Bringing a puppy home is one of the best moments that you will cherish forever. Except, the moments where the puppies dig under the fence and have you chase them down the street is not a key moment. What if I lose my puppy? Is it okay to microchip a dog to track them down? Can I feel the chip? In this article, we will tell you everything there is to know about microchipping a dog.
What is a Microchip?
Pet owners are constantly learning new information as soon as they decide to get a puppy. It’s best to research way in advance instead of doing everything on the spot. A microchip is a radio-frequency identification transponder that displays a unique identification number.
When the microchip is scanned by a vet or shelter, it dispatches the ID number. There’s no battery, no power needed, and no moving parts. The microchip is implanted under the loose skin between your dog’s shoulder blades and can be arranged in your vet’s office. It’s like getting a vaccination.
Should I Microchip my Dog?
Pet owners, it’s your decision. Dogs who live in England, Ireland, and Scotland are to be chipped by law. Just because you have set up a fence around your dog doesn’t mean that your dog won’t run away in the future. Putting a chip in a dog helps one locate their exact spot when missing.
Go ahead and chip your dog if it is necessary to their environment. It makes them safer. Aside from locating your dog when missing, the chip can perform other cool tasks. For example, the chip recognizes your dog when coming into the house and lets them in.
The Benefits of Microchipping a Dog
- You Can Find Your Dog
We know that your dog is wearing a collar, but sadly, collars break easily. And a collar could be removed by the person who finds them. To safely ensure that you find your dog, chipping them helps find their location and increases the odds of your dog returning home.
Microchips are a reliable way to get your contact information. Places like shelters, animal control, and vets can identify lost dogs. A chip also holds vital information about your dog’s medical conditions.
- Find Them in a Stolen Scenario
There are stories where dogs have been stolen right off the street. Upon claiming your dog, the kidnapper will try to deny everything and say that it is their dog. To plead your case with the person who stole the dog, the chip is what will save the day.
- A Situation Where Something Happens to You
You have to think about all the necessary situations if you ever lose your dog. As an example, let’s say you get injured and your dog runs away. The dog’s microchip holds identification. Dogs are life savors. Chip your dog to keep you and your furry friend safe.
- Not Expensive
Chipping your dog costs between $25 – $50. The operation depends on which vet you go to. It is not expensive at all. You also may be eligible for compensation in any case that your dog is hurt.
- Last a Long Time
Chips last for as long as 25 years. You never have to replace them. That way the dog only has one operation to have the chip implanted.
- No Pain
To assure all pet owners, your dog is not in any pain. It is a quick operation. Your dog may feel a little pain but it is not enough for them to howl in pain.
- Not Just Dogs
Taking a sideline, chips work in other animals, and not just dogs. The operation can be done to lots of different animals, including horses, dogs, cats, ferrets, and most other mammals.
The Downsides of Microchipping a Dog
- Risk of ‘Traveling’
The chip may not stay in one place and that is near the shoulder of the dog. There are other health risks from the chip. And in some cases, malignant tumors have been found because of the chip implant. It could leave that area and travel into other parts of the body possibly blocking important arteries. A scan may be needed to find the chip in your dog’s shoulder.
- It is Still Painful
As every article speculates that the operation is not painful, pet owners are not speaking for their dogs. The injection for the chip is still painful for your dog. A large need is used. Although some veterinarians use anesthesia, some pups will likely feel pain.
- Won’t Work Properly
Some chips won’t work properly unless the chip is made by the same company as the scanner. While there are scanners that exist with a variety of microchip brands, older chips may not work. Many veterinary clinics have one scanner, which could make it challenging to ID your pet.
- Still May Not be Found
Just because you have chipped your dog, they still may be returned to you. If your dog is found by a stranger, the chip does nothing to help. Microchips don’t emit any GPS or radio signals, so your pet can’t be located remotely. Microchips simply better locate your pet if someone turns them in to a local vet or shelter.
The Process of Chipping a Dog
The procedure is simple. The microchip is implanted in the scruff of a dog’s neck. It only takes a few seconds. The site of implantation varies with animals. For people who have experienced a shot, the procedure is very similar to that. Once the operation is complete, a scanner checks to see if the microchip works by transmitting radio waves to signal the chip.
While this procedure can be conducted at a veterinarian clinic, various shelters offer this service at a reduced cost. However, you should consider having your local veterinarian do it. Because you have/are in the process of establishing a relationship it’s a great way to gain their trust.
