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 ...back Microchipping your pet All too many pets are lost every year. We have all seen the lost pet ads in our local markets or stapled to trees and telephone poles in our neighborhoods. Sometimes our pets are stolen. Even pets kept indoors are at risk; a guest might leave a window or door open, or a pet may run away from a child. We rely on tags and collars to help identify our pets, but that is not always enough. Tags and collars can be pulled off, fall off, or become faded, and then our pet may become another unidentified stray. However, there is a new higher-tech option to help permanently identify your pet. It is called microchipping, and it is a safe and permanent identification tool for any pet. Your veterinarian injects a tiny computer chip-about the size of a grain of rice-just under your pet's skin, between the shoulder blades that contains your pet's personal code. The number on the computer chip is entered in a database, like the Central Animal Registry or PETtrac, and your name, address, and telephone number are linked to that particular code. You must provide updated information to the registry if you move or otherwise change information. If your dog or cat is found, most veterinary hospitals and humane societies can use a microchip reader to read the unique ID number contained on the chip. The hospital or humane association can then use the information to reunite the pet with its owner. The chip can't be lost or damaged, and it lasts for the pet's lifetime. It does not have an internal power source-the power comes from the reader that is passed over it to view the identification number. There is not anything in the chip to wear out or to need replacing, and there is not anything that will harm your pet. While microchipping your pet and registering your information incurs some costs, it is a convenient, safe, and reliable way to safeguard your pet. The procedure is simple, routine, and painless, and it doesn't require any anesthesia. It can be done quickly and easily during your pet's annual physical exam or any time at your request. |
 Latham Animal Hospital 326 Troy Schenectady Rd Latham, NY 12110 P: (518) 785-1481 F: (518) 785-1499 info@capitalvets.com  |