Can you microchip your dog yourself

Microchips should really be implanted under supervision by a veterinarian, because veterinarians know where the microchips should be placed, know how to place them, and know how to recognize the signs of a problem and treat one if it occurs. Q: Once the microchip has been implanted, what do I do?

Is there any sort of maintenance needed? A: There really is no maintenance required for microchips themselves, although you do need to register the microchip and keep your contact information up-to-date in the microchip registration database. If you notice any abnormalities at the site where the microchip was implanted, such as drainage oozing or swelling, contact your veterinarian. Q: I heard about a dog that was euthanized by a shelter because his microchip wasn't detected by the shelter's scanner.

How can I know that won't happen to my pet? A: Unfortunately, there have been instances where a pet's microchip was not detected by the animal shelter's scanner, and the pet was euthanized after the usual holding period because they could not locate its owner. Although these are heartbreaking circumstances, the good news is that this is now unlikely to happen because of the availability of universal forward-and-backward reading scanners. A: As with almost anything, it's not a foolproof system.

Although it's very rare, microchips can fail and become unable to be detected by a scanner. Problems with the scanners are also not common, but can occur. Human error, such as improper scanning technique or incomplete scanning of an animal, can also lead to failure to detect a microchip. Some of the animal-related factors that can make it difficult to detect a microchip include the following: animals that won't stay still or struggle too much while being scanned; the presence of long, matted hair at or near the microchip implantation site; excessive fat deposits in the region of implantation; and a metal collar or a collar with a lot of metal on it.

All of these can interfere with the scanning and detection of the microchip. See our literature review for guidelines on scanning procedures to reduce the chances of missing a microchip. Q: My pet has two different frequency microchips implanted. Do I need to have one removed? Will they interfere with each other? Which microchip will be detected by the scanner? A: No, you do not need to have one of the microchips removed and no, they will not interfere with each other. The microchip detected by the scanner will depend on the scanner used — if it is a universal forward- and backward-reading scanner, it will probably detect each chip as it is passed over it.

To detect the other chip, the scanner has to be reset and passed over the area where it is located. If it is a scanner that only reads one microchip frequency, it will only detect a microchip of that specific frequency and will not detect or read the other microchip. If you know your pet has more than one microchip implanted, make sure you keep the database information updated for each microchip.

People don't routinely assume there's more than one microchip because it is very uncommon , so they will try to find the owner based on the registry number of the microchip they detect. Can I do that? A: Sure you can. Both chips will function normally. If your pet is scanned with a scanner that only reads kHz chips, only the kHz chip will be detected.

If your pet is scanned with a universal forward- and backward-reading scanner, it could detect one or both chips separately see the question above this one for more information. What do I need to do? A: Your pet will need to be implanted with an ISO microchip before it will be allowed into that country. But that's not the only thing you need to know: countries differ widely on their importation rules, including different regulations about required vaccinations and quarantine periods once the animal enters that country.

If you do some research and preparation, your pet's relocation can go smoothly. Contact the country of origin to determine their requirements regarding microchips as well as vaccinations, certificates, etc.

Alternatively, you can contact an experienced animal shipper who is well-versed in the processes and regulations affecting animal shipment. A: In general, your pet won't need another microchip to be allowed into that country; however, you should check on the destination country's animal importation regulations as you plan your relocation. That's not the only thing you need to know: countries differ widely on their importation rules, including different regulations about required vaccinations and quarantine periods once the animal enters that country.

Q: Why isn't it a requirement that all shelters and veterinary clinics use the same microchips and readers? Or, if there are different frequencies of microchips and each requires a separate scanner, why aren't they required to have one of each scanner so microchips are never missed? A: There is no federal or state regulation of microchip standards in the U. Because of market competition, animal shelters and veterinary clinics are able to choose from several microchip manufacturers and scanners.

Microchip scanners are relatively expensive, and it is often cost prohibitive keep one or more of each type of microchip scanner. This problem can be solved by the use of universal microchip scanners, which are readily available. The use of ISO standard microchips would be a good step in developing a consistent microchipping system in the U. Q: When I have my pet microchipped, is there one central database that registers the information and makes it available to animal shelters and veterinary clinics in case my pet is lost or stolen?

A: At this time, there is not a central database in the U. Because the ISO standards for identification codes have not been adopted in the U. Fortunately, microchip scanners display the name of the microchip's manufacturer when the microchip is read. Therefore, the likelihood that an animal cannot be identified from its microchip number is very low—that is, unless your pet's microchip has not been registered or the information is not accurate.

A number of free microchip databases have been launched over the past few years, but many of these databases are not tied directly to the manufacturers' databases. Any database with which you register your pet's microchip needs to be regularly updated, and the critical database to keep up-to-date is the one maintained by the microchip manufacturer. Q: What are some of the problems associated with microchips? How common are they? Since the database was started in , over 4 million animals have been microchipped and only adverse reactions have been reported.

Of these reactions, migration of the microchip from its original implantation site is the most common problem reported. A dog is only exempt from being microchipped if a vet certifies in writing that they cannot be microchipped for health reasons. All dog breeders are responsible for ensuring puppies are microchipped before selling them.

Puppies cannot be sold until they are eight-weeks-old and must be microchipped at the point of sale. If you're buying a puppy make sure it's microchipped before taking them home. Take a look at our other advice on buying a healthy happy puppy. Breeders must also register their details on the database to be recorded against the microchip for the life of the dog.

A person is considered to be a 'breeder' if they are the owner of a dog which gives birth, whether or not they carry on a business as a breeder of dogs. The vet or organisation you choose to microchip your dog will use a microchip assigned to a specific database, such as www.

You must contact then to ensure that your latest address and contact details are registered on the database. If your dog is microchipped you should have a confirmation letter or email including an ID or reference number as well as a microchip number. We also use cookies set by other sites to help us deliver content from their services. You can change your cookie settings at any time.

You can also ask your vet or local council if they can microchip your dog. They might charge a fee. You must make sure that your dog is registered on one of the following databases they all meet government standards :. You can check the microchip number if you do not know which database your dog is registered on.

If you do not have the microchip number, you can ask any of the following to scan your dog for it:. You must make sure the microchip details are updated once you have bought the dog. Check what you need to do.