Would you like to switch to the accessible version of this site?

Go to accessible site Close modal window

Don't need the accessible version of this site?

Hide the accessibility button Close modal window
Accessibility View Close toolbar
Main Street Veterinary Hospital and Dental Clinic

4100 Kirkpatrick Lane

Flower Mound, TX 75028 US

(972) 355-0008

Open mobile navigation
  • Home
  • About Us
    • Community Involvement
    • What Our Clients Say
  • Services
    • Diagnostic Services
    • Surgery
    • Dentistry
      • Dental Care Letter to Pet Owners
      • Dental Talk
    • Senior Pet Care
    • Boarding and Grooming
    • Emergency Care and Referrals
  • Our Staff
    • Veterinarians
    • Hospital Staff
  • Online Forms
    • New Client Information Sheet
    • Boarding - Information Sheet
    • Boarding - Each Visit
    • Application for Employment Page 1
    • Application for Employment Page 2
    • Application for Employment Page 3
    • Application for Employment Page 4
  • Home Delivery
  • Your Pet's Info
  • Picture Gallery
  • New Patient Center
    • What to Expect
    • Veterinary Resources
    • Payment Options
  • Referring Veterinarians
  • Contact Us
  • Client Survey
  • Announcements
  • Blog
  • Veterinary Topics
    • We Help Your Pet With
      • Chronic Conditions
      • Digestive and Oral Health
      • Diseases and Viruses
      • Pests and Parasites
      • Orthopedics
    • Today's Veterinarian
    • Choosing Your Pet
      • Birds
      • Cats
      • Dogs
      • Ferrets
      • Rabbits
      • Reptiles
        • Lizards
        • Turtles
    • Living With Your Pet
      • Bringing Your Pet Home
      • Providing Care
      • Travel
      • Saying Goodbye
    • Finding Your Pet
    • Newsletter Library
      • Tips for Pet Owners
      • Fun with Pets
      • Equine
      • Visiting the Vet
      • Unbelievable Pets
      • Seasonal Topics
      • Pet Dangers
      • Nutrition & Food
      • Recognizing Illness
      • Cats
      • Keeping Pets Healthy
      • Fleas & Parasites
      • Behavior & Training
    • Video Newsroom
      • Health Topics
      • Technology and Science
      • Other Interests
    • Client Survey
    • Pets4Kids
    • Feline
  • Home >
  • Articles >
  • Video Newsroom >
  • Technology and Science >
  • Pet Microchips

Pet Microchips

  • Created in Video Newsroom, Technology and Science
Image of a person holding a cat.

Essentially, microchips are computer chips about the size of a grain of rice. Easily implanted under your pet's skin by a hypodermic needle, microchips provide permanent identification that won't wear out, fade, or get lost if the pet runs away. Special scanners find the microchip and can translate into a specific ID code. These unique numbers can then be found on a database and, with luck, the owners can be contacted and the family will be together again.

A lost microchipped dog named Romie almost lost her life because there are multiple chips being marketed today with at least four different types of frequencies. The ISO Conformant Full Duplex type of chip is considered to be the international standard and is used in many countries, but there are at least three other types of chips exist, which are especially common the the United States. In the case of Romie, one type of chip was implanted but the local animal shelter was using a scanner designed for a different type and actually missed Romie's chip!

Luckily, a shelter employee recognized Romie and was able to contact her owner promptly. This confusion of frequencies has caused a storm of controversy. According to Dr. Dan Knox of the AVID Company, these multiple frequencies will continue to put pets at risk by confusing the system. "Adding new frequencies will only cause more work for under-staffed shelters and will potentially be dangerous to pets."

Another major issue is that many pets are not properly registered. In fact, Michael Gendreau, product manager for the ResQ® ISO chip manufactured by the Bayer Company states that less than half of microchipped pets have been entered accurately into any database - a major fault with this system. Ms Lutz agrees and adds that it is common for people to move and change addresses, "With everything that happens in a move, how many people will remember to change the address and phone number for their pet's microchip?" This is why old fashioned methods, such as ID collars or the free "get me home tag" (www.getmehome.com) should be used along with the microchip.

