To microchip or not?

**luvofallhorses** · 04-10-2011, 06:52 PM

How are they more reliable?

What if the fur grows over the tattoos especially on a long-haired black breed?

**Freedom** · 04-10-2011, 06:56 PM

My dogs are "naked" in the house and out in the fenced in back yard. They only wear ID when we go out for a walk or in the car.

When Sugar found a new way out of the back yard last March (? Maybe late February?) I took comfort that she at least had the microchip.

**Karen** · 04-10-2011, 07:00 PM

Originally Posted by luvofallhorses

How are they more reliable?

What if the fur grows over the tattoos especially on a long-haired black breed?

The tattoos are generally done inside the ear, or inside the leg near the belly where the fur is thinnest.

**Suki Wingy** · 04-10-2011, 07:30 PM

I will always microchip.

**Taz_Zoee** · 04-10-2011, 07:48 PM

Only one of my four animals is NOT microchipped. Two came to me with their chip already and I got my first dog done after we brought home the second one.

I understand the risk, but I think the benefits out weigh the risks. One member here on Pet Talk has been on both ends of this. She had a cat that wasn't microchipped and got out of the house and was too late to save him. Then she had another cat that got the tumor from the injection site of the chip and lost her as well. Hopefully she'll see this thread and give her opinion.

**MonicanHonda** · 04-10-2011, 08:00 PM

I would tattoo before I microchip. It may be rare, but I've met two people in the last few months who's dogs had to have them removed because they had reactions and grew tumors.

**K9karen** · 04-10-2011, 10:37 PM

I just had Logan microchipped during her lump removal surgery. The vet said there's a risk in every procedure, but she seemed pretty knowledgeable and hasn't seen any problems. I'll keep checking on Logan. But, although we're fenced in, anything can happen. I'm glad I did it.

**Sharon_FL** · 04-10-2011, 11:27 PM

Thanks for all your opinions and replies. I am thinking I will skip the microchipping. I am with Lily just about 24/7 and we don't have a fenced in yard so she is always on a leash walking when outside. There is little chance anyone is going to steal her. I am just not willing to take even the smallest risk of a causing a tumor with something I do to her. Thanks again for your replies.

Sharon

**wolfsoul** · 04-11-2011, 04:23 PM

Originally Posted by luvofallhorses

How are they more reliable?

What if the fur grows over the tattoos especially on a long-haired black breed?

The tattoos are done in the ear or on the belly where there is no hair, so they're easy to see. Tattoos don't need scanners.. They're plain to the eye. I have had so many problems with the few microchipping experiences I've had, I'll personally never do it again. Let's just say if my micrchipped pups ever got lost, they'd never be found from their original chips. I paid a ridiculous amount of money for nothing. Not to mention the microchips are surprisingly painful, my puppies get over being held down and tattooed for several minutes WAY better than being quickly microchipped.

**Grace** · 04-11-2011, 04:34 PM

Originally Posted by wolfsoul

I paid a ridiculous amount of money for nothing. Not to mention the microchips are surprisingly painful, my puppies get over being held down and tattooed for several minutes WAY better than being quickly microchipped.

We didn't have to pay for any of our cats (6) being chipped. Our Vet gave us a credit for everyone of them

And it caused them no pain, as they were chipped while being spayed/neutered.

**wolfsoul** · 04-11-2011, 06:57 PM

Lucky, over here the cheapest is $70 per puppy. I pay $10 per tattoo. I don't have the option of chipping OR tattooing when they're being spayed neutered as CKC requires the permanent identification to occur before the puppy goes to it's new home, otherwise they can't be registered. I find the tattoos are alot easier on them -- you wouldn't really think so, but my puppies find it alot less traumatic. The only time I had bad luck with tattoos was when I went to one place who did a poor job and they needed to be re-done, but the chips were a nightmare, they can't be read, Tandem's can't be reg'd so it's useless, his sister needed to be re-chipped etc.. I really feel like I wasted money for nothing. Even if the chips could be read, I find alot of times the shelters don't bother scanning. My friend does Belgian rescue and finds chips in the majority of dogs she takes in (at the vet) but the shelter never bothered to scan. Unfortunatly so many of the chips can't be read, so they're useless.

**luvofallhorses** · 04-11-2011, 07:13 PM

Chips aren't always "useless". We have chipped dogs that got reclaimed and they end back with us at the shelter and we can get ahold their owners. If you properly chip them; there should be no problems with reading the chips and you have to have a good scanner also and know how to scan for chips in the right place...

**chocolatepuppy** · 04-11-2011, 07:22 PM

My dogs are chipped. I had Layla chipped and the shelter Jake came from chips them before they leave. Layla was four months old when hers was done and she didn't even flinch when it was injected into her.
Our shelter will chip a dog or cat for $20. I have the vet techs check my dogs chips when they go in for their appointments. So far, so good.

**Asiel** · 04-11-2011, 07:25 PM

I've always gone with tattoos myself because of the problems I've seen. I guess it depends on what a person prefers.

**Candy317** · 04-11-2011, 07:28 PM

I don't have none of my dogs microchipped....Pepe has a tattoo because he came from the HS...they don't wear their tags inside the house (I'm afraid of them choking on the harness from playing, I don't let them wear collars beacause of their small tracheas), only if we go out...just my preference, I'm also afraid of tumors and whatnot.