The Basics of Microchipping Your Pet

Are you new to the world of pet ownership? Identification is one of the first things you’ll need to take care of to ensure your new family member’s safety. Here, your Jacksonville, FL veterinarian tells you all about one of the best ways to do that: microchips!

Microchips contain a reference number, implanted electronically onto the chip itself, that corresponds with the chip manufacturer’s database where your pet’s contact information is stored. When a lost pet is relinquished to an animal shelter or veterinary office, special scanning devices there can read the chip’s number, allowing the professionals to reference back to the database and find out who the pet belongs to.

You may wonder what the benefit of getting your pet microchipped is, especially when you may already have tried-and-true ID tags hanging from your companion’s collar. There’s certainly nothing wrong with ID tags, but microchips do offer a few advantages.

First, a microchip is totally secure and cannot be removed by your pet, the way ID tags or a collar itself may be ripped away, chewed through, or torn off. If your pet escapes unexpectedly, you have peace of mind knowing that they’re properly identified no matter what! Secondly, a microchip is a cost-effective choice; purchase one, and you’ll never have to get another, even if you move or get a new telephone number. All you have to do is contact the chip manufacturer to have them update their database.

No—it’s important to understand that microchips do not offer pet owners the ability to track their pets’ movements in real time. This would require a GPS-enabled device, which identification microchips are not. There are other products out there, though, that do offer this kind of capability!

Your pet’s microchip is housed in a tiny glass capsule, and the unit is inserted under the skin using a special syringe device. It only takes a few moments, and your pet won’t feel any pain aside from a slight pinch. It’s just like a regular vaccination! Additionally, there is virtually no risk involved; minor side effects like swelling or redness can occasionally occur, but they’ll dissipate entirely on their own.

Want to get your pet microchipped? Schedule an appointment with your Jacksonville, FL vet clinic today!