Why not make your pet a chip off the old block (From Bucks Free Press)

Why not make your pet a chip off the old block

11:53am Thursday 9th March 2006 in

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Following on from last month's information on pets travelling abroad you may remember me saying that all pets must be microchipped before travel.

This following article shows that even if your pet is staying in the UK it is still strongly recommended to have them chipped.

Approximately 10 million missing pet cases are reported each year in the UK. In 2003, 98 per cent of lost microchipped pets were reunited with their owners (source: Petlog, The Kennel Club).

Latest figures from Bayer Animal Health, distributor of Tracer microchip, show that the number of animals and the variety of species being microchipped as a form of permanent identification is on the increase in the UK.

Last year, more than 100,000 dogs were implanted with the Tracer microchip, along with more than 50,000 cats (comparable figures five years ago in 1999 were 66,000 and 33,000 respectively).

Interestingly, the incidence of more unusual domestic animals being microchipped each year has also seen a sharp increase. The number of ferrets has trebled in five years; chipped rabbits have increased 452 per cent over the same period; and both reptile and tortoise figures more than doubled. In addition, an increasing number of farm and zoo animals are being microchipped.

Bayer Animal Health is launching Isomax IV a new, advanced microchip reader that builds on the benefits of its widely used predecessor Isomax III. Key features of the new scanner include a reading distance (up to 20cm), twice as much memory (2000 codes) and faster rechargeable lithium batteries (fully charged in three hours). Isomax IV also allows vets to register the date and time, in addition to the ID code, at the time of implantation and contains a more sophisticated menu setting with a scroll memory and search function allowing individual codes to be found amongst groups of animals.

Microchipping can be carried out by your veterinary surgeon or nurse in just a few seconds, your pet does not need a sedation and prices start from as little as £5 depending on your clinic.

The RSPCA, amongst others, also hold microchipping days where your pet can be chipped at a discounted price.

Remember any pet can wander off, get injured or be stolen and one tabby cat can look much like the next. If found out of hours your pet may also be taken to a vet different from your normal one who would not recognise him or her if a chip is found, one call to petlog can reunite you and if your pet is injured important decisions can be quickly made.

So don't delay get your pet chipped today!

Please note that all items in this column are in the opinion of the author only and may not apply to all veterinary practices.

This column aims to give people the chance to write in and ask for answers to questions that they may feel will be of benefit to other readers or to share comments or interesting cases with our readers. If you have questions or comments on any topic to do with domestic pets or wildlife then please write to Emma Hutchings MRCVS, Holtspur Veterinary Clinic, Holtspur Parade, Heath Road, Beaconsfield, Bucks.

Alternatively you can email me at holtspurvets@btconnect.com.

We are sorry but we cannot answer letters or emails personally. If your pet needs medical attention then please take them to your veterinary surgery for advice. Each letter printed will receive either a bag of pet food appropriate to their pet, or a free health check and worming dose so please enclose your address and telephone number.

Emma Hutchings