RE: Microchipping your Dog - Important to know BEFORE You do it

[red98vett]

Originally Posted by kjk723

The Avid Microchip is still more used in our area but I know AKC has started pushing the Home Again chip. My Mosheh is Avid chipped and next Sunday my GiGi will also be Avid chipped.. It isnt a guarentee to finding your lost dog but I know if someone steals your dog, it is the easiest and quickest way to prove that it is your animal.
My mom had someone steal her boston, she knew who it was and couldnt prove that the dog was hers. She was heartbroken, she had spent months training this dog as a therapy dog and her groomer (my mom ran a shelter) stole her when she quit. It was the only dog my mom didnt have microchipped. I got her a rescue dog a couple months later, she was so excited but she had such a bad hernia that she didnt make it through the six hour operation. needless to say my mom doesnt have a dog right now.

oh man - your poor mom !! I'm sorry. That's awful...both on the Boston and the little dog that didn't make it

and Kat - great post ! I agree ...speaking up works

[MyFairLacy]

Buttercup, both times I had my cat and dog microchipped, I was given a form to fill out with information. With AVID they gave me a form to fill out and mail in with a check. I filled out all info for Lacy and contact information. With HomeAgain I filled out basic info and paid the fee. Once my check was cashed I could log onto their website and put in Sophie's information. I also registered Lacy's AVID chip with home again and put her info in on their website.

[LuvMySissy]

Avid is the one most widely used in our area. That being said, many vets do not own scanning equipment and only about 1/2 of the shelters have scanning equipment. Even some of the shelters that do have scanners do not routinely check animals for chips.

It is my understanding that even if the scanner is not a universal one, it will still indicate the animal is chipped - it just can't read it.

When I asked my at my vet clinic about scanning equipment again last week, the owner told me they have regular meetings about them, but until they can verify that all (or most) of the local shelters use scanning equipment and which brand, they just haven't seen a good reason to begin providing chipping. I did explain that if your animal is stolen from you and you can find them or know who took them and they are chipped, it is the only way you can prove the animal belongs to you. He told me that was a very good point.

[MissPinkBarbie]

which one IS the most commonly used chip?

Daisy's been microchipped with ''Home Again"..

gosh! now I'm all worried..

[Bizzymammabee]

Thanks for this post V. I was wondering seeing as Lulu is going in for her Spay next week whether or not to chip her.

Quick question for you guys...how much did you pay for you chip? I know you can get the chip for self implantation online for $25. My vet said $55 for the damn thing and to insert it as well. I am going to call them and see since I will be spending close to $350 with her Spay and teeth removal next week if they will only charge me for the chip and not to implant it...I think that is a hefty charge for putting in a small chip that will take two minutes to implant.

[wemple2]

I agree, chipping and scanners should be universal...what if the dog was lost away from home, maybe on a trip?

That is so funny about Gizmo's tag weighing more than he does...I can see it now, little Gizmo running around with his tag dragging on the ground. I giggled!!!

[xBUTTERCUPx]

Originally Posted by Bizzymammabee

Thanks for this post V. I was wondering seeing as Lulu is going in for her Spay next week whether or not to chip her.

Quick question for you guys...how much did you pay for you chip? I know you can get the chip for self implantation online for $25. My vet said $55 for the damn thing and to insert it as well. I am going to call them and see since I will be spending close to $350 with her Spay and teeth removal next week if they will only charge me for the chip and not to implant it...I think that is a hefty charge for putting in a small chip that will take two minutes to implant.

I think your local humane society offers free chipping or at least they're doing it here in Houston for the whole month of June for hurricane preparation due to many lost pets after Hurricane Katrina and Rita. (I lost my pekingese/pom mix during Hurricane Rita and still haven't found her, although she was chippped )

[kjk723]

Originally Posted by Bizzymammabee

Thanks for this post V. I was wondering seeing as Lulu is going in for her Spay next week whether or not to chip her.

Quick question for you guys...how much did you pay for you chip? I know you can get the chip for self implantation online for $25. My vet said $55 for the damn thing and to insert it as well. I am going to call them and see since I will be spending close to $350 with her Spay and teeth removal next week if they will only charge me for the chip and not to implant it...I think that is a hefty charge for putting in a small chip that will take two minutes to implant.

I am going to a shot clinic at the Humane Society next week. The chip is 15.00

[kalina82]

Originally Posted by red98vett

There are several kinds of chips made by different companies - AND several kinds of scanners. What one scanner may read - another may not... depending on what the vet office has. This is just STUPID !

