In part two of our monthly series of helpful insights from local veterinarians, Dr. Dawn Hoover with Colony Animal Clinic in Fairhope shares the importance of microchipping your pets. Dr. Hoover, Baldwin County’s Rabies Officer, is a graduate of Mississippi State University’s College of Veterinary Medicine, class of 1999. She is a beloved member of the wonderful Colony Animal Clinic team, including Dr. William Morrison and Dr. Megan Midkiff. The practice thrives on making clients, pets, and owners feel as comfortable as possible while giving expert, loving care to our pets. The practice is in the process of becoming Fear Free certified, addressing the fears of both pets and owners when visiting the vet. We love this practice and know that many of you do, too!
Visit their website at:
https://colonyanimalcare.com
With the Fourth of July just around the corner, pets can experience anxiety caused by fireworks! In extreme cases, pets can slip out of homes and yards in an effort to get away from all the noise. Dr. Hoover strongly recommends microchipping to help owners reunite with lost pets.
A pet parent’s worst nightmare is having their pet lost or stolen. One way to help ensure a lost or stolen pet is returned to its owner’s loving arms is having your veterinarian implant a microchip. A microchip is actually a small (about the size of a grain of rice) transponder implanted under the loose skin between the shoulder blades of a dog or cat. This transponder contains the microchip with the animal’s identification number, the antenna for the communication and the glass to protect the electronics. The microchip can be implanted in an awake and sedated patient, but should be done by a veterinary or shelter professional to ensure proper placement. When a lost or stolen pet is recovered and brought to a veterinarian or animal shelter, the pet is scanned for a microchip. If a microchip is found, the veterinary or shelter staff can call the corresponding microchip company. The company will search its database and contact the pet’s owner to alert them their pet has been found. Microchips are very effective at returning pets to their owners. A recent study showed that microchipped dogs were returned 52.2% of the time, and microchipped cats were returned at least 38.5%. While collars, ID tags, and GPS tracking tags are useful, a microchip is still the only permanent ID system in place to help recovery of lost pets. Even indoor pets or those who live in fenced in yards should be microchipped. Natural disasters like hurricanes, a gate left open, or scary fireworks or storms can lead a pet to run away. Just recently, a cat was brought into our clinic that had been found in Fairhope. The cat luckily had a microchip and the owners had reported the cat lost over a year ago. We were able to reunite the kitty with her Foley family. Stories like this are very common and are only able to happen with the help of microchips! If you have further questions about microchips, please contact your veterinarian for more information!
-Dr. Dawn Hoover, Colony Animal Clinic.
Many thanks to Dr. Hoover and Colony Animal Clinic! The Furry Godmother Pet Sitting is excited to bring you this helpful new resource in caring for your cherished pets- check back next month for a brand new vet feature!
