Dog Microchipping - Why it is important to microchip your dog

What does it mean to have my dog microchipped?

So when we are talking about microchipping, we're implanting a small microchip about the size of a grain of rice - usually in the subcutaneous space - like in the dog's neck or shoulder area.

Dr. Broussard
The Waggin' Train Veterinary Clinic

Can microchips be used to track my dog?

Currently, no. In a microchip, it is a unique number. Most of them are like a 16-digit number that is linked to your information, but there is currently no ability to track that via GPS at this time.

Who can scan my dog's microchip information?

Microchip scanners are usually possessed by most animal agencies … meaning animal control, adoption agencies, most veterinary clinics, and nowadays, most of those scanners are universal. This means they can pick up chips from just about any manufacturer.

What does the microchipping recovery process look like in the event my dog is lost?

So if an animal is recovered and is scanned by one of these facilities I just mentioned, there is a database that can be contacted. When you give the individual you're speaking to at this company that unique number if that chip was registered, they will be able to then share with you the information of the owner or the original registrar of the chip, so they would be able to give you name, address, and phone number of whoever owns that pet.

Why do veterinarians recommend to get my dog microchipped?

Probably the biggest reason we recommend that your pets get microchipped is it's the one fail-safe way to identify the dog. Tattoos can be altered, a name tag or a collar can easily be taken off, cut off, or damaged to the point where it's beyond recognition. If someone maliciously took your dog, there is no way for them to really know that the microchip is there nor how to get it out, and it's there for the life of the pet.

What if I forget or lose my dog's microchip information?

That is actually pretty common. If that happens, you simply contact the company—the database that I was referring to. We're currently using a company called PetLink. You can contact them, and when you put in your own personal information or log in to their site, you should be able to access the different pets that you have registered there and can reset a password, or at least get your information there.

Are there other smart products that can connect to my dog's microchip?

To connect to a microchip, no. In my understanding, no. They do make certain collars or little clip-ons that you can put on a collar that have GPS capability and allow you to track. But to answer your question, no, they do not link directly to the microchip to my understanding.

If you still have any other questions and you'd like to reach out to us, you can call us directly at (337) 223-9581, you can email us, or you can reach out on Facebook if you'd like. But please do reach out, we'll try and get back to you as fast as we can.