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Microchipping FAQs

Frequently Asked Questions about Microchipping

Many people have heard of microchipping their pets, but they may not know much about it. Microchipping is actually a safe, effective method of identifying your pet, and we highly recommend it for all pets. Here at Bluegrass Animal Hospital in Knoxville, we want the best for your pets and we believe in microchipping as a way to offer this for them.

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What is a Microchip?

A microchip is a small device about the size of a grain of rice that is implanted under your pet's skin. It contains a barcode that can be read by a scanner held up to the outside of your pet's body. The device itself contains no battery and no data other than the barcode, so it cannot die or give away your information.

Why Do I Need to Register My Pet's Microchip?

When the microchip is read, it provides a unique number that one of the microchip registries can look up. If the microchip is registered, the owner and contact information for that animal is listed in their database. Veterinarians and shelters can scan lost pets for a microchip and use the information in the database to return lost pets to their owners.

How are Microchips Implanted?

Microchips are implanted under the skin using a slightly larger needle than those used for vaccinations. Most dogs and cats seem to find the pain minor and quickly forgotten. However, your pet can be microchipped while they are under anesthesia for another procedure such as spay or neuter or a dental cleaning, if you are concerned.

Are Microchips Safe for My Pet?

Microchips are very safe for your pet. The most common problem is the chip moving away from the implantation site, but even this is a relatively rare problem. There have been concerns about microchips causing cancer, but no studies that have actually found this to be the case in dogs or cats.

Is My Information Safe on A Microchip?

Your information is also safe with a microchip. The chip itself contains nothing but a barcode linked to your information in a registry. You can give as much or as little information as you would like to the registry, but you must ensure that it is up to date so that you can be contacted if your animal is found. If you move or change phone numbers, be sure to update your registration.

Bluegrass Animal Hospital Provides Microchipping for Your Pet

If your pet has not been microchipped, consider having one implanted today. They are safe and effective tools for returning lost pets to their owners, and we highly recommend them. To contact us here at Bluegrass Animal Hospital in Knoxville, call (865) 694-8387.

Office Hours

Monday:

7:30 am-5:30 pm

Tuesday:

7:30 am-5:30 pm

Wednesday:

7:30 am-5:30 pm

Thursday:

7:30 am-5:30 pm

Friday:

7:30 am-5:30 pm

Saturday:

9:00 am-1:00 pm

Sunday:

Closed

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