Microchipping

Just as it is every other area of modern life, technology is also transforming veterinary care. Today, your pet can have a “microchip” implanted under its skin, so that it can be reunited with its owner if it should become lost. This method has a number of advantages over the old method of using ID tags, which can become worn or disconnected from an animal’s collar. As part of our total care for your pets, Bridgwater Veterinary Hospital and Wellness Centre & Wellness Centre offers microchipping to help find pets when they become lost. For more details, please call us at 204-452-0911.

What is microchipping in pets?

A microchip is a tiny computer chip enclosed in a glass cylinder that is implanted beneath the skin on the neck of pets. The chip is about the size of a grain of rice, and it is implanted using a hypodermic needle that is a bit larger than those that are used to give injections. The process is no more painful to the animal than other injections, and only takes few minutes. Your Winnipeg veterinarian will keep your pet’s microchip number on file. The number will also be placed in the chip manufacturer’s registry.

Why is it a good idea to microchip my pet?

The microchip will continue to lie beneath your pet’s skin, causing no discomfort or other negative effects. If your pet wanders away from home and is picked up, a veterinarian’s office or humane society can detect the chip with a “reader,” get the identifying number and locate the owner that is on file. The microchip registry contains no other information beyond what you have supplied on the registration form. Microchips do not wear out after a few years. They do not contain batteries that need to be changed and do not have any moving parts that require repair. The microchip does not serve as a GPS to locate the pet. However, it does help your microchip dog get back home if he or she gets lost.