Microchips

bellapup

Well-Known Member
I know I asked this question in my blog, but I thought I'd open it up to others, since I didn't seem to see anything similar to this in another thread, and maybe someone might have the same question.

Just this last weekend Bella was microchipped for $20 at a little pet fair from a reputable shelter. I registered her online for free and even got a call from the place to verify my information. I was surprised at the low price, especially since I've heard of so many variations ranging from $30 which was the cheapest I'd heard of before going to the fair, all the way up to $100+. Some places charge for the placement, and then have another charge for registry. I think the highest I'd seen it was about $150.

I'm assuming all information goes into one database and all microchips are can be scanned by those ring like hand wands...so why the differences in prices?

My other question is....can the microchips ever grow out of the skin and fall out spontaneously? Should I have them scan it periodically to see if it's still in?
 

maven

New Member
Once upon a time I used to run a lost and found pet service -- in addition to taking calls and acting as a contact point between people that had lost animals and others that had found them I visited several local shelters actively searching for the dogs. I learned a little bit about microchips along the way although Bodi will be my first dog to sport one.

Thankfully the chip will only come out if it is removed and there is no reason to do that. Make sure the dog shelter in your area has scanners, some small shelters or shelters in poor counties don't. Tags are still better than chips for getting your dog home since many animal lovers are reluctant to take an animal they find to the shelter, and they are the ones most likely to pick up and help a lost animal.

At the Oklahoma City shelter (things are getting better now, and they are progressing toward a no kill shelter) as late as a year ago a dog without tags was called a stray and given 2 days for an owner to claim before being euthanized. They were placed in a cage segregated only by gender with up to 50 other dogs. Size didn't matter. The only way to see if your dog was in the shelter was to make the trip and check the cages; no information was ever given over the phone because the shelter didn't want to take a chance on telling someone they didn't have their dog if in fact they did. In contrast an animal with a tag was called a pet and put in the same size cage as the fifty except it was alone -- without contact with parasites, aggressive dogs, etc and if it didn't soil the kennel it was usually given a chance to go outside by the person that would have had to clean the kennel. The shelter staff made every effort to contact the owner by means of the tags including making out of state calls, calling vets, making multiple efforts at contact -- they worked their butts off if they had any hope at all. Even if the tag was not readable, out of date, etc. by state law the animal was given 2 weeks instead of 2 days for an owner to claim. The whole difference was having a tag. After what I've seen in OKC I would never have an animal without a tag on its collar even if it did have a microchip too.
 

snooks

Experienced Member
Wow thanks for that info Maven. That is so good to know about the tags. When I've stopped to get dogs off the street too it's always a blessing when they have tags with day and night phone #'s. That way I don't have to go to the shelter or vet or often if I'm a little scared of them or they are filthy I hate to put them in my car if I don't have a crate. It's easier to leash them and wait for their owners. I am very hesitant to take them home not knowing a shot history etc. They usually go to my vet for a short board but most people won't do that. Many people will look for tags and then say oh well too bad.

I always have tags and chips. One thing I found out from a trainer here in CO is that some shelters or AC do not have the older AVID chip readers. My older dog is only 4 and has an AVID chip which cannot be updated on line and is pretty primitive. I suggest if you have a new pup that isn't chipped when you get it to call and see what shelters use in your area and what readers are standard. I'm going to get my 4yo re-chipped after trying to do a simple address change with AVID it's only snail mail and takes forever. My puppy came with a CAR which is updateable on line and my breeder is a secondary contact in case I'm ever not available. CAR uses the most recent readers.

Bellapup most of the $ difference is level of service. If you want 24 hour a day people to call it will cost more. Most places that are cheapest only have 40 hour work week call answering for chip readers. Hence would you want to wait and how big is your town and its resources for a reader. There is even a doggie cell phone collar with three buttons, call home, call cell phone, and call vet. I don't leave my dogs out when I'm not home or let the run loose so that's a bit much but you're right some of the super service chips and GPS tags are super $$. It depends on what you feel best with. Even if you use it one time, I’ll bet it will seem worth every penny.

