No matter how careful pet owners try to be, thousands of dogs and cats become lost every year. Identification tags on collars are helpful for reuniting pets with their families, but tags can easily become detached from pets. Microchips serve as a reliable device for tracing pets to their home.

Microchips are electronic chips approximately the size of a grain of rice. They are implanted under the pet’s skin using a hypodermic needle. There is minimal discomfort from this procedure. Each chip has an identification number that is read by a scanner. Owners need to register their pets so they can be traced when the pet is found and brought to a veterinary office or shelter. Pet owners must be diligent in updating their contact information.

Although GPS devices have been created for tracking lost pets, microchips do not enable owners to identify the location of their pet. It is necessary for a good Samaritan to bring the lost pet to a shelter or veterinary clinic in order for the chip to be scanned.

The problems associated with microchips are minimal. Some chips can migrate underneath the skin and some may cause a localized reaction. There have been articles suggesting the possible link of microchips and cancer, but further studies must be done to validate this concern. Contact your veterinarian to discuss a microchip for your pet.