Microchip question.....
 

Riley was chipped when he had his teeth cleaned so he was under, Jo isn't chipped yet but I want to get him done. The issue holding me back is they say they chip them with nothing to numb the spot and all the dogs they've done have been fine. I'm a little concerned though...Jo is so small and that chip/needle is so big. My husband just noticed how large the chip is in Riley and he said there's no way they're chipping Jo while he's awake! Should I wait until he goes in for a teeth cleaning and have it done then or will they numb the spot if I request it?
Also, there's a tag that comes with the chip that's supposed to go on their collar but I don't leave collars on them, they wear a harness when we walk and that's it. If they have to be tagged too then what's the point of the chip? For those of you who don't use collars but have yours chipped did you leave collars on your babies after that or just rely on the chip? I feel a bit safer with them chipped but my husband seems to think I'd never get the boys back if they disappeared anyway but I'd like to think there might be an honest person or two left out there today.

i'd wait till Jo goes under for something to get the chip implanted. its quite a big needle and does hurt. if you have your ears pierced, that's an 18 gauge needle. to microchip, they use an 8 or a 10 guage needle, so its a big difference.

My cat is microchiped and he doesn't wear the tag. Most shelters and hospitals check the animals that come in for microchips

I recently had Sissy microchipped at a local shelter. They did not use a numbing agent. She yelped a little when the needle went in, but overall was less painful than her puppy shots were (and they used a kitten needle for her). It was much more traumatic when she had blood drawn, too. It was over in a second. I believe it is one of those things that looks much worse than it is. If your vet is doing the chipping, I believe you can request they numb the area first. If Jo will be having a teeth cleaning soon and will be under anesthesia anyway, I'd wait and do it then.

I was also given the tag, but since she doesn't regularly wear a collar, it won't be on there. I'm considering ordering a special dual-sided ingravable tag with our information on one side and her chip info on the other side. Then I will hook it to a clip that can easily move from harness to harness (the only time she is outside of the fenced yard).

Shelters regularly run the scanner over new pets that arrive and since the information is nationally logged, it is always available. The info on the tag just has the ID number and tne 1-800 of the chipping company that has the information logged in their computer.

I got it done when my two were spayed and neutered. I heard the needle is very long. I would wait untill he has his teeth done.

I recently had Cali and Maya who's 9 microchipped and the vet took them in the back one at a time and said they were fine no yelps. I also do not keep a collar on mine as they go under beds etc and I don't want then getting caught on something. If we are out she has a tag on her harness. If she got out while I was home I would just have to hope an honest person found her or some my posters etc.

I was worried too when I got my pup microchipped she's only 1lb 5oz. It's a big needle and I had to turn my head when the vet did it. It was over in less than 2 seconds though Nyx yelped but she was fine. It's worse for us yorkie parents than it is for the pup.

Nathan had his microchip when he was 8 weeks old and weighted 1 pound . He didn't make a sound .

Thank you everyone...I do think it's harder on us 'parents'. I remember how Jo screamed with his first shots...like a little grade school girl, loud and shrill! He's done better since then though. Maybe I'll take him in and see if they can numb the spot first...that would help me if nothing else ;)

It's worse on us than what it is on the pups. I had my girls done at a very young age, it was over before they knew what was happening.
They yelled a bit, but they were just fine after. I cried more then what they did :rolleyes:

Remember, DON'T rub the spot where they implanted the chip, my vet told me not to because it can come out.

Sissy had to be chipped twice!!! Her first one fell out later that same day. So the 2nd time she made sure to really grab the skin and get in in deeper (Sissy yelped less that time). We're okay now!!

Bree came to me microchipped... I never got any info from the lady I got her from. She had her for a couple of months and decided that she didn't want her anymore, so I "rescued" her. I know the breeders name, and that she is from oklahoma, only because it was on her papers, but I don't think I could find her... or if she even has the tag or know of how to change it to my name. Any suggestions?

I just had Gypsy chipped (we're taking her to B.C. on vacation) and tested for heart worms. Our vet said she must be the toughest tiny dog he's ever seen cause he said she never even flinched for either needle. It didn't seem to bother her later either, I'm just glad I didn't have to watch, lol. I'm sure I would have had to sit down. I'm going to put the tag on her harness that she wears whenever she's out, I don't leave anything on her at home.

If she is already microchipped, the company with the information needs to be contacted to change the information. You will need both the name of the registering company and the chip # in order to do this.

