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Microchip Pet ID
A simple scan could save your pet's life, and save you from a lot of worry. Most people are familiar with the laser scanning of bar codes in supermarkets to identify goods at the check out line, and bar codes are used by the postal service to automatically identify packages and letters. This highly efficient electronic identification (EID) system provides essentially the same capability for the identification of companion animals. With this technology in place, and becoming more widely accepted everywhere, fewer lost pets will suffer a tragic ending. The Technology EID uses a low-power radio signal to read a 10 digit alpha-numeric ID number stored in a tiny electronic circuit. These low-frequency radio waves can penetrate all solid objects except those made of metal. Therefore, use of electronic ID allows a unique number to be "stored" inside the animal, where it is permanently held in place. The tiny electronic device used to store the EID number is called a transponder or microchip. this microchip is about the size of an uncooked grain of rice. The microchip is easily injected into the animal, by a procedure similar to a routine vaccination. The microchip then remains with the animal for life. Each microchip has a unique code number, and owner information for each pet is stored in a central database. Should the pet become lost, and scanned by a compatible EID scanning system, the animal can be quickly and safely returned home. The procedure costs in the neighborhood of $50 to $60. If you haven;t had your pet electronically identified, or if you have any concerns or questions regarding the procedure and its cost, please consult with your veterinarian. How It Works The microchip is a passive device. It contains no battery and remains inactive unless being scanned by a compatible reader. The microchip sends the ID number as a radio signal back to the reader, which then decodes the number and displays it on a small screen similar to that on an electronic calculator. since the microchip contains no battery, there is nothing to wear out. The microchips are cylindrical measuring 11 mm in length and 2.1 mm in diameter. Inside are only three components. The first is a silicon chip (custom integrated circuit). The silicon chip contains the unique ID number assigned to the microchip and all of the electronic circuitry necessary to send the number to the scanner it receives the radio signal. The second component of the microchip is a coil of copper wire wound around a ferrite (iron) core. This functions as a tiny radio antenna to pick up the signal from the scanner, and to send the encoded ID number from the microchip back to the scanner. The third component is a capacitor used for tuning. The outside of the microchip is a soda lime glass which has been selected for biocompatibility. This glass is hermetically sealed during manufacturing so it is not possible for any moisture from the host animal's body fluids to reach the electronics inside. In dogs and cats, the microchip is injected in a universal site which is subcutaneously between the shoulder blades on the dorsal midline. Each microchip comes pre-packed inside a needle, and this assembly is packaged in a pre-sterilized plastic envelope. Each needle is discarded after one-time use. This prevents the spread of infection and ensures that the needle is as sharp as possible so as possible so as to cause minimum discomfort to the animal. Numerous studies have been performed on a wide variety of species to demonstrate the safety of the microchip. these studies have involved mammals, birds, fish and reptiles which have shown no adverse reactions to the microchip, either biological or behavioral. |
