I always try to watch the daily news to keep up to date and there always seems to be something in the news related to animals. Sometimes the story is a simply a “fluff” piece that makes me feel good and other times the story addresses more serious issues that I need to be concerned about and discuss with my clients.
A few months ago, I remember a news report linking microchips to cancer. Of course this caught my attention because I am a firm believer in permanent identification of pets using a microchip and have implanted hundreds, maybe thousands of microchips in patients, including my own pets. Before I had a chance to do any further investigation, the WSVMA (Washington State Veterinary Medical Association) distributed a statement regarding the microchip concern. It turns out the studies used that were reported in the media was conducted on rats and did not meet the criteria of sound scientific approach to consider the findings legitimate. Further studies are needed to prove or disprove the link between cancer and microchips. In a search on my favorite veterinary website, Veterinary Information Network (VIN), I only found one report of a growth possibly related to the injection of a microchip. In fact, as I write this, VIN is doing a survey if anyone has seen complications so as an industry we are reviewing the information to see if there is a problem. At this time, it appears there is probably very little risk associated with microchip implantation, and the benefit is great; a lost pet getting back home, which to me is priceless.
Many people ask me if the microchip is a GPS device. The microchips we use are not GPS devices, in fact they do not let out a constant signal and the chip only emits a signal when a microchip reader is passed over the it. I’m sure someday we will have GPS or “lo-jack” for dogs, but I’m not aware of anything available to the general public at this time.
There are many brands of microchip available; there is not a standardized chip for the country. Microchip manufacturers also manufacture the microchip readers. Many readers will read chips made by companies in the United States other than their own. That is always a good question to ask when having a microchip implanted in your pet, if it is readable by other company’s readers. Chips implanted in other countries are different than those implanted in the United States, and they may not be able to be read by U.S. manufactured readers. If you are leaving the country, let your vet know, they may need to order an “ISO” microchip.
Once your pet has had the microchip implanted, make sure your pet is registered with the microchip manufacturer. Some clinics have pre paid registration, and take care of the paperwork for you. Some clinics will send you home with the registration and you need to send it in. If you don’t send it in, then your pet’s microchip will be registered with the vet clinic that implanted the chip into your pet. If your pet is lost, and the microchip isn’t registered to you, the vet’s office will be contacted by whoever found your pet and if they aren’t open, your pet will remain lost until the vet clinic opens. It is important to make sure the chip that is being used has a registry that is open 24 hours a day, 7 days a week.
I will continue to recommend microchips for my patients and use them in my own pets. Hopefully this article helps you understand microchips for your pet a little better, but as usual if you have any questions, feel free to contact me if you have any questions, mcaviness@wildernessvet.com