Should I Microchip My Dog?


Should I Microchip My Dog? |

Should I microchip my dog? Are microchipping better for dogs or collars? What are the benefits of microchipping our dogs? What dogs feel about microchipping? Well, all of these questions and more will be answered in this article. Stay tuned.

As a short answer for the should I microchip my dog or no question, the American Kennel Club Reunit revealed that pets with microchips are up to 20 times more likely to come home safe after they were lost, which means that by microchipping your dog you have better chances to be reunited with him/her again.

microchip

Without microchipping, the process of finding your dog can take much longer, because even if you used one of the most expensive collars, which are very effective, and you can find a lot of the most effective collars, here.

Your dog can still take them off, or gets stuck in anything and accidentally cut it, which means that at this point, your dog is on the road, by him/herself, without ID. And that, unfortunately, will not help you get your dog back home quickly.

Therefore, let’s learn more about microchipping, and how it is very important and helpful.

What is Microchipping?

The microchipping is a process where a tiny microchip-about the size of a grain of rice-, that holds a unique ID number, that is assigned to your pet, is placed between your dog’s shoulder blades, of course, under the supervision of an experienced veterinarian.

Ever microchip holds a different ID number to a different dog, after implementing it and enrolling it to link to your pet’s profile and his/her owner’s contact information in case your dog lost his/her way.

Also, it is worth mentioning that the implementing process is not painful to your dog at all, and he/she is not supposed to feel that there is something implemented in his/her body at all.

How a Microchip is read?

A lot of dog owners think that the microchip is a kind of tracking device, which is not true. A microchip is just a unique form of ID number that appears for just a few seconds while the microchip scanner is reading the ID number.

Also, it is important to know that most of the shelters and the veterinarian have one of these scanners and know how to use them to help lost dogs get back to their families.

microchip

Another worth knowing a piece of information is that microchips are used on dogs and cats, too. So, if you have two pets at home, you should think of getting microchips for both of them. Also, if you have a new puppy and an old cat, and you are worried about how they are going to deal with each other and the same roof, check this link.

How does microchipping work?

All your dog’s data is enrolled in a very strong system that helps you connect all your dog’s profile, emergency contacts, your phone number, address, and any other important information that will help those who read the microchip to know who does this dog belong to, and how to reach out his/her parents and tell them that he/she is safe. Just make sure that all the dog’s information is up-to-date.

In fact, it is better that whenever you go with your dog to do his/her regular checkups, to make sure the microchip is working fine and it has all the needed pieces of information that will help you reunite with your dog as soon as possible.

Things the microchipping will not do:

Microchipping is not magical, it is a system that you need to know how to use it, and what is it capable of. Therefore, you need to know these misconceptions about microchipping.

  • The microchip is not going to track your dog and tell you where he/she is.
  • The microchip is not going to activate itself once it is installed underneath the dog’s skin, you need to register it with the national pet recovery database.
  • The microchip will not know that you changed your home or number, so you need to keep the pieces of information up-to-date.
  • The microchip is not going to help you call your dog from a distance, it is just a chip with an ID number.
  • The microchip is not going to train your dog to listen to you and set, come, and go when you ask him/her to.
  • The microchip has nothing to do with your privacy, it is not a spying tool, it is just a system that will help you find your dog faster.
microchip

What are the side effects of microchipping?

Although most of the dog owners and veterinarian, too, recommends the microchipping. It is very important that you know that, first of all, you can’t microchip your dog by yourself, you really need some expert help on this, because whoever is implementing the microchip should know where to put it and how to use it.

Moreover, some studies recorded a very rare side effect of microchipping, and revealed that it developed cancer, yes it is very rare, however, it is a weird thing in your dog’s body so you might not know how his/her body will react, so you need to check with the veterinarian before you decide to microchip your dog.

Also, not all scanners can read the microchip, it needs some universal scanner. So, if the shelter or the veterinarian doesn’t have one, he/she might not read the microchip and that will limit the chances of reuniting.

To sum things up:

Microchipping is a very useful solution if you don’t trust collars, or you need a better chance of not losing your dog. Yes, it is a process that needs professional help from a veterinarian, but it is not serious and you should not worry about it; your dog will not be in pain, it is almost like the regular injection.

microchip

Also, you need to keep your data up-to-date, microchipping is not a magical tool, it is something that helps you find your dog faster and easier, but it will not be able to do that if your dog is not carrying the right informations on it.

Last but not least, before you take this decision make sure you asked for a professional opinion and you did all the regular and needed checkups for your dear dog to avoid any possible circumstances.

Learn more about microchipping your dog from this video from the online vet.

Related Questions:

Does the microchip mov my dog’s body?

Nope. Once the microchip is in your dog’s body, the tissues in your dog’s body surrounds it and prevent it from moving.

At what age can I microchip my dog?

Dogs can be microchipped at any age once your dog’s veterinarian does his/her needed checkups and tells you that your dog is ready for microchipping.

What if I don’t want to microchip my dog?

It is totally fine to not want to insert something in your dog’s body, and it is totally fine to look for another solution. This is, in the case, I really recommend you look for a collar that helps your dog feel comfortable wearing it, besides making you feel safer that if something wrong happened at least your dog wears a collar with an ID on it.

Is it okay to not make your dog wear any of these two options: collar or a microchip?

Well, it happens. However, we don’t recommend that you leave your dog without something that holds his/her ID and a contact number to reach in case he/ she ran away at any time. Also, it is better to keep your dog at home if he/she is not wearing a microchip or a collar. It is safer that way.

Can my dog wear a microchip and a collar?

Why not? a microchip is something you don’t see, but a collar can help you control your dog while you are walking with him/her, and while playing with him/her. In fact, a collar is a way of controlling your dog while you are around him/her, but microchipping is better when you cannot find your dog anywhere near you.

Now, you have all the information you need to decide how you want to keep your dog safe. Why don’t you share with us what you know and what do you feel about microchipping?

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