Despite closely monitoring your pet, it can wander off and become lost. If your pet has a microchip, the chances of being returned to you increase substantially. If you live in or near Richmond, TX, and are considering cat or dog microchipping, contact Brazos Bend Animal Hospital.
How Do Microchips Work?
A veterinary microchip is housed in a glass capsule the size of a grain of rice. It includes a radio frequency identification (RFID) tag that lacks a power source and does not emit a signal. The passive microchip receives power from the scanner, which reads the unique identifying number. The scanner then displays the microchip's identifying number, which the veterinarian matches to your contact information in a database.
What is Check the Chip Day?
The likelihood of your lost pet being returned increases sharply if your contact information is up to date. August 15 is Check the Chip Day, a reminder for pet owners to confirm that the contact information in the database is current.
How Are Microchips Implanted?
Microchips are implanted using a painless procedure similar to an injection. Your veterinarian grasps the skin between your pet's shoulder blades and injects the chip under the skin. Once injected, the veterinarian scans the microchip to confirm it works correctly and will verify its effectiveness during each pet wellness exam.
Do Microchips Eliminate the Need for External Rabies and Identification Tags?
Pets should continue wearing external tags to identify them and their vaccination status for those who might find your lost pet. This allows them to contact you directly. The microchip can be read only by a veterinarian with a scanner.
Should I Have Concerns About the Privacy of the Database?
The database has identity safeguards; you submit only the information you want to provide.
What Are the Benefits of Microchipping?
Veterinarians, animal shelters, and humane societies use scanners to read veterinary microchips in lost pets. After scanning a lost pet, they access the databases to obtain your contact information and attempt to reunite you with your pet. Studies indicate that microchipped pets are up to 20 times more likely to be returned to their owners than pets that are not microchipped.
Contact Brazos Bend Animal Hospital
If you live in Richmond, TX, and are looking for dog or cat microchipping, consider our team at Brazos Bend Animal Hospital. Call us at (281) 342-1117 or use our online request form to schedule an appointment with our veterinarian near you.