Losing your pet is a traumatic experience for any pet owner. The American Humane Association reports that out of the thousands of pets that go missing each year, only 2% of cats and 15% of dogs are reunited with their owners each year. At Shores Animal Hospital in Gainesville, Florida, we recommend your pet be microchipped as it may greatly increase your chances of being reunited with your pet if it were to stray from home.
Your pet needs a reliable form of identification. Even if your pet wears a collar and ID tag, collars can break off and tags can become damaged and unreadable. Alternatively, a microchip is about the size and shape of a grain of rice and is placed underneath your pet's skin between the shoulder blades. Microchip implantation is a quick and harmless procedure. Each microchip is unique and carries vital information about your pet, including your name, address and contact information. When a microchip is implanted, the pet owner must register the microchip.
Registering the number on the microchip enrolls your pet in a national pet recovery database. Veterinary hospitals, animal shelters, and animal control offices across the country are equipped with special electronic scanners that can detect the microchip and read the identification number. If a lost pet is picked up by animal control or found by a good samaritan and presented to a veterinarian, a quick scan of the microchip reveals the identification number. A toll-free phone call to the pet recovery database alerts the microchip company that a lost pet has been identified. The pet owner can then be contacted and reunited with his or her pet!
Here are answer to some of the most commonly asked questions about microchipping for pets:
How is a pet microchip installed?
Our vets at Shores Animal Hospital will insert the microchip under your pet’s skin between the shoulder blades using a hypodermic needle. The process takes seconds and is similar to receiving a vaccination. The microchip implant is no larger than a grain of rice.
The procedure is not painful and is commonly performed at the same time an animal is spayed or neutered. Microchipping can be performed on a number of different pets such as dogs, cats, ferrets, and many, many others.
How much does microchipping cost?
Even with the accompanying registration fees, implanting a microchip in your pet is inexpensive. For a nominal fee you gain a peace of mind, knowing that you can be reunited with your pet if lost! For a specific price quote, contact our offices at Shores Animal Hospital.
Are pet microchips safe?
Complications are extremely rare during implantation process. The benefits of a pet being correctly identified and returned to its owner far outweigh the small risk of possible complications. Our veterinarians are experienced in injecting RFID microchips into pets and strongly recommend the procedure for all pets.
How long will the microchip last?
The microchip capsule is made of a strong biocompatible glass that won’t cause an allergic reaction when it is inserted under your pet’s skin. Absent any complications, the microchips last the entire life of your pet.
Please call us today at Shores Animal Hospital to have your pet microchipped. It is a safe, easy procedure that may be invaluable to you and your pet. We are located in Gainesville, Florida.