I thought about micro chipping Sadie...She is NEVER out of our site...I never leave her in the car alone either...And unless they can find the animal via satellite..I am on the fence about having it done. If, God forbid!, a yorkie is lost,or stolen, I don't believe there are that many honest people that they would bring the yorkie to a vet of shelter to check for a chip and, wouldn't care if they had one. Yorkies, as we all know, are such loving, expensive, and popular little babies that if someone found one do you really think they would return it? JMO

This is a great thread. I had not considered all of the points of view. After reading this, I think I will chip my Gracie, but I will do it when she is under anesthesia getting spayed. My concern with my puppy, as with my indoor cats, is the big what if? What if I had to call 911 for a medical emergency or a fire and one of my babies slipped away when the emergency crews arrived? What if the security alarm went off when I wasn't home and the police forced their way in, or say a robbery occurred, what if one of my babies slipped out then? Overall, I am not a very trusting person, but my experience has been that people are generally good and will do the right thing. I live in a nice housing area with several dog owners, and feel failry confident that if someone here found my Gracie, they would make every effort to return her to me. Bottom line is, if anything happened to any of my fur kids and there was something I could have done to prevent it, and did not do it, I could not live with myself. If my Gracie gets away from me, at least with a chip I will feel like she has the greatest chance of being returned.

Meg was fine Im sure it hurt but it didnt stop her from chasing the kids 15 min later. If youve been what weve been through you would chip as quick as possible. I know we all dont have neighbors as wounderfull as mine [not really] but you never know. And the cops around here are stupid so the chip is the only way to go.

Ok i have 2 cats both of them are chipped it was easy and not a big deal the first cat tigger was done when he was a kitten and lucky's was done while he was neutered at an older age. I also have a lab that we rescued from the pound and we got him chipped before we took him it was a little more dramatic buy he was fine after. As far as someone returning them my cats are indoor cats and don't get out so i don't really don't worry to much but my lab who mind you when he would get out he would sit in my drive way and wait for my husband to get home untill the first time he got picked up because he is chipped they call me right away and it has prob saved his life because now he tries to get out and he is picked up within a couple hours because he looks for the animal control trucks because they don't put him in the kennals they leave him in the office and play with him give him treats and love him i got so mad the last time i picked him up because they told me we just love him he comes right to the truck he is so beautiful and sweet i said if you would punish him by putting him in the kennal mabey he wouldn't try to get out so much!!! They had the nerve to ask me to bring him down to visit them a couple times a week i was like well if you love him so much why don't you stop charging me $150.00 when i pick him up geees!! But the chip is a good thing if they get picked up by the pound they will call right away and not put them to sleep!

These were my thoughts exactly...the 'what if' factor. What if a 'what if' happened and I hadn't done everything in my power to protect them...I just don't know if I could live with that, I mean, it's my job to protect them. We do have wonderful neighbors in our new community, everyone is friendly and we have 2 police officers and a fireman right across the street so I feel pretty secure in that area knowing that they know we have the boys. I'd like to think they would be returned if they ever got out but in reality I know they probably wouldn't be.

When Adrianna gets spayed in 2 weeks, she will also be microchipped. Luca was microchipped at the shelter I got him from. Although I agree with someone who said that if my yorkie ever got lost, there's a slim chance that someone would give her back since they are such a desirable breed......I still want Adrianna to be microchipped. You just never can be too careful.

I'm having my girls chipped at the end of the month when they are spayed. If nothing else - it might be the proof you need to prove that YOUR dog is YOUR dog should some attempt to kidnap and impersonate themselves as your dog's owner.

Good thread - I am ashamed to say - I never thought about chipping my cats! Two of them are faithful indoor cats but one sneaks out to lie outside in the backyard. Again - you never know!

I wanna do this when sophie gets spayed, is there any side effects??

i don't believe so, at least i've never seen or heard of them

Pleaseeeee, never say never!! There's always something that can happen. Mine are all chipped. Yes, the needle is big. Yes, it hurts. But they will get over it in just a few minutes! The info on the tag is primarily for your info. It has the chipping number info on it and it does NOT have to be worn by the dog (sorry, or cat), and the manufacuring company. The number is assigned to your dog/cat upon receiving the chip. If the dog/cat is lost or stolen, the chip does NOT act like a tracking device. But...if the person that has/gets the dog/cat, is a good person and takes him/her to the vet for even a check-up, the vet scans them and they can find out if he/she has been stolen or lost. As long as you, the owner keeps all the records updated. Such as if you move, change your phone number, sell the dog/cat. Again, the info is kept on record, but YOU have to update the info.

No matter if you do it today, or wait until they're getting something else done, please, everyone get your furry canine/felines chipped and keep the records updated. It's not a hard thing to do. It's easier than going to the post office to get your address changed. All it takes is a phone call, and MOST of the numbers are 800 numbers, so there's no charge to you. For me, it's $35.00 to have them microchipped. That's a very inexpensive way to have a little more piece of mind for me.
Suz