Microchipping is quite an essential part of owning a pet. It has now recently become a legal requirement for all cat owners to microchip their pets and has been a legal requirement for all dog owners for years.
Below we briefly go through the basics of microchipping and hopefully answer some questions you might have about it.

What is a microchip?
A microchip is a small electronic chip, that holds a long digit barcode - that when registered is linked to the registered patient and client details. It is the size of a grain of rice and is administered via a large needle applicator and placed directly underneath the patients skin - subcutaneously.
When should I get my pet microchipped?
As mentioned previously, it is a legal requirement for all dogs and cats to be microchipped. Dogs should be microchipped by the time they are 8 weeks of age and Cats should be microchipped by the time they are 20 weeks of age.
Who can microchip my pets?
Microchips can be administered by a trained professional. If you are unsure if your pet is microchipped please contact the practice and book an appointment with a nurse so they can check that for you and administer a microchip if required.
What happens when my pet is microchipped?
Once your pet has had the microchipped administered, the trained professional should register the long number linked to that microchip to you as the owner and with your pets details. This will then be linked to a microchip database - and if required you as the owner can change the details.
There may be cost implications dependent of the database you are registered under.
We as a Veterinary practice use a database called Petlog - but we can record and monitor any form of microchip database our patients may be registered to.
As the owner, it is fully up to you to make sure you keep the details linked to that microchip updated. You will need to liaise with the database directly to change any details and even ownership of your pet if needed. We as a practice can aid in helping you get the details of your specific database if required, otherwise you should receive a package with Petlogs details if we microchip your pet for you.
Please see below a few links to other pages that have more information if you need:
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