Community Chat

[RainyDayGal]

We have SO many dogs here in Western Washington (Seattle area) that are being stolen out of their yards! They are being sold at pet stores and on Craig's List - usually for drug money or for dog fighting. Your fence, while locked, will only protect your dog so much. People steal pets out of cars here. It really has gotten bad. So, yes, please get your dog chipped. My mother refuses and she lets her dog run lose all over town. Very sore subject with me.

It takes just a second for something to go wrong and your dog is missing.

[JeanLouiseFinch]

We got our boy microchipped very shortly after we adopted him. The whole thing went very quickly and didn't phase him at all. I think it's a very good idea for everyone to do it. But remember, microchipping is only as good as the honesty of the person that finds a lost or wandering pet.

[luvdoodles]

We had our dog done when he was neutered. We do have a fenced in back yard but sometimes someone forgets to close the gate and he gets out. He usually just hangs out in the front yard then. I feel it's better safe than sorry. Didn't seem to bother him a bit. What did bother him was that big cone he had to wear, it was huge, he is a big puppy.

[151949]

When the vet microchipped our puppy he numbed it with novacaine first.

[conlt]

My dogs are micro chipped with Home Again. I pay the initial fee to register but my vet says that you don't necessarily have to pay the fee over each year unless you want other services, so basically the initial info stays in the Home Again System. I go ahead and pay yearly though because another perk that I have used more than once if they are microchipped through Home Again, you can use the ASPCA (is that it?) Poison Control Center for free instead of a $65 fee. Several times my Dogs have got into things, such as that Roach Trap that my DH put in the Garage, ate plants or other things. Mine were both Microchipped as puppies when they were under being spade. I did not want to do it while they were awake as the chip is similar in size to a grain of rice. The chip can migrate, I have a rescue who I brought in to have his chip read and it migrated from between his shoulders over to the side somewhere but they found it. I don't think it can migrate into any organs though. I would do it because Dogs are getting stolen, lost and sold on Craigslist and I want to protect them from harm as much as I can.

[Daysdee]

My last 2 dogs have been microchipped. The rescue I have now was microchipped before I got her.

[jaxs mom]

Actually, it's not without risk. It's well know that the micro chips can migrate to other parts of the body which means they may not be detected if they aren't scanned for in the right place. In one case an animal died and the micro chip was found in the brain stem. Additionally studies have shown that some animals developed cancer at the site of the microchip.

[AnikaBrodie]

Yes, it is safe. Most vets will do it when the dog is spayed or neutered.

[CrazyDaisy]

On 1/10/2015 jaxs mom said:

Actually, it's not without risk. It's well know that the micro chips can migrate to other parts of the body which means they may not be detected if they aren't scanned for in the right place. In one case an animal died and the micro chip was found in the brain stem. Additionally studies have shown that some animals developed cancer at the site of the microchip.

My vet will check the chip for placement and verify it is in working order during their annual visits.

Nothing is life is without risk, the value of the chip far out weights the slight risk that may or may not exist.

[lucylover64]

I can understand your concern--we, too, had concerns until our rescue dog was required to be chipped before we adopted her. We are so glad she is--she is FAST and sneaky and has unfortunately gotten out several times. We got our black Lab chipped also when we got her. Both are doing well w/ no side effects. Our vet monitors during their yearly checks. Best wishes to you!