Check your microchip!

RyuRyu
edited December 2008 in Food, Nutrition, & Health
We brought Ryu in to a local vet's office here in S.C. to check out a small infection on his chin. They scanned for his microchip for a solid 5 minutes and NOTHING showed up! He was microchipped last April during his neuter. However, after several attempts with multiple scanners, we still did not find anything.

We concluded that (1) it could have "fallen out" during the 1-2 day heal time and we didn't notice (2) it migrated to a position that the scanner couldn't reach (3) the vet never actually inserted the microchip or (4) it was dead. Regardless of what happened, if Ryu had gotten lost and gotten out of his collar holding his id tags, most shelters and vets wouldn't have searched as long as we did and he wouldn't have ANY identification.

Needless to say, we are getting him microchipped again. Possibly with both AVID and Home Again since some vets/shelters will only have one or the other.

Check your chips!

Comments

  • Michelle MMichelle M
    edited November -1
    Good tip!

    We had Ronan's scanned, and it read just fine. It wouldn't read last year because the system the vet clinic uses didn't recognize chips from Canada. The system has been updated and now it reads just fine.
  • SangmortSangmort
    edited November -1
    Wow! Lucky you found out now! ~
  • lindsaytlindsayt
    edited November -1
    Oh, I'm glad this has come up. We stopped using Avid chips at our hospital and now only use Homeagain. The major reason being, and we have discussed this with Avid reps, is that we are finding Avid chips to be more prone to migrating after implanting, especially in cats and medium/small dogs. Avid Co. research also supports this.

    The procedure for implanting both chips is the same and your vet would have scanned the chip directly before (to conform it was valid) and after it was implanted to confirm a successful implant. Of course, if the chip was only stuck in the fur, it would still have scanned. This only happened once to me over the last 6-7 years and we caught right away as one of the techs saw it fall off the dog. Otherwise, I have found chips over the elbows, under the chest, on the side of the ribs, under the neck, and in the legs, all Avid chips. Chips are readable unless physically damaged, which is why it should be scanned before it's implanted.

    Although Banfield and a few animal shelters were/are implanting ISO chips-the international standard of microchip-they scan on a different frequency that most vet clinics and shelters can't recognize. There were tons of lawsuits once Avid/Homeagain chipped pets were euthanized in shelters that only scanned for ISO chips.

    Anyways, as long as you are not planning on international travel, I personally request Homeagain chips for all my pets.
  • KFontaine04KFontaine04
    edited November -1
    Both my kids have home again chips and I always request at every vet check up that they be scanned to make sure they are functioning properly.
  • HarlowHarlow
    edited November -1
    Thanks for the heads up on the chips. I never thought to have our guys scanned at the vets.
  • KFontaine04KFontaine04
    edited November -1
    Just ask your vet, they will do it no problem usually. It's a good thing to have checked yearly with your vaccinations.
  • lindsaytlindsayt
    edited November -1
    OMG-so Ike was with me at the clinic yesterday being a great office dog and I remembered this thread and decided I should check his chip, knowing it was an Avid chip. He came to me chipped several months ago and it was in the correct spot then and easy to find, but lo and behold, in those few months, the chip up and migrated to the front of his shoulder/under his neck. Next year it will be down by his elbow. One of our universal scanners couldn't even pic it up and the Avid scanner barely identified it after multiple sweeps. Poor boy got microchipped again, this time with Homeagain. I haven't called the breeder yet to mention to her that I don't think Avid chips are the best for small/medium dogs and growing pups, but that's next...
  • RyuRyu
    edited November -1
    Our vet also said that AVID chips are more likely to migrate than Home Again.
  • StaticNfuzzStaticNfuzz
    edited November -1
    There are several thing you need to consider when microchipping and know that it is not fool proof in regard to the recovery process if your pet becomes lost. There are quirks and there is no universal scanner that reads all chip brands.

    For example: Homeagain scanners are able to read avid chips but avid scanners can not read Homeagain chips.
    If you chipped with the international chip the frequency can not be picked up by either scanner due to the International Standardization (ISO) frequency I believe. The ISO chip is mainly used in Europe I believe.

    Also if you decide to chip with more than one brand one signal can cancel out the other, I think with the exception of the ISO chips but I am not 100% sure on this.

    Once the dog is chipped you will have to consider where you want to register it since there is a cost for each registration.
    Companion Animal Recovery (CAR) via akc, Home again, Avid, or 24Petwatch to name a few.

    During routine vet visits it is always good to check the chips to make sure it remains in place and the numbers match your data in the medical file and the chip tag on your dog's collar. Many folks make the mistake of switching collars so when a dog is lost it comes up with the incorrect tag when compared to the chip.


    Snf
  • nikkimulenikkimule
    edited November -1
    I agree Pam! When Aaron's parents were watching the pack, Takara got out. A nice man from the humane society found her(and of course she came up to him) and they found her chip number....but it was registered to No Name, Nigeria, Africa....how weird.

    So check the registration info often as well.
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