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Microchip Dilemma

By: John Bear

Statistics show that thousands of pets are lost each year. Most of us never expect to lose our pet and when the unexpected happens, most owners are caught by surprise and unprepared and owners are heartbroken at the loss of their pets. Taking a simple preventative action can prevent this problem from happening.

Lost pets can easily be found with a microchip. Every chip is encased in a smooth, strong biocompatible glass, and is small enough to fit into a hypodermic needle. The microchip is encoded with an identification number and this unique number can identify them throughout their life.

Veterinarians and most animal shelters can provide this service. If you opt to have a microchip inserted in your pet, the fee is $5 to $10 in most animal shelters, and about $50 at private veterinary clinics. The process is quick and painless as a microchip ID is a very small chip, it's just about the size of a grain of rice.

Three companies that produce these microchip IDs are HomeAgain Pet Recovery Service, 24PetWatch and AVID (American Veterinary Identification Devices) Microchip ID. Each of the sponsors has their own national database for pet information.

A scanner sends a safe radio wave signal to the microchip and when the chip receives this signal, it sends data (the microchip number) back to the scanner to be displayed in a viewing window. There are small handheld scanners that have a reading range of about 3 inches. While larger, more powerful scanners that have reading ranges that vary from 6 to 20 inches can be used for various commercial and research applications.

When a lost pet is found by an animal control officer or is taken to an animal shelter or humane society, the professionals there will scan the animal using a handheld scanner, which will let them know if a microchip has been implanted. If there is indeed an implanted chip, the scanner will read the number and the shelter staff member can call the appropriate registry for the identity of the owner.

If you are traveling to a country in Europe and many other countries in the world, a microchip is considered mandatory as the immigration officers use it to compare the pet they are scanning to the veterinary documents you have presented. A microchip that meets ISO 11784 should be used, which is a 15-digit chip. However, China requires the 9-digit chip.

There are still some drawbacks despite the fact that microchips to track your pet are completely safe. Some owners are against microchips because there was an issue reported that these microchips cause Fibro Sarcomas in the animals that have been implanted with these devices.

However, a lot of pet owners are not affected by this issue because of the obvious advantages of microchips. The process of implanting a microchip is quick and no more painful than a vaccination. The chip can't get lost and it is encoded with a unique and unalterable identification code that can only be activated when read by a scanner. A microchip doesn't not need replacing as it is designed to last the lifetime of a pet; once injected, it is anchored in place as a thin layer of connective tissue forms around it. The owner's name and address are available on regional or national databases so your pet can be returned quickly and safely.

Microchips provide an important extra level of protection for you and your pets in the event that your worst nightmare happens- your pet gets lost. But before you do anything drastic or something you might regret later, weigh your options first.

Article Source: http://www.articlewheel.com

About the author: John Bear can help you find your perfect Pet Medications. Visit us now to get your Discount Pet Medictions and Pet Supplies Get your free report on Pet Supplies Discounts

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