Everything You Need to Know About Microchipping


Microchipping could bring your pet home if he gets lost, or worse yet, stolen. If your pet isn’t microchipped, there are lots of reasons to do it right away. Here’s how pet microchips work and three reasons to get it done right away.

What is a Microchip and How Does it Work?

Pet microchips are tiny… about the size of a single grain of rice. They are implanted just below the surface, right in between the animal’s shoulder blades. Each microchip is encoded with a unique number that is recorded in a database by the microchip’s manufacturer. The pet owner goes to the manufacturer’s website and attaches their contact information with their pet’s microchip number.

Every veterinarian and shelter is equipped with a special microchip reader that can read the number on the chip by merely waving over the area where the chip is implanted. Once they have the number off the chip, they simply enter it into the database to retrieve your information. Keeping your information up to date is extremely important.

A Microchip Could Save Your Pet’s Life

If you are ever separated from your pet, the microchip can be used to identify him and get him home safely. If he ends up in a shelter, they will have a way to find you right away. Dogs that are picked up as strays are often euthanized at shelters, so having an up to date microchip could save your dog’s life.

Microchips Can Be Implanted Quickly and Easily

Microchipping is a quick and easy outpatient procedure that takes mere seconds to complete. The injection site is cleaned with alcohol and then injected with a needle, much like a vaccine. Some dogs don’t react to the implantation at all, while others jump or flinch, just like they do when they get a shot.

If you know your dog is likely to react poorly, do your best to stay calm because your dog can sense your emotions. The procedure will be over before you know it, and your dog will quickly forget it ever happened. You won’t be able to feel the chip under your dog’s skin unless he is very tiny or has very thin skin. They aren’t known to cause pain and side effects are very rare.

Microchipping Doesn’t Cost Much

The average cost of microchipping a pet is usually between $25 and $50. If you want to get it done even cheaper, be on the lookout for events in your area at local shelters and vaccine clinics. Many pet health care agencies run cost-saving specials on microchipping during vaccine clinics.

And finally, microchips are guaranteed to work for the pet’s lifetime. They don’t require batteries or maintenance of any kind. Just be sure to keep your information up to date in the database, and you’re good to go. As a pet parent, you deserve the peace of mind that comes with knowing your pet will always be able to find his way home should you ever get separated.