Microchipping your Pet is Recommended!

When you bring your pet, cat or dog, to an Etobicoke vet for their checkups, you should talk to your vet about microchipping. Even if you are sure that your cat will be “indoors only”, I always tell people that you never can tell what will happen down the road. Kittens escape out of doors. Owners move and pets get lost. Dogs run away when the gate isn’t shut tight. And sometimes cats just refuse to be kept indoors, no matter how many times we tell them it’s safer for them.

Identification collars are also a good idea, especially for cats that regularly go outdoors. And every dog should wear some sort of visible i.d. tag. A collar and tags tell people that your pet has a home, and a family, and is not just a stray; and they can help get your pet back to you if they get lost or hurt. However, collars and tags can get lost, or be removed. In fact, it is important that cat collars are “breakaway”, meaning they will release if they get snagged on something like a tree or fence. So in addition to collars for dogs and outdoor cats, we strongly recommend microchipping for all dogs, and all cats, indoors or not.

A microchip is a small implant about the size of a grain of rice. It carries an identification number than can be read by an electronic scanner. The microchip is implanted under the skin with a needle, and it is rather like having your ear pierced. A quick poke, a momentary discomfort, then your dog or cat will forget it is there. When the microchip has been placed, the owner registers their contact information with the microchip company, which keeps a registry of the microchip number. When someone brings me a dog or cat that they have found wandering the streets, I scan the pet with a handheld scanner, and it brings up the number. We call any one of the microchip companies, and this gives us the information of the owner to whom the pet belongs. Microchips are permanent non-visible identifiers, that have allowed many thousands of pets to be reunited with their owners after being lost or stolen; and microchips can help get your pet the care they need if they should get hurt while pursuing some great adventure. A simple and effective way to ensure your furry friend stays with you for a long long time.

Dr Jennifer Portch