WARREN, Mich., Jan. 6, 2013 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Veterinarian Dr. Denise Graye of Abbey East Animal Hospital in Warren urges pet owners to have their pets microchipped. She says one third of all pets get lost over the course of their lifetimes, and that microchipping cats and dogs improves these pets' chances of making it home to their families. She explains that unlike tags that can get lost, a microchip inserted under the pet's skin stays with the pet for life and can be read by scanners at shelters and veterinary clinics across the country. She recommends pet owners have the microchip inserted when pets are young.
Dr. Graye explains that microchipping can save pets' lives. "It's estimated that almost 90% of pets that get lost never make it back home, and that is just heartbreaking, both for the family and the pet. Tags and collars can get lost, stolen or worn to the point where they are illegible too, so these old fashioned methods of pet identification are spotty at best. Microchipped pets have a far greater chance of making it home to their families because the information on the chip cannot get separated from the pet. When the pet ends up in a shelter or a pet clinic somewhere, the people there can scan the information, get the owner's contact information and reunite the pet with his or her family."
Warren veterinarian Dr. Graye and her colleague, Dr. Wayne Gilchrist say that the process of inserting the microchip is minimally invasive and safe even for young puppies and kittens. She explains that the microchip is made out of inert, hypoallergenic material and is about the size of a grain of rice. It is usually injected under the pet's skin between the shoulder blades with a large needle. She adds that her animal hospital often provides the microchip insertion during the same time as a puppy or kitten's spay or neuter surgery so that the pet does not feel the large needle going in.
Pet microchips are registered and carry important identification information about each pet. Once the microchip is inserted, the code is usually included with the pet's vaccination records, explains Dr. Gilchrist. Once the microchip code has been processed by the scanner, the pet's name and owner's contact information can easily be retrieved from a national database, and then the owner can be contacted.
Dr. Gilchrist says, "As a veterinarian, I really recommend every pet, regardless of age, get a microchip. It prevents so many unhappy endings."
Abbey East Animal Hospital in Warren provides microchip insertion services as part of its puppy and kitten wellness plans. For more information, visit their website at http://abbeyeastanimalhospital.com.