If you are a pet owner, you have probably heard of “chipping” or microchipping your dog. A microchip is a very small device, about the size of a grain of rice. It is a tiny electronic chip in a glass cylinder that is typically implanted between your pet’s shoulder blades, underneath the skin. Although a glass implant may sound scary, it is perfectly safe and made of bio glass which is used extensively in both human and animal implants!

Getting a microchip implanted is a non-invasive procedure, and it only takes a few seconds! It is implanted via syringe and needle underneath your pet’s skin. This microchip contains a unique identification number that is for your pet only. If your pet gets lost, a veterinarian or animal shelter can use a microchip scanner to obtain the unique identification number, and contact the microchip company to discover who the owner is!

It is very important to remember to register your microchip as soon as it is implanted. Having your information in the database is an integral part of the microchip’s function! This will allow a veterinarian or animal shelter to contact you directly to get your pet back home. Microchips do not have GPS capabilities, so you are not able to track your dog with them. 

Even if your pet always wears a collar, we recommend microchipping your pet as it is a permanent form of identification. While tags can fall off and collars can get lost, a microchip will always be there! 

Microchips should be implanted by authorized veterinary personnel. If your pet is not already microchipped, we highly recommend contacting your veterinarian and getting your pet scheduled!