Microchipping Options For Your Dog - September 29, 2008 -

Although microchipping has been around for at least a decade the lack of standardization and co-operation among microchip manufacturers has kept the adoption rate low. But that looks set to change going forward with new entrants.

What Is A Microchip?

A microchip is a small capsule about the size of a grain of rice. It is implanted just underneath the skin, usually between the front shoulder blades. When special wireless devices are held close to the dog, the microchip gives off a code that the reader picks up. This code uniquely identifies your dog, kind of like a social security number.

What Does A Microchip Do?

Because it uniquely identifies your dog, a microchip is very useful in helping return your dog to you should he ever become lost. For example, if your dog wandered off and was picked up by animal control, standard procedure usually requires the animal control folks to scan your dog. At this time they'd read his code and, using an internet database to look you up, they would then contact you.

Why Should I Get My Dog Microchipped?

The real advantage of a microchip is that it's readable even if your dog's collar comes off. The main reason that dogs are not re-united with their owners is because the dog cannot be identified. Having a microchip solves this problem.

But I Heard That Microchips From One Company Can't Be Read By Others?

Sadly, there is a lot of truth to this statement. There are at least six companies offering microchips in the United States (Banfield, AVID, HomeAgain, resQ, AKC CAR, and 24 Pet Watch). There are also at least four different microchip frequencies in use: 125 kHz unencrypted, 125 kHz encrypted, 128 kHz, and 134 kHz.

The important thing is that the microchip reader must be able to read microchips from any one of the frequencies. In the past there was a lack of co-operation among microchip providers and some readers were not able to read multiple frequencies. This meant that some dogs were needlessly euthanized because of incompatibility between microchips and microchip readers.

Things Look Set To Change

resQ's recent entry into the microchip scene using ISO-standard 134 kHz microchips is not the exciting part. The exciting part is that resQ is distributing thousands of microchip readers to shelters and veterinary hospitals around the country. The resQ readers are capable of reading all four frequencies. This means that any lost dog, no matter which company's microchip he has implanted, will be readable.

What Should Dog Owners Do Now?

Talk to your veterinarian or shelter about your options. Microchipping is painless and cheap and every pet parent should get her dog microchipped. Over the next year or two the industry will begin to adopt standards set around ISO-frequency chips (134 kHz) and multiple frequency microchip readers that solve the problem of incompatible equipment.

Don't forget to register your microchipped dog either. Registration is not automatic and usually costs no more than a few dollars. Registration puts your dog's details and your contact info in a database so that your dog can be re-united with you if someone finds him.

Alex Krooglik is the co-founder of Embrace Pet Insurance based in Cleveland, Ohio. Embrace Pet Insurance was founded in 2004 and its mission is to convince responsible pet parents that pet insurance should be an integral component of every pet's healthcare. Alex is pet parent to a cheeky black kitten named Milla rescued from the Geauga Humane Society.

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