Considering microchipping my dog?

I got my boys chipped @ the county Humane Society.  My logic for that was 1) it was FAR cheaper than my vet & 2) if my boys went missing, they had the proper scanner to send them back to me.  Once I had them chipped I got a form to send in to Avid to register the boys.  You HAVE to register the chips.  So for me, the grand total of chipping was $50 for both dogs to get shipped & registered.  Not too bad since my vet wanted to charge $90 a piece.

WHat brand of chip did your dogs get chipped with?

Rory is chipped with Home Again pet recovery, check with your local vet and shleters!

both our dogs are chipped and registered with 24petwatch. this is what our local humane society uses.

Max is chipped/registered with *Home Again* - the vet did the chipping and I gave her the $17 for registration and she took of that, too.  That way I didn't have to worry about forgetting to do it.

Joyce & Max

There are two different chip technologies: 125 kHz frequency chips (AVID and HomeAgain), and 134.2 kHz frequency chips (Crystal Tag).  There is no universal scanner to read both types due to patent rights.  Most of the original chips are 125 kHz, but alot of the newer chips are the 134.2 kHz.  The 134.2 kHz is more commonly used in Europe and other countries, while the US usses 125 kHz. Be sure to ask your vet (or local shelters) which one they are using.  The new technology is being pushed as better, but the thing the reps are not telling the vets is that the original scanners will not read the new technology.  Though, if a vet is using the newer technology, they and the local shelters can contact Crystal Tag and ask for a scanner - alot of the companies will give them to rescue shelters for free. 

I paid $35 for Jezebelle's tag, which included the number being registered with the company.  Be sure to also ask your vet if the fee for inserting the chip includes the registration. Alot of times, you, the owner will need to register the number yourself for an additional fee.  Good luck!

Find out what is the most common scanner in your area (at the shelters and vets). Then use that one.  You can shop around for deals on chipping, too. Sometimes humane societys have booths at pet fairs where they do it for $10.  Our vet does it for free and you just have to pay the registration fee (though you'd want to combine it with another reason for going to the vet to justify the office visit fee).

My dogs are chipped with and the clinic I work at uses Home Again.  I wouldn't recommend the AVID chips because they do not have a plastic sheath around them and can actually 'migrate' throughout the dog.  We have actually found avids in the FEET!!  They can even migrate right back out of the skin....like a sliver if you want to call it that.  I really do wish that there was one chip maker and one chip reader.....it would make things much easier and more accurate!

nlkelly, thanks, I didn't need to hear that about Avid chips.  That's what Grady & Aspen have.

Avid was is most commonly used in our area, so we went with that, Didn't learn about the "roaming" issue until later, so I stop by our vet's office every month or 2 and they gladly run a check for me.

Tux has a US Encrypted Avid chip which is not readable by the new "Canadian standard ISO" scanners.  I have to get him re-chipped.  It doesn't even show up that he has a chip.   Wes has a FECAVA chip which is apparently much more "readable" in all of North America. (According to my vet.)
 
Don't forget to update your information especially if you adopt from a rescue or HS.  I totally forgot on Tux for the longest time!

I knew that Avid chips could migrate, but I had no idea they could go as far as the FEET! That's not good. I used to work in an animal shelter and the vets and vet techs would just wand over the shoulder and back area a few times, a chip in the feet would not have been detected.
 
I'll definitely be looking into getting the Home Again chip for Gingerbread, although I don't understand why that one wouldn't also migrate.