Ask the pet expert: microchipping

I was thinking of microchipping my dog, but he always has a collar, so should I bother?

If your beloved pet has ever been lost, you know that is not a feeling you want to experience again. A collar with an identification tag is your first, best option to having your pet returned to you quickly, but tags may fall off the collar, and collars can be removed or accidentally pulled off. I have taken many lost-dog reports from frantic owners whose dogs have gotten out of the house right after bath time, and they were not wearing their collars and tags. Many people refuse to collar and tag their cats because they feel the cat is annoyed by the collar or they are afraid the collar could become entangled in something if the cat goes outside. Many indoor/outdoor cats are picked up by good Samaritans and taken to a shelter as a lost cat, unable to be reunited with their owners because they weren't wearing any identification.

A microchip is an excellent solution to these problems. A small chip, encoded with a tracking number, is inserted just under the skin between the pet's shoulders. It's a quick procedure and is no more painful to the pet than getting a vaccination. The owner's contact information is then linked to the tracking number and registered with the microchip company. If a lost pet is taken to a shelter or a veterinarian's office, it can be quickly scanned for a microchip and reunited with its owner. Microchips are very affordable, so it's a small price to pay for additional peace of mind.

This week's expert is Barbara Healy, adoption manager at the Maryland SPCA (mdspca.org). Send your questions for local pet experts to [e-mail].