Microchipping your pet is an important part of responsible pet ownership. Although we don’t like to think about it, something could happen where you and your pet can become separated. Natural disasters, slipping collars, tags falling off your pet, broken/open fences and even animal theft can happen to anyone. “Chipping” your pet is a crucial step towards reuniting with a lost pet. Dr. Aparna Modi and the rest of the team at Heights Hospital for Animals are here to help!

What is a Microchip?

A microchip is a small device implanted under your pet’s skin. Most brands are about the size of a grain of rice.

What Does a Microchip do?

A microchip stores a unique number. The microchip itself does NOT store your personal information. When you register your pet’s microchip, you’ll be able to enter details such as your name, phone number(s) and address, which will be linked to that microchip number. Some sites also let you enter medical information about your pet such as what medications they’re on or any dietary restrictions they may have. If your pet gets separated from you and found by someone and they bring your pet to a veterinary office or shelter, that facility can get into contact with you by scanning the microchip. A microchip scanner is a small device that is held over your pet’s body and picks up the radio frequency emitted by the microchip. The scanner displays your pet’s microchip number. Using a database,a member of the facility can then search the number to see if it’s linked with a registered account. The facility can then contact you to reunite you with your lost pet!

When Should I Microchip my Pet?

If your pet isn’t microchipped when you first adopt/purchase your pet, it’s recommended to microchip your pet as soon as possible after you acquire them. That way, if your new pet gets separated from you, they’re one step closer to the possibility of being reunited with you! Sometimes, since the microchip needle is large, it may be more comfortable to implant the microchip when the pet is under anesthesia, but that is absolutely not required.

How is a Microchip Implanted into my Pet? And What Else Should I Know About Microchips?

A microchip is implanted via an injection under the skin (similar to a vaccine). Since the needle size on the syringe is a bit larger than ones used for vaccines/drawing blood, microchipping is often done while the pet is under anesthesia (i.e. while they’re being spayed or neutered). There are veterinary offices or low-cost microchipping clinics that will implant the microchip while your pet is awake.

When you purchase/adopt a pet or get your pet microchipped it’s very important to REGISTER the microchip. If your pet had an owner before you, there’s a chance that the previous owner’s information or the rescue’s information is attached to the microchip. It’s crucial to get your pet’s microchip number and register it online. When you register the microchip, you pay a membership fee and you’re able to update the account to have your information attached to the chip. Microchips aren’t a GPS tracking device, and do not store your personal information on the chip itself.

Are There Other Benefits to Microchipping my Pet?

Aside from reuniting you with your lost pet, microchipping your animal comes with other benefits as well. There are devices such as Smart Doors and Smart Feeders that respond to your pet’s microchip. This is helpful if you have an indoor/outdoor pet or a doggie door in your house. Smart Feeders are great for multi-pet households since the feeder will only dispense food for the pet who has the assigned microchip. Some microchip memberships come with access to medical hotlines/pet poison controls.

Want to get your pet microchipped or scanned to see if they already have one? Please stop by Heights Hospital for Animals at 1865 Commerce Street, Yorktown Heights NY 10598 or give the office a call at (914) 962-5579 to schedule an appointment with Dr. Aparna Modi!