What Is A Microchip And Why Is It Important To Microchip Your Pets?

You’ve probably heard of microchips in relation to dogs a few times. Are your pups microchipped? If not, then you might or might not be considering having that done.

Here’s everything you need to know about the process!

A microchip is a tiny radio-frequency identification device that contains a unique ID number. This number is synced to an online database which has your personal contact information. It can be read with a special scanner, allowing anyone who finds your pup to find a way to contact you. These microchips are meant to last a lifetime, so you’ll only need to do it once. All animals can be microchipped, and it’s a great safety precaution to take for your pups!

Image Credit: Petco Community

The process of implanting a microchip uses a hypodermic needle to insert it between the shoulder blades under a pup’s skin. It is usually painless and is over quickly, so general anesthesia is not necessary, although a local one may be used. You will then wait for this area to fully heal before doing any bathing or grooming for your pup. You can get this procedure done at most veterinary clinics or animal shelters, with the cost varying depending on who you go to. Some offer them free or very low cost, so ask around!

It takes about 24 hours for a pup’s tissue to bond to the chip and hold it in place – although if it does move to another part of the body, it will still be detectable by a scanner! As soon as your pup has been microchipped, you’ll receive information about the chip’s manufacturer as well as its number.

You can then register the microchip on the manufacturer’s website and input any contact information you’d like – your phone number, a photo of your pup, and your pup’s vet are some to include. If you’re adopting a pup that already has a chip, be sure to log on to the site and change the contact information on it! Many registries will charge a registration fee, and some may charge an annual maintenance fee, although some are free.

Image Credit: Petco Community

You might be wondering, does this really work? Does this actually help? The answer is yes! A study conducted by the Ohio State University Department of Preventive Veterinary Medicine found that out of 53 shelters that registered information on 7,704 animals, 74% of the families of stray pups were successfully located! For those that were not located, 35.4% of these situations were due to incorrect phone numbers, and 10% were due to the chips not having been registered by the families.

I hope this has shed some light on microchipping, how it works, and how to get the process done! Don’t forget to like and share this with other pup parents!