Chip Your Pet Month

May is Chip Your Pet Month! No, this isn’t about giving your pet potato crisps or poker chips. We’re talking about microchipping, which is one of the best things you can do to protect your furry friend. A local Coral Springs, FL vet goes over some microchip basics below.

M  icrochip Basics

Microchips don’t contain any information, and they don’t transmit data. Instead, each chip contains only a special ID number, which special scanners can pick up. That number correlates to your pet’s records in the chipmaker’s database. This is how you and your furry friend can be permanently linked.

Benefits of Chips

Chips do not replace ID tags. Tags are required by law in many places, and they’re still the easiest way for someone to reach you if they find your pet. It’s best to use the two in tandem. That said, chips greatly improve the chances of lost pets being reunited with worried owners. Chips also cannot be removed, and they do hold up in court.

Procedure

Getting microchipped is a very quick and simple process. For your furry buddy, it’s very similar to just getting a regular shot. Your vet will use a hypodermic needle to inject the chip beneath your pet’s skin, usually between the shoulder blades. This is often done along with spay/neuter surgery, but it can also be done on its own. There’s no recovery time needed, aside from maybe a few extra cuddles and a special treat. Ask your vet for more information.

Upkeep

Microchips don’t require any actual maintenance. However, it’s a good idea to have your vet check the chip during your pet’s regular appointments, just to make sure it hasn’t moved or malfunctioned. It’s also important for you to keep information and records up to date in the chipmaker’s database. The microchip will be useless if your contact information is missing! You can try using the AAHA Universal Pet Microchip Lookup Tool here . Remember to update these records if you move or change your contact information.

GPS

In case you were wondering, microchips don’t currently have GPS capability. This is because there’s really no way to power them. However, you can get your furry pal a GPS tracker or collar. We may also see improvements here in the future.

Do you need to get your pet microchipped? Contact us, your Coral Springs, FL animal hospital, today!