If you have ever lost your pet, you know exactly how stressful of a situation it can be. ID tags and collars are just not foolproof in today’s world. This is why microchipping your cat or dog is something that our veterinarian recommends to all pet owners in Paducah, KY. At Paducah Veterinary Clinic, we have been microchipping cats and dogs for many years.
What are Microchips?
Microchips are tiny implantable computer chips that are encoded with a unique ID number. This ID is linked to your contact information in a database. Microchips are about the size of a grain of rice and are implanted beneath your pet’s skin with a syringe. The procedure is similar to a vaccination. Microchips are a great means of pet identification because they cannot break or be lost. When an animal care professional scans your pet’s microchip with a special wand, it reveals your pet’s ID number. This number is then searched in a database that contains your name, phone number, and address.
Useful Information
The ID number that is assigned to the microchip will not work unless it is registered in a national pet recovery database. Enter all necessary contact information when your register your pet’s microchip and include phone numbers of all family member. If you change numbers or change addresses, remember to update your information in the database.
Keep in mind that microchips are not GPS devices, and do not operate as such. Microchips only contain a unique ID number and do not transmit your pet’s coordinates. If your pet has a microchip, they are 20 times more likely to be reunited with you. The microchip insertion procedure is simple, painless, and can be completed in minutes. Microchips are created to work for up to 25 years. Since your pet’s subcutaneous tissue will bond to the chip within 24 hours, there is a small chance that the chip can move into another body part. With that being said, it can't get lost.
Schedule a Pet Exam with Our Veterinarian in Paducah, KY
At Paducah Veterinary Clinic, we have been sharing the benefits of microchips with pet owners in Paducah for many years. Many pet owners elect to have a microchip inserted in their pet immediately after the pet has been spayed or neutered. Call us today at (270) 443-8835 for more information or to schedule an appointment with our veterinarian.