Consider Microchipping Your Pet with Our Veterinarian in Fairfax, CA!

Are you interested in a microchip for your pet in Marin? Fairfax Veterinary Clinic, your Fairfax and San Anselmo veterinarian, can help. We understand that your pets are valued members of your family. As such, you want to learn about any procedure before committing to it. We are here to answer your questions about microchipping for pets.

Pet Microchip, What Is It? A Safe, Reliable, Permanent Pet Identification Method

A pet microchip is a very small radio frequency identification (RFID) implant. It is about the size of a grain of rice, and it is quickly and simply inserted under your pet’s skin as during a simple office visit.  The microchip contains a unique identification number.  It does not work like a GPS allowing you to track your pet, but if your pet is ever lost and found and taken to a veterinarian or animal shelter, it will provide a registration number.  Our veterinarians in Fairfax, or for that matter any animal shelter in the country, can look that number up in the national database to retrieve the owner's information.

A dog microchip and a cat microchip both work in the same way. Each can be inserted in your pet during a simple office visit with no more pain than a routine vaccination. The cost for the procedure is nominal compared to the pain of losing a pet.

Additionally, travel with your pet to certain foreign countries requires that they have a functioning “international standard” ISO microchip, which is the type that we use at our clinic in Fairfax.

We’ve even seen some dog and cat doors that can be programmed to recognize your pet’s microchip so that only your pet can enter or exit!

When Should a Pet Be Microchipped by Our Fairfax Veterinarian?

We believe a microchip should be viewed as part of a normal pet care routine. Pets can safely be microchipped after they reach four weeks and once they weigh more than one pound. Microchipping a pet early in life provides the maximum protection possible.  Microchipping is routinely done in conjunction with normal wellness services for puppies and kittens.

What Should I Do After the Microchipping Office Visit?

Your pet will not require any special care after he or she receives the microchip. However, you must register your pet's microchip in a national database in order to make it effective. Our friendly front office staff can even take care of that step for you.  Some microchip companies charge additional fees for registration, of to update your information.  But the microchips we use include registration and database updates for the life of your pet.

If you are looking for a veterinarian in the Fairfax, San Anselmo, and San Rafael area, contact Fairfax Veterinary Clinic at 415-454-8204. Our experienced veterinarians provide the best in pet care throughout the Bay area.