I also suggest putting a cell phone and vet number on your chips and tags. If you lost your dog while traveling it could be the numbers you need. I found a great online cheapo site for stainless tags with loads of info engraved two sided. Small tags can old all of your info. https://www.speedypetproducts.com/Merchant2/merchant.mvc?Session_ID=86e3622f43815bfcb534d12b270ac275& A lot of the hurricane evacuees when I was in Tx stopped at Petsmart or Petco and got the instant engrave tags with their cell phones on it too.

I silence my tags with a small rubber band around the top of the tags if that bugs anyone. No need for a big Velcro thing that gets dirty. The waterproof rubber bands last months and I can always hear when they break.
 

bellapup

Well-Known Member
Thanks for all the info!

Bella has both a tag and now the new chip. Her tag has both of my numbers on it mainly because I answer my cell phone much more than I do my home phone. I registered my microchip on 24petwatch.com where I can update my info and Bella's as well anytime I want. I've never heard of AVID or CAR chips...I'm assuming Bella doesn't have an AVID, seeing as we just got it done for her. How can I find out what she has?

With 24petwatch, they say supposedly that they have "recovery experts" available 24/7 and do online searches. Since I've never known other companies, I don't know how this one rates.

It's good to know it won't just fall out, either...especially since Bella can wrestle kind of rough at the park sometimes. This all definitely puts my mind at ease.
 

storm22

Experienced Member
i have both my dogs chipped, cause its law here in our country, and they run on one system throughout the country and our dogs are put in the vets database (its a new zealand based vet club), we got little tags to stick on there collars to say they are chipped but also i have name tags with my cell number on it which came in quite handy when storm lost his down the park one day he was in the trees and came back without his tags on, and someone had actually found it and mesaged me so i could pick up his tag (saved me buying a new one lol)

but i still like having the name tag on with a cell number just incase as your right some people dont want to take the dog to a vet or shelter and if they have there name and your number people do go out of there way to get hold of you as they can see you do care, my friend lost her dog once (it was a retired pig dog that always got out even over a six foot fence) and someone found her and actually dropped folly (the dog) back off home, they had even gave her a bone and some treats while she was there for all of three hours lol,

the thing with chips is they can move though, they are implanted into the dogs muscle in the neck and as they grow it can move down the dogs body, storm was done at 3months old and when he was 2years i got him scanned again and it was found nealry at the end of his rib cage along the back muscle so they can move abit but it hasnt moved since then (i get it checked when he goes in) but its been put in his records that ot has moved but when they scan dogs they do usually scan the whole dogs back for it
 

ozjen

Well-Known Member
I microchip all my pups before they leave to their forever homes, with the last litter the first microchip came out before the vet had even finished the pups eyetesting and the second one came out of one of the pups that night. It was a real pain as I had to then take all 8 little livewires back to the vets the next day to establish who had lost theirs and have them redone. One of my sisters Aussies had the microchip move from the back of the neck down to her leg but at least it is still in.
 

maven

New Member
Wow -- I've never heard of one coming out before. Did you just find the chip or how did you know it was out?
 

snooks

Experienced Member
This is a great thing to add to your vet visit checklist. I had NO idea. Thanks SO much for the heads up. I've never thought to have these very valuable things checked since nobody told me of the possibility.
 

ozjen

Well-Known Member
maven;15475 said:
Wow -- I've never heard of one coming out before. Did you just find the chip or how did you know it was out?
The first pup I was giving it a cuddle and rub while the vet was finishing with the previous one and I found the grain (microchip) and asked him about it. Probabaly about 15mins. after being put in. The other was that night when I was giving them their last goodnight scratch behind the ear and I found it in her fur.
I did wonder if perhaps they hadn't been put in deep enough but have heard other similar stories since especially of them moving. I still believe its worth doing though, as its one more chance of being reunited with a lost pet. I also like to do it so that if any of my pups should end up in rescue there is a chance of having them traced back to me and I can take responsability for them.
 
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