Facts About Microchips

  • Microchips are small computer chips about the size of a grain of rice. They have unique ID numbers that can be read by electronic scanners.
  • While there is the ISO international standard for chip frequencies, there are three additional frequencies of microchips in use, especially in North America, and unfortunately not all scanners can read all 4 types of microchips..
  • Leading veterinary organizations and animal welfare groups are calling for the use of "universal" scanners to help prevent these issues.
  • Beyond incompatibility of scanner and chip, another major problem is that many pets with microchips are never registered properly in an easily accessible database. When pets are not registered properly, it can lead to delays or even prevent reunions with the pet's family.
  • Microchips are wonderful and powerful tools to help keep our pets safe, but until certain issues are resolved, this high tech pet ID is not fool-proof and should be supplemented with additional forms of identification such as old fashioned collars with ID tags.
  • We Help Your Pet With
    • Chronic Conditions
    • Digestive and Oral Health
    • Diseases and Viruses
    • Pests and Parasites
    • Orthopedics
  • Today's Veterinarian
  • Choosing Your Pet
    • Birds
    • Cats
    • Dogs
    • Ferrets
    • Rabbits
    • Reptiles
      • Lizards
      • Turtles
  • Living With Your Pet
    • Bringing Your Pet Home
    • Providing Care
    • Travel
    • Saying Goodbye
  • Finding Your Pet
  • Newsletter Library
    • Tips for Pet Owners
    • Fun with Pets
    • Equine
    • Visiting the Vet
    • Unbelievable Pets
    • Seasonal Topics
    • Pet Dangers
    • Nutrition & Food
    • Recognizing Illness
    • Cats
    • Keeping Pets Healthy
    • Fleas & Parasites
    • Behavior & Training
  • Video Newsroom
    • Health Topics
    • Technology and Science
    • Other Interests
  • Client Survey
  • Pets4Kids
  • Feline
Mention that you found us from a Google Ad and your pet's First Wellness Exam is Free!

Featured Links

  • Services

    We strive to provide complete care for our patients. Learn more about all the services we provide.
  • Make An Appointment

    We will do our best to accommodate your busy schedule. Schedule an appointment today!
  • Online Forms

    Our patient forms are available online so they can be completed in the convenience of your own home or office.

Office Hours

Monday:

7:00 am-6:00 pm

Tuesday:

7:00 am-6:00 pm

Wednesday:

7:00 am-6:00 pm

Thursday:

7:00 am-6:00 pm

Friday:

7:00 am-6:00 pm

Saturday:

8:00 am-1:00 pm

Sunday:

Closed

Location

Find us on the map

Testimonial

  • "I like the fact that the staff at Main Street Veterinary Hospital is friendly, knowledgeable, and helpful. I would recommend them to my friends and family."
    Kathy Lemoine - Flower Mound, TX
  • "I appreciate the convenience and quality care offered at Main Street Veterinary Hospital. They are very thorough and they are always able to work us in any day. Our dog seem comfortable here. I would recommend them."
    Rauny Ruiz - Flower Mound, TX
  • "I have never been to a vet that was so caring ; the entire staff was amazing. I felt like they treated my dog Rascal like he was one of their own and answered all my questions in great detail. I felt blessed to have been referred here."
    Alexis C. - Flower Mound, TX
  • "Joshua came for shots and a heart worm test, which ended up positive. I am thankful for Dr. Pierson and the vet tech that helped Joshua and I to understand his diagnosis."
    Heather Markanovic - Flower Mound, TX
  • "Polly enjoys her weekly visits for her bath! Everyone seems to like Polly and spoils here rotten! I love it! You all are the BEST! Keep up the GREAT work!"
    Martha Balderston - Flower Mound, TX

Featured Articles

Read about interesting topics

  • Preventing Obesity in Cats

    Even one extra pound could affect your pet's health. Find out how you can keep your cat slim and trim. ...

    Read More
  • Pet Dental Care - Tips to Manage Your Pet’s Oral Health

    Do you know how to keep your pet's teeth and gums healthy? ...

    Read More
  • Learn How to Master Walking Your Dog for Walk Your Pet Month

    Does your dog need a little help walking on a leash? ...

    Read More
  • Bringing a New Pet in the Home in the New Year

    Are you planning on adding a pet to your family this year? These tips will help you prepare for the arrival of your furry, feathered, or finned friend. ...

    Read More
  • Cold Symptoms in Dogs

    Could your sneezing, sniffling dog have a cold? ...

    Read More
  • Cold Weather Pet Safety

    Do you know how to keep your pet safe this winter? ...

    Read More
  • Keep Your Pet Safe During the Holidays

    Keep Thanksgiving day safe for your pet by following these tips. ...

    Read More
  • November is Pet Cancer Awareness Month

    Do you know the symptoms that can occur if your pet has cancer? ...

    Read More
  • How to Treat Common Injuries in Your Dog

    Would you know what to do if your dog was injured? ...

    Read More
  • Safety Guidelines for Pet Costumes

    Do you know how to keep your pet safe when wearing a costume? ...

    Read More

Subscribe to Our Newsletter

Sing up to receive additional articles!

Connect With Us

  • Copyright © 2021 MH Sub I, LLC dba iMatrix.
  • Admin Log In
  • Site Map