See the Importance of Microchipping with Your Martinsville VA Vet

 

Microchipping your pet is an important step in being a pet owner. Pets becoming lost is far more common than we realize and we don’t want that to happen to you, either! May is National Chip Your Pet Month, which is why your Martinsville VA vet wants to dive into how microchipping works and its importance.

 

What’s a microchip?
When pet owners decide to have a microchip placed in their pet, a radio-frequency identification transponder that’s roughly the size of a grain of rice is placed under the loose skin between your dog’s shoulder blades. There’s no battery, power, or moving parts – this microchip is scanned by a vet or a shelter, which transmits the ID number of your pet.

 

After the chip is inserted, pet owners register it with a national pet recovery database so you’re able to enter all the relevant contact information. Add any phone numbers necessary where you can be contacted if something happens to your pet, as well as maintaining updated information in case your phone number or address changes.

 

What does a microchip do?
With the help of a microchip, if your dog is found and brought to a shelter or veterinarian office, we’re able to contact you by gaining the information from the chip. Microchips are commonly mistaken for GPS devices, but they aren’t substitutes for each other.

 

While a GPS can tell you where your dog’s current location may be, there would be no way to contact the owner without the help of the microchip. A GPS also requires a charge or a battery, and can be placed on a collar or tag, which can be easily lost or broken. Thankfully, since the microchip is placed underneath the dog’s skin, it’s permanent and can’t easily be removed without the help of a veterinarian.

 

Pets are about 20 times more likely to be found if they’re microchipped, so we encourage this simple and safe procedure.

 

Give your Martinsville VA vet a call at (276) 656-0442 to learn more about microchipping and how we can help. Schedule your pet’s visit today.