Key Signs that a Dog has an Implanted Chip
The scanner reads a unique number that is implanted on the chip which it picks up from data. This number is registered at a central database along with the description of the dog, information about the pet owners, including name, address, and phone number. But as a stranger, how do I know if a dog is microchipped.
1. Does the Dog have a Tag?
If the dog is carrying a collar take a look to see if it has a specific tag that says the dog is microchipped. Microchips are created by different manufacturers, and these companies usually issue metal tags to place on the dog’s collar to alert interested parties that the dog is chipped.
- Feel for the Microchip
Because Microchips are inserted under the loose skin of the neck at the centerline between the shoulder blades, this is the ideal place to start feeling.
- Take the Dog to the Local Vet
Don’t do this process alone. Call your local vet or take the dog to the local shelter to find answers. You can ask them to scan the dog if they have an implanted microchip ID, helping you track down the owner information to let them know you have their dog. There is a possibility that the vet recognizes the dog and knows who the owner is.
- Get the Dog Scanned
To get a definitive answer if the dog is chipped, take the dog to get it scanned. Even if the dog doesn’t have a tag that says it has a chip and you don’t feel one, it’s best to scan the dog anyway. You never know, the dog may have gotten loose from its collar and ran off. It is worth scanning for a microchip if you are attempting to get the contact details of a lost dog’s owner.
- Get the Dog X-Rayed
Microchips show up on an x-ray. While this is not routinely practiced as a process to check if a chip is present, in cases where a chip was embedded and has stopped working, taking a radiograph of the dog is a fast and easy way to monitor the chip is still in place but not working.
- Make ‘Found Dog’ Posters
Just because the dog is not wearing a collar does not automatically make it is a stray. Create a ‘found dog’ poster to alert the neighborhood. That is an easy way to track down the dog owners.
Should I Let the Dog Stay?
That is your call. Honestly, it is not a good idea to have the dog stay in your home. The dog may think that you’re its new owner. If you do let the dog stay in your home, fix it up. Check for any fleas or sicknesses that may have a bad influence on the household. Also, if the dog or your pets aren’t fully vaccinated, then it’s a better idea to retain the distance to guarantee both dog and pets don’t get sick.
Should I Use a Stud Finder?
While a stud finder may seem like an unusual way to tell if a dog has a chip implant, a stud finder will help. Based on research, the stud finders can identify the presence of a microchip under the dog’s skin. However, it can’t show you the data inside that chip, so you’ll need to communicate with the vet or shelter once you find out that the lost dog is indeed microchipped.
2. Checking the Scanner
The first thing that operators need to do is check that the scanner is working by pressing the ‘on’ button. Then it passes the sensor over a test chip. If the scanner beeps and reveals a number it is a good sign that it’s working. If the batteries are dead the image will either remain blank or display a message “low battery.” However, if the scanner is not working, a ‘no chip found’ message appears.
- Scan the Dog’s Shoulder
Turn on the scanner and keep it one inch above the skin. Run the scanner up and down in sweeps from the shoulder to the neck and then from side to side. When the scanner activates, make a note of the data.
- Check Other Places
Don’t give up too easily if you don’t see a chip in the dog’s shoulder. Chips have a way of migrating around the body. Pass the scanner over the balance of the body. This covers under the sternum and around the armpits, just in case it has moved to an unusual location.
Can a Microchip Move in a dog?
Yes. But the microchips don’t move on their own. It’s the dog’s body. The body appears to be able to move the chips as muscles and fibrous connective tissues run across each other and move within the body, fat levels change along with other changes to the body.
What Do Microchips Feel Like?
Here are the three steps on how to feel for a microchip.
- Step 1: Run your fingertips over the skin within the shoulder blades and neck. Apply gentle weight to see if you can detect a firm rice-grain sized object just under the skin. Microchips do blend in, which means they can migrate somewhat from the original implant site.
- Step 2: To lessen the uncertainty of missing a microchip, work in an orderly manner. Work your hands up and down between the shoulder and head. Then work left to right working side to side from the shoulders up the neck until every inch is covered.
- Step 3: This is not a foolproof system. If you can’t feel a chip it does not imply that the dog is not chipped. Because of the chip, it may be present but has changed location or is buried too deeply to feel.
What Does a Microchip Look Like?
A microchip is as small as a grain of rice. It is tiny. The chip is enclosed in a sleeve of bioglass, a material that secures the chip to use on animals and humans.