the information registered to that chip. I needed to have it changed to my information, but that was no problem.

EIDAP REGISTRATION Registry

That's great that your vet does this. I've never been to a vet that automatically scanned. Seems like they don't want to alienate their clients or suggest they have a stolen dog if the info comes back different. There could be many reasons why a dog's chip isn't UTD but confronting a client about it could piss off a lot of people. But I wish all vets were required to scan.

Another downside is people who find or steal dogs don't want to take the dog to the vet, even if they need vetting, bc they are afraid the vet's office will scan for a chip and find out the dog isn't theirs.

Here is a form for Avid. Now that you've moved, you will need to update your information unless you've already done so. It looks like you will need to call them.
https://avidid.com/sites/all/themes/...pdate_form.pdf
https://avidid.com/pet-owners/friendchip

https://avidid.com/pet-owners/microchipping101

What I mean is, Avid has our info, but if I put their chip number in the generic chip ID search, nothing comes up. Does anyone else get real actual info of their chip with another chip company?

There is a free registry where you can keep your info up to date even after your year with other companies. I have all of my dogs microchips put into that as well as the site their chips came with in the hopes that someone will check there if they can't find them through the regular chip site.

Found Animals Pet Care, Spay & Neuter, Adopt a Dog & Cat, Pets Jobs LA

You just make a profile on there and then you can enter all your animals chips into it no matter what company made them. It is nice to have them all in one place as some of my animals have chips made by different manufacturers.

I entered Yazmin's HomeAgain microchip number and it came back showing the HomeAgain's logo along with the following information below.

This Microchip is enrolled with:
[HomeAgain Logo] Date Last Updated: 8/4/2015
For more information please call: 888-466-3242
Or visit: Pet Microchip for Dogs and Cats | HomeAgain Pet ID & Recovery Service

Yeah I got them on there. Thanks for that link though. :)

That's great that Home Again shows up. My "breeder" :rolleyes: told me Uni's chip was Home Again and gave me her chip papers. Turns out she gave me the wrong papers and she isn't even chipped with HA but Avid. So I paid HA's fee for nothing. I was wondering why the numbers weren't the same.

Does anyone with an AVID chip show up on this lookup site?

Thank you for sharing this site! ;) Although Yazmin's microchip's registered with HomeAgain and AKC Reunite, I'm grateful to share her information with any reputable site that could help bring my baby home!