A lost pet is any pet owner’s worst nightmare. While no one wants to imagine being separated from their furry friend, some simple steps can increase your chances of being reunited. Microchips are a critical tool for pet identification and can dramatically increase the likelihood of getting your pet home. At Cloquet Animal Hospital, we are celebrating National Chip Your Pet Month by sharing some important information about this unique safety tool.
Here is what you need to know about pet microchips and how they can help your pet.
How Do Pet Microchips Work?
The microchips used for pet identification are known as radio-frequency identification transponders (RFID). These tiny devices are inserted just under your pet’s skin and contain a unique identification number. Once your pet receives their chip, the identification number is entered into a pet database along with important information such as your name and phone number.
The most common misconception about pet microchips is that they can provide your pet’s exact location. RFID chips are not GPS locators. Instead, pet microchips act more like a permanent ID tag for your pet.
If your pet is lost or missing, animal shelters and veterinary clinics can use a microchip reader to retrieve their microchip identification number. By entering this number into the pet database, the shelter or clinic will be able to access your phone number and contact you about your pet’s location. This can significantly increase the chances of being reunited with your lost pet and help them get back home.
The Microchipping Process
Getting your pet microchipped is a quick and simple process. Microchips are inserted under your pet’s skin using a special device at our veterinary clinic. The device uses a small needle to insert the chip into the skin between your pet’s shoulder blades.
The procedure is relatively pain-free and resembles the small pinch your pet may feel during a vaccination. Once the device is inserted, your pet will never even know it’s there.
At Cloquet Animal Hospital, we are proud to offer microchipping services and can chip your pet during their routine wellness visit. Additionally, we can also perform a quick scan to make sure the microchip is still in place and reading properly.
Registering Your Pet’s Chip
While getting your pet chipped is certainly the first step in keeping your pet safe, another essential step is registering the microchip and keeping your information up to date.
During your pet’s microchip appointment, our team will provide the identification number and information about how to register your pet. It’s essential to register your furry friend as soon as possible and update the registry if any of your contact information changes. If your pet is not registered or the information is not up to date, the microchip company will have no way of contacting you if your pet is found.
Give Us a Call!
At Cloquet Animal Hospital, we believe getting your pet microchipped is an essential part of keeping your pet safe. If you would like to schedule an appointment to get your pet chipped, please give us a call at 218-879-9280. We look forward to hearing from you and taking care of your pet’s microchip needs.