I.D. Chips-Your thoughts

My Fergus got a Home Again chip when he was 1yr old. He has a very small head and lots of ruff so he slips collars very easily. Its almost impossible to get one tight enough without choking him. So far there are no problems with rejection or anything else. It's only been there a yr so time will tell. I was there when my vet did it and it didn't seem to bother him at all. I know that if it is scanned you have to have the proper scanner. One scanner does not work on all chips. Hopefully they can come up with a universal scanner in the near future. It sure would make me feel better.

I was reading about this scanner business not too long ago. Apparently, the scanner the Vet has is different from the scanners at the pound. So if your vet installs a chip that can be scanned on his scanner, then the chip would not scan correctly by the scanner at the pound. I think I'll wait until they have made it so a scanner can read every type of microchip. Just getting one kind of microchip will not work everywhere right now.
 
Aonghus has a Home Again chip. He was microchipped at 12 weeks during a regular office visit. The only adverse effect was some soreness in the injection site which lasted a couple of days. I got him from the rescue because he was picked up as a stray at approx. 7 weeks old. He has some history of being a runner so I'm not taking any chances, he has his chip and his collar has an ID tag and his rabies tag! Better safe than sorry I figure.
 
Microchip

My vet also recomends microchipping. Sting is not done yet but will be soon. Both dogs are tattooed. Shadow is microchipped 2 times.One when I first bought him and then last year he had to get microchipped internationally when he competed for the USA in Germany.I had to buy the chip and rent the scanner as our scanners dont read them.I have had no problems at all.
 
My dogs have been chipped- My mix Danny was probably the first chip done by the vet in my town- that was in '94 or '95. so when I got Happy, he got chipped too- also HomeAgain. Callie came from the rescue chipped- Avid. My vet's scanner could tell that there was a chip but not read the number. He has a new scanner and can read both types now- probably more types but those are the only 2 that I know of. The chipping process is like getting a shot- the vet pinches the skin and inserts the chip under the skin- should be no problem. and for me- knowing that there is a way to identify them if they get lost is very good. :smile2:
 
Chinook is chipped, Maia is not, yet, but she will be. Mine don't wear a collar all the time, so if for some reason they do get away, I will know that they can be found.
 
How many people have an i.d. chip in their dog? And apparently there are more than one kind. So I guess you would get the kind that is the most popular in your area?

Do you think they possibly cause tumors in the areas?

Do you get a choice? Its mandatory here to have your dog microchipped - of course there are a lot of people who do not (usually the same people who do not register their dogs). I have found strays in my area and taken the smaller ones to my local vet to be scanned and for a bigger ones called the ranger. Each time the chip showed the owners details - except for one that used to be a customs dog and the new owner had not changed the address. Admittedly Tully's chip is still registered to her breeder (naughty me).

I have never heard about it causing tumors and I guess given the majority of dogs here have microchips we would notice a high number of tumours if it did.
 
All my dogs have been chipped and there has never been an issue at the site of the injection. Candy, my Malamute-mix angel, and Melody were both chipped when they were about 4 and 3 years old respectively; Avid service.

I had Edan chipped during his neutering at about 8 months. His is with Home Again.

I microchip them because its just some added insurance that they will find their way home if they wander off or worse, dognapped. Collars can be easily removed and Edan doesn't wear his all the time.
 
Not only is Spencer microchipped, but my cats are also (even though they NEVER go outside). I worked at the local SPCA and now volunteer there. We microchip all dogs and cats (including puppies and kittens) before they go to their forever homes. And, yes. We have had animals surrendered to us who were chipped and we were able to find their owner. We scan every cat and dog when it is surrendered to see if they might be chipped. Microchipping is a very simple process and I can't count the number of animals that I have personally chipped at the Adoption Center with no problem. It seems to me that our scanners read more than just Home Again, but I can't say for sure that they are universal scanners.
I think it gives you peace of mind if the animal should get lost. A collar can be removed; a chip really can't. I just went and bothered all my sleeping animals and poked around trying to find their chips....you can't feel them under the skin and I know where we injected them.
 
Sadie's breeder had her microchipped. She came with a CKC microchip, which is called Canadachip. I think there's another microchipping thread on here somewhere.
 
Thanks everyone for your replies.

As stated, it seems like it would be a good idea especially if the dog got loose while traveling. Or a way to show proof of ownership if the dog was ever stolen. I'm seriously considering having it done. It sounds like I just need to get a chip that can be scanned by the the majority of places.
 
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