A collar or tag for your pet is commonly used by pet owners as a reliable form of identification. Collars can break off your pets, and tags can become broken, damaged, and unreadable. Microchips can offer a very reliable and safe alternative to collars and tags. The microchip itself is as small as a grain of rice and is placed underneath your pet’s skin between the shoulder blades in a quick and painless implantation procedure. Each microchip is different and carries your pet’s important information that includes your name, address and contact information. When a microchip is implanted, the pet owner must register the microchip in order for the information to show up when the microchip is read.

Registering the number on the microchip puts your pet in a pet recovery database nationally. Veterinary hospitals, animal shelters, and animal control offices across are equipped with special electronic scanners that can detect the microchip and read the identification number. If a lost pet is retrieved by animal control or found by someone and presented to a veterinary office, a quick scan of the microchip will show the specific identification number. A toll-free phone call to the pet recovery database alerts the microchip company that a lost pet has been identified. The pet owner can then be contacted and reunited with his or her pet!

Still unsure about the microchipping process? Let us answer some of the more commonly asked questions for you!

How is a pet microchip installed?

Our vets at Murrayville Veterinary Clinic will put the microchip under your pet’s skin between the shoulder blades using a hypodermic needle. The implantation process takes little to no time and is similar to receiving a vaccination. The microchip implant is also no larger than a grain of rice.

The procedure is not painful for your pet and is commonly performed at the same time they are spayed or neutered. Microchipping can be done on a number of different pets such as dogs, cats, ferrets, and many others.

How much does microchipping cost?

Even with the registration fees, implanting a microchip is inexpensive. For a nominal fee, you gain peace of mind, knowing that you can be reunited with your pet if lost! For a specific price quote, contact our offices at Murrayville Veterinary Clinic.

Are pet microchips safe?

Complications are very rare during the implantation of the microchip. The benefits of a pet being identified with the correct information and returned to its owner far outweigh the minimal risk of complications. Our veterinarians are experienced in injecting RFID microchips into pets and recommend the procedure for all pets.

How long will the microchip last?

The microchip capsule is made of a biocompatible glass that is strong and won’t cause an allergic reaction when it is inserted under your pet’s skin. Absent any complications, the microchips last the life of your pet.

Call us today at Murrayville Veterinary Clinic to have your pet microchipped. It is a safe, easy procedure that may be invaluable to you and your pet. We are conveniently located in Murrayville, Georgia.