Should you microchip your bulldog?
Microchips are tiny transponders about the size of a grain of rice, that are encoded with a number. Each microchip has a unique number, or combination of numbers and letters. They can be read with a microchip scanner, and the scanner displays the number on it's digital screen.
Most all animal shelters and veterinarian's offices now have universal scanners that can read microchips, and most all animal shelters now scan all stray dogs and cats.
Even if your dog wears a collar or harness, collars and harness's can break or be removed. Some owners have their dogs tattooed, but tattoos are very difficult to read and the ink fades over time. Even if you do manage to read the tattoo, there is no database that is available to find out anything about the owner or the dog. Microchips can't be misread or the number altered, so it is a safe and permanent way to identify your dog.
Any dog or cat can be microchipped ( I like to have puppies microchipped when they go in for vaccinations) The procedure is fast, safe and most pets don't even move. Some owners like to have their dogs microchipped when they are spayed or neutered.
The sterile microchips are inserted with an application gun or syringe using a sterile needle. For dogs and cats, the standard site to place a microchip is between the shoulder blades. The dog needs to be standing or lying on their stomach, the loose skin between the shoulder blades is pulled up, the needle is inserted and the trigger squeezed, injecting the microchip, the needle is then removed. After the microchip is inserted the chip is scanned to make sure the chip is reading properly.
Once your dog is microchipped, you must register the number with the appropriate agency. Your veterinarian will provide you with all the paperwork and information that you will need to register your dogs number. Most of the microchip databases do charge a fee to register your pet. If you don't register the microchip number, microchipping your dog is useless, since their will be no information to reunite you with your dog.
