There are stories of pet owners looking for their lost dogs. Some may find their way back home but others will stay astray forever. Because of technological advancement, pets can already have microchips in them as one best way to locate them once lost.
However, the concern of others is the removal of the pet device. Can a microchip be removed from their dog if they want so?
What is Dog Microchipping?
A dog microchipping is an animal procedure in which a doctor simply places a small device or microchip just beneath the dog’s skin. Usually, a microchip exemplifies a small RFID or radio-frequency identification device consisting of the dog’s unique identifier or a special reference data. Since the microchip is not larger than the size of the grain, any person or animal may not be able to recognize it totally, unless they use special equipment.
There is a big possibility for the microchips to freely move from one dog’s body part to another. In case the microchip settles into your dog’s body for several years, there will be tissue development over it and it will eventually become a part of your dog’s body system.
After the completion of the dog’s microchipping process, the next step to take in as a dog owner is to register the microchip including your address. Registration of such must be done into a reliable microchip registry database. This step is highly crucial and shouldn’t be missed by all dog owners out there!
In the US, there are only around 58% of animals that have been microchipped and registered. Through that, the failure of reuniting lost pets and the owners generally results from the inability of animal shelters in locating the pets.
Dog’s microchipping is a safe way to help lost pets get back to their families. Moreover, this device could be strengthened by using other identification measures such as collar tags.
How Do Microchips Work?
A dog’s microchip is an example of electronic microchip that works by releasing a distinct pattern of radio waves after being scanned. Detecting a lost dog and retrieving its owner’s contact details are the functions of a microchip in dogs. However, the device should be registered to fully operate.
Inside this minute device, there is a distinct identification for your pet. Primarily, the microchip is a code storage that can only be revealed by a scanner. Moreover, the chip can fully operate without any power source.
Some important things for the proper identification of lost pets include the proper functioning condition of both the microchip and the scanner. Aside from that, an accurate registry in the specified public database must exist. An erroneous or out-of-date registration is to blame for the unrecovered numbers of microchipped pets.
Microchipping Process: Explained
Microchipping a dog is an easy procedure since the device is relatively small. The equipment needed for injecting the microchip are a large-size needle and syringe. The location of the microchip insertion is commonly on the subcutaneous layer of the dog’s skin, typically in the midst of the shoulder blades.
Prior to the insertion of the needle, slightly raised and stretched out the skin of the dog. Eventually, the microchip is already good for injection. Once finished, the registration of all the details of your dog must take place with the help of the facility.
Does Microchipping Hurt Dogs?
The insertion of microchips into the dog may create different reactions since they are not biologically the same. For instance, purebred dogs may not even detect the implanted microchip, while mixed dog breeds might experience some minor irritation. Numbers of dogs and cats undergo microchip insertion every day. The good thing is that most of the completed regular procedures happened smoothly even when the animal is awake.
Moreover, most animals also show no reactions after being subjected to microchipping. Since your dog is already familiar with immunizations and receiving vaccinations, implanting a microchip may hurt them no more!
Can You Remove a Dog’s Microchip?
If necessary, a chip can be taken out of a dog or cat implanted with it. Microchip insertion undergoes surgical procedure, therefore removing it is a little trickier than implanting them.
The size, location, and strength of the microchips are the factors contributing to its unbreakability. This pet device is durable and versatile. Yet, damaging it may be possible if the pet suffers from severe trauma. Further, it can be removed naturally once your dog’s body system discards it after insertion.
Can You Remove It or Do You Need a Vet?
Chip removal involves taking the dog to a veterinarian. Since microchipping a pet is a surgical procedure, it may impose a significant danger of injury. Because of that, it is better if a qualified medical practitioner handles it.
Simple crushing of the microchip is a way for some pet owners in neutralising it. However, dogs may possibly suffer significant harm. That’s why, doing so is a no-no!
Can Anyone Else Remove a Pet Microchip?
If you are asking if a microchip can be removed from a dog by anyone? Well, the answer is a big NO! It is still good advice to have the veterinarian remove the dog’s microchip. Being a minor kind of surgery, removal of microchip necessitates the use of surgical instruments.
Aside from that, microchip removal from the dog’s internal system requires a hand of a pro. With that, it is good to conclude that an experienced surgeon should have a vast knowledge of this procedure before doing it.
Can Magnets Disable Microchip?
Generally, magnets do not have a direct effect on the dog’s information contained in a microchip. The absence of magnetic encoding should be credited for this. It is a misconception that deletion of details inside the microchip through a magnet is possible.
