Magnolia Animal Hospital Pet Microchipping in Ocala, FL
Did you know we offer microchipping services at Magnolia Animal Hospital? Microchipping is an effective way to help your pet become reunited with you in the event they wander off or break loose. Learn what to expect with microchipping and why our veterinarian in Ocala, FL recommends the procedure.
What is Microchipping?
Microchipping is a simple procedure, similar to giving your pet shots. In this procedure our veterinarian in Ocala, FL inserts a thin microchip, roughly the size of a grain of rice, beneath your pet's skin. Every microchip has a unique identification number that responds to a scanner.
When your pet is microchipped, any animal shelter can scan them using a handheld scanner. As the scanner passes over the chip, an electromagnetic current is released that activates the microchip. Shelter workers can then see the microchip number. Once staff look up the ID in the database, they will receive your contact information and can call you. Compared to a pet identification tag, which can fall off or become scratched over time, a microchip is a safer solution to reuniting lost pets with owners.
The Benefits of Getting Your Pets Microchipped
It goes without saying that you don't want your pet to get lost. Pets face the risk of euthanasia when they wind up in animal shelters that aren't no-kill. If your pet loses their tag while lost, you may never be reunited.
Other options, such as tattooing or branding, are permanent but cause pain in animals. While there are risks to microchipping pets, chiefly a negative reaction to the procedure, it is widely seen as the safest permanent identification method.
No matter how far your dog strays, the microchip can help you reunite. There have been cases of dogs traveling over 1,000 miles and finding their owners via the microchip.
Pets who are microchipped face a 74 percent chance of reuniting with their owners, whereas pets without microchips have a 13 percent chance of being returned to their owners.
Not only is the procedure effective, it is inexpensive.
How Our Veterinarian in Ocala Performs Microchipping
We inject the microchip under the skin. Since every chip is sheathed, it will not migrate once it has been injected. We use industry-recommended microchip sites for cats and dogs, for instance, the neck or the dorsal midline. These sites are proven safe, so your pet is unlikely to experience negative side effects. To further reduce the likelihood of a negative reaction, we implant the chip parallel to your pet's long axis, rather than perpendicular.
After we insert the microchip, we'll give you paperwork. After you fill out and return the paperwork to the agency, your information will be entered in the database, and your pet will be protected.
Visit Magnolia Animal Hospital Today
If you would like to learn more about microchipping or get your pets microchipped, we encourage you to make an appointment at Magnolia Animal Hospital. Call us at 352-327-3663 to reserve your appointment.