Microchipping

Microchips are used to provide a form of permanent identification in your pet. In case your pet becomes lost, the microchip can be scanned and detected by a universal microchip scanner at any veterinary hospital to locate your contact information. If you want to learn more about the benefits of microchipping, then please give us a call at 519-653-1003.

How is the microchip implanted into my pet?

Before insertion, your pet will be scanned by a microchip reader to make sure there is not already an existing microchip inside. Once the application gun or syringe is loaded with the needle containing the microchip, the chip is placed just under the loose skin at the back of the neck. Your pet will then be scanned to ensure the chip is reading properly.

Is it painful to insert the chip?

Not at all! It is a safe procedure that only takes a small amount of time. The chips are usually inserted without incident. However, the application needle is quite large, so we sometimes recommend waiting until they are under anaesthetic at the time of spaying or neutering. That being said, even the tiniest puppies can get one pain-free.

If my dog already has a tattoo, do I still need to microchip him?

It would still be recommended to get a microchip because tattoos can be very difficult to read after some time. Just like human tattoos, pet tattoos will fade and become unreadable or altered. Even if they are readable, it may be more difficult to find your contact information if your pet was lost and recovered since there are no common databases for tattoos.