One of the most important procedures that an animal guardian should consider is having a pet microchipped, so that if the pet is lost, there is a significantly increased chance of locating that pet. Every year there are millions of pets across the country taken to animal shelters. It is for this reason that microchipping is such an essential part of having a pet these days. Microchipping is an option for many types of mammals, from dogs, cats, ferrets to horses.
While microchipping can be performed by anyone, it is usually recommended that this procedure be done by a licensed veterinarian. A needle is used to insert the microchip under the skin between the shoulder blades, which is a procedure that takes only a few seconds. There is a unique number associated with each chip that is readily picked up and read by a scanner. In this way, the company that makes the chip is identified, which can then be contacted, in order to find the owner. However it is very important, that guardians register their microchipped dogs with these companies, and keep their data current with such companies, so that if their pet is lost, these companies can be contacted to more easily find the owner.
The cost of administration of the microchip is approximately $50.00. There are increasing numbers of shelters across the country that are now using universal scanners, which make it easier to reunite lost pets with their animal guardians. At every check-up, it is recommended that animal guardians have their vet check with the scanner, in order to see if the chip has migrated. While VERY rare cases of cancer has been seen at the site of microchip injection, the tremendous benefits for millions of pets far outweighs any small risk from the microchipping procedure.
For those clients who are concerned about the large size of the needle, many animal guardians will choose to have their pets microchipped at the time of a surgical procedure such as neuter or spay, so that any transient discomfort is minimized while the pet is under anesthesia.