Is It Possible To Reprogram a Microchip?
Documentary details in a microchip are generally modifiable to show the change in ownership. Yet, the microchip cannot be reset. Communicate with the manufacturer of the microchip and inform them about your adoption of the dog from a certain rescue center.
Aside from that, discuss to them your plan of enrolling the chip under your name. Be mindful that this process requires a specific fee.
Benefits of Microchipping
Primarily, the topmost benefit of a dog’s microchipping is providing the owner a piece of mind in the event that the dog is missing. In one study, it shows that the percentage of retrieving stray animals with microchips is higher. This is comparable to those stray animals that get back home without the chip.
Other benefits of microchipping in dogs and other pets includes the following:
- Immediate notification of pet owners once the microchip has been found
- Difficulty of tampering or simply removing of the device
- No need for replacement
- The owner’s personal details are discrete and are available for any updates.
- Difficult to lose
- Low cost
- Easy and quick process of chip insertion
- Faster retrieval of lost pets and quick turnover to their owners
Side Effects of Microchips
Since a large population of dogs suffer from little to no side effects from microchipping, negatively affecting our furry buddy is generally uncommon. Yet, in certain circumstances, there are dogs that may suffer various effects. It includes the following:
- Abscesses
- Hair loss
- Infection
- Temporary bleeding
- Migration of microchip
Aside from that, there are other side effects of microchipping that a dog may experience. Although rare, cancerous tumors may still be likely to occur. However, strong evidence showing the connection between cancerous tumors and microchipping does not exist. Yet, the said tumors are linked with the microchip injection like sarcoma into the injection site.
Is Any Maintenance Required?
Maintenance of a dog’s microchip is not always necessary. The actual microchip does not require any upkeep. Yet, regular reviewing and updating of data inside that pet device is a better step to take.
Do your homework on researching the company that manages the microchip registration. If you wish to skip the periodic registration charges, better yet use a free chip information registration.
Does Inhouse Dog Need a Microchip?
Dog microchipping varies depending from one country to another. Different points of view or laws regarding microchipping a pet come from different cities or countries. The UK and Australia are two best examples of countries that require pet microchipping. Regardless, if your dog stays indoor or wanders around outside your house, it should be microchipped and have it registered.
Yet, in the US, microchipping a dog is still an option. But, traversing into some cities in Canada, a mandatory pet microchipping exists. This is most likely true in Montreal.
Well, implanting a microchip on dogs is already a practice of most breeders, dog rescue centers or animal shelters. So, it is a big expectation to have a microchipped dog if you get one or adopt a fur bud from them. But, still, if you are living in the US and your dog hasn’t microchipped yet, deciding about it still depends on you as a pet owner.
What Happens to Microchip When Dog Dies?
Generally, when the microchipped dog dies, the pet device inside it undergoes different fates. And there are lots of factors affecting the fate of a microchip. Some stay inside the dog’s body even after death. This is due to the extended shelf life of the microchip which is known to be a little bit longer than the life of a dog.
Pet’s microchip is not actually an environmental concern. Thanks to its minute size. It is also one of the reasons why vets don’t bother removing the device after the dog’s death.
There are some pet owners who just laid their dog to rest and let the dead body buried with the chip in it. On the other hand, if dead dogs undergo cremation, the microchip along with the information in it will turn into ash.
Where to Buy It and How Much Does It Cost?
If you decide to subject your dog to microchipping, the best thing you can do is to visit the vet’s clinic. Lots of veterinary clinics, dog’s rescue centers, and animal shelters are doing microchip implantation. In most cases, this pet’s surgical procedure costs around $25 to $50.
Generally, a Border Collie is a dog breed who enjoys the outdoor. They love roaming around whether with their owner or not. Because of that, microchipping them is highly essential.
So, if you want to have them, make sure that you purchase your BC from a reputable breeder that is already practicing this kind of procedure. In case you adopt from a rescue facility, there’s no need to worry as pets coming from them already have implanted microchips. Yet, if you already have one, let your BC be scanned by a facility to be sure that it has implanted a microchip.
Conclusion
A dog microchip is a minute electronic device that emits a certain pattern of radio waves. This pet device acts as code storage for the dog in which the details of its owner are encoded in it. It is usually unnoticeable and scanning it helps stray animals to get reunited with their owners.
Since implanting it requires a surgical process and its size is as small as the size of a grain, removing the chip may be difficult. Aside from that, microchip removal requires the hand of an experienced professional. Since side effects are uncommon, lots of stories prove its benefits that will be of big help for you and your furry buddy.
