Those of us who have the privilege of sharing life with a dog know that it is not only an animal or a pet, but that it is part of our family. If our dog was lost due to carelessness and had a microship on, it would be very easy for anyone who finds it to return it to its home.
The microchip used in dogs is really small in size, less than the size of a grain of rice. It is implanted with the help of an injection in the back of the dog’s neck, it is completely painless and has no side effects.
It is not mandatory to microchip a dog, but it is highly recommended since it can be very helpful if our dog goes astray, also the price of the microchip is very low, taking into account that we only need to put it once in life.
What is the microchip for in a dog?
It’s not really something that works, it’s just a small chip that contains a serial number. Veterinarians and law enforcement agencies have dog microchip readers, so if they find a missing dog they will be able to read the serial number of that microchip.
Once they have the number, they will insert it into a computer that will connect to the dog owners database. This way they will know who the dog belongs to and can return it to them. The microchip is of great help to locate the dog’s family, without it, the dog would have very little chance of returning home.
The microchip does not have a battery or dangerous substances for the dog, it is implanted under the skin so it is not even necessary to use anesthesia or anything, it is very simple to put on although it can only be implanted by veterinaryns. The half-life of the microchip is about fifty years, so our dog will die of old age before the microchip stops working.
How much does it cost to microchip a dog?
This question is a bit tricky because there is no fixed fee to determine the price of a microchip. If we go to a veterinary clinic in Spain the price can vary between thirty and forty euros. However, if we adopt a dog in a protector, possibly they will put the microchip right there with a slightly lower cost, about twenty euros or even less.
In other countries like Mexico the price of the microchip can vary between two hundred and five hundred pesos, depending on the veterinary clinic and the area of residence of the country. We can go to animal protectors to implant the microchip at a lower price.
To put the microchip it is not necessary to use anesthesia or for our dog to take medication, it is a small prick on the dog’s back (at neck height) very similar to giving a vaccine.
Which is better, to microchip or tattoo the dog?
Although it seems a bit surreal, the truth is that the microchip is something quite recent, since in the past these technological advances did not exist. Therefore, in order to locate a lost dog, what was done was to tattoo a serial number on the inside of the ear, something similar to what is done with livestock today.
The tattoo is priced similar to the microchip, but is more painful for a dog than a simple prick on the neck. Depending on the country where you live, you can choose one thing or another, if this is your case… .. we recommend that you do not tattoo your dog, put the microchip on it.
A tattoo is painful for a dog, it is also at risk of infection. As it will be annoying for your dog, it can start scratching its ear and produce a otohematoma in his ear, something that can cause us to have to spend much more money on his treatment.
The microchip is totally safe and has no side effects, it will not bother your dog and it will not be in danger of suffering from any type of infection. The microchip is put in when the dog is between three and six months old at the earliest, since it can actually be put in at any time of its life, even if it is more than ten years old, for example.