I had been under the impression Chipping was universal and now I hear there are several mfg's all making different chips. IF a VET doesn't have the right scanner to match the chip... the code is unreadable....which is BAD if your dog goes missing.

ASK for the most widely used Microchip if you plan to chip your dog.

The two most common chips are HomeAgain and Avid. Their popularity varies in each area. 6 years ago when i got my cat he had an AVID chip implanted. When morgan was spayed and chipped last fall she was given a HomeAgain chip. Both chips come with registration papers. Both chips have scanners that can be used to read them. The HomeAgain scanner will read HomeAgain chip numbers, and if the animal being scanned has a Avid chip, then the scanner will say Avid chip, but not give you a number. I do not know if Avid scanners read HomeAgain numbers because all the vets i've worked for in the past have used HomeAgain chips.

Originally Posted by Judy in Waco

How do you get non-biased information as to who has the most-used microchip? I would think whoever you ask will claim theirs is.

I think you should call all the vets in your area to see what chip they use. I think the most-used chip depends on your area.

Originally Posted by xBUTTERCUPx

I am very clueless with the whole microchipping. Buttercup is microchipped but I don't think it's registered. How would I register it?

you should have recieved paperwork to go along with your chip. If you didn't or you cannot find it then go to the website of your microchip. I think there are ways from there to register them.

Originally Posted by Judy in Waco

NOW it makes sense to me to put the microchip # on his tag! My thought before was that they could just scan him to find out. I guess I need to put the number down AND the name of the manufacturer!

Poor little guy...before long his ID tag will weigh more than he does!!!

With both Avid and HomeAgain you can purchase a tag from them with your pets ID number on it. The HomeAgain one actually comes with a plastic tag that you should get at the time your pet is microchipped. I didn't like the plastic on so on the registration form i opted to get a gold metal one and its on her collar with her regular ID tag.

Originally Posted by LuvMySissy

Avid is the one most widely used in our area. That being said, many vets do not own scanning equipment and only about 1/2 of the shelters have scanning equipment. Even some of the shelters that do have scanners do not routinely check animals for chips.

It is my understanding that even if the scanner is not a universal one, it will still indicate the animal is chipped - it just can't read it.

When I asked my at my vet clinic about scanning equipment again last week, the owner told me they have regular meetings about them, but until they can verify that all (or most) of the local shelters use scanning equipment and which brand, they just haven't seen a good reason to begin providing chipping. I did explain that if your animal is stolen from you and you can find them or know who took them and they are chipped, it is the only way you can prove the animal belongs to you. He told me that was a very good point.

that's crazy that your vet doesn't provide chipping. Even if some shelters don't do it, other vets offices check. I know mine did whenever someone brought in a new dog or cat. Sometimes people would come in saying they found this dog and wanted to keep it. We'd then check it to see if its microchipped and owned. We've placed a few pets back with their owners this way. The chip isn't going to hurt the pet so my thinking is that its better to have then not to even if some shelters don't routinely check for this, no?

Originally Posted by Bizzymammabee

Thanks for this post V. I was wondering seeing as Lulu is going in for her Spay next week whether or not to chip her.

Quick question for you guys...how much did you pay for you chip? I know you can get the chip for self implantation online for $25. My vet said $55 for the damn thing and to insert it as well. I am going to call them and see since I will be spending close to $350 with her Spay and teeth removal next week if they will only charge me for the chip and not to implant it...I think that is a hefty charge for putting in a small chip that will take two minutes to implant.

Morgan's chip was about $55 as well

[my2boyz]

When we got the boyz chipped they were done with AVID. Both came with registration papers I had to fill out and send in with a check...they also came with a blue tag for their collar that has the tag number and a message that says "If I'm lost please call AVID" with their toll free phone number.

[simonandhallie]

Simon and Hallie both have microchips and while I knew about Simon's I had no idea Hallie had one until our vet used a scanner and found it. I just assumed it was universal.

Good information V~

[SweetPea53]

Alot of useful information on this post about microchipping....I had no idea that there were different chips....I always thought that having your dog/cat microchipped was universal..... I haven't had my baby done yet, but have been pondering the idea....I plan on checking with my local animal shelter and my vet about what type of scanners they have....Thank you everyone for your input on this important item to keep our babies safe and return them to us if ever (hopefully not) needed.

[veguroev]

With the power that YT has is there a way that we can all push for a universal scanner? who do we need to contact about it. I think we all can make a diference, maybe email the companies or something like that?

[trixiesmith]

I just had my Miko chipped with Home Again.

[Punkin&Piper]

Wow I had no idea I thought it was a universal thing