b'A Chip Off The Old Block.by Dr. Timothy HodgeMicrochips save lives. There, Ive boldly said it. Microchip insertions for pets have been a game changerin the lost and found department of pet care and shelter medicine.Without them, the number of lostpets never returned to their loving families would be shattering. So, as Joe Friday used to say, Just thefacts Maam.What is a microchip? A microchip is a Other animal hospitals or facilitiessmall transmitter about the size of a grain of willgiveyouthepaperworkthatrice. The chip itself is encapsulated in a bio- you can fill out and mail in. Somecompatiblepolymerthatdoesntcausea microchip manufacturers allow youbodyorimmunesystemreaction. to complete the registration online.Microchips have no battery and thus will No matter the means, register.not fail as time passes. They have no active, Domicrochipscausemoving or working parts that can break or cancer? No,Microchipsdonothavetheneedtobereplaced. causecancer.TherehavebeenMicrochipping has been around for over 20 numerousstudiesthatprovethatyears and has a proven efficacy and safety microchipsdonotcausecancer.record.SincethematerialthatcoatstheHowaremicrochipsimplanted? microchipisabiocompatibleele-Basically,ashotwithabigneedle. ment,thebodysimmunesystemMicrochips come in sterile, individualized doesnt even know it is there. packages. In this package, there is usually a Canamicrochipbemicrochip tag with the name and code in a used to locate a lost pet?No, atyped format for home records. Based on microchip is not a location device.thespeciesoftheanimalbeing GPS systems are small enough to fitmicrochipped, there are standardized locations of placement. Dogs on a dogs collar, but still too large to be made inside a microchip.(and cats) have their microchip injected under the skin between A lost pet is generally scanned at a veterinary hospital, shelter orthe shoulder blades. A common misconception is that surgery is rescueorganization.Oncescanned,thisnumbercanthenbeneeded to place a microchip. This is false. A microchip can be checked with the manufacturers registration database or in a data-placed in a matter of seconds.baserunbytheAmericanAnimalHospitalAssociationatDoes the implantation hurt?The discomfort associated www.petmicrochiplookup.org. It is the database that holds thewith placement of a microchip is about the same as that of get- owners contact information.ting an injection for vaccinations. The needle is a little larger, but How often do Microchips need to be registered? Oncethe injections happen so quickly, that many pets dont seem to the Microchip is registered, that registration is permanent. Thenotice. Many microchips are placed when pets are under anesthe- problem however, is that people move and their contact informa-sia for their spay procedure, neuter, or dental treatments. tion changes, but the registration is never updated. So, alwaysHow does the microchip work? When a microchip scanner remember that if you move, change your phone numbers or otheris passed over the region of the body where the implant resides, a registration information, contact the manufacturer to update theirsignal is emitted indicating the unique identification number of database as well. If the registrar allows for secondary contact infor-the chip. This is read on a view screen on the scanner. mation, try to provide a contact person who lives in a differentWhat information is on the microchip?The only infor- location than yours. If there is a natural disaster and your pet ismation on the microchip is the unique identification number that found and identified, but you cannot be contacted and your sec-is encoded. No personal information about the pet or the owner ondary contact is your neighbor, who is also affected by the nat-is on the microchip. The microchip information is similar to that ural disaster, you are again at a loss. However, if you give contactof a vehicle identification number (VIN number). H o w information for someone outside of your living area, the likeli-does the microchip information become registered?It is hood that they can be contacted is greater. We learned a lot of thisvery important that you register your microchip information. the hard way from hurricane Katrina. Be a life saver. MicrochipSimply having the chip implanted will not bring your pet home. your pet today.UIf a microchip is unregistered, the manufacturer can track themicrochip to the facility (animal hospital, shelter) that they sold it Dr. Hodge (HarbourSide Animal Hospital, Downtown Tampa and Crossto, but unless that facility has records of each of their microchip Creek Animal Medical Center, North Tampa) has special interest innumbers, you are out of luck. internal medicine, dermatology, and holistic care.He may be reachedMany animal hospitals will register the information for you. at 813.229.3322.64THE NEW BARKER www.TheNewBarker.com'