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LAKE HOWELL ANIMAL CLINIC WAS PERMANENTLY CLOSED ON SEPTEMBER 9, 2022. NOTIFICATIONS WERE SENT TO ACTIVE CLIENTS, TO THE MAILING AND/OR EMAIL ADDRESS WE HAD ON FILE. TO GET YOUR PET'S MEDICAL RECORDS, SEND A REQUEST TO lhac@lakehowellanimalclinic.com. WE ARE NO LONGER APPROVING MEDICATION REQUESTS FROM ONLINE PHARMACIES.

Microchipping Your Pet

Many dogs are lost, stolen or run away from home every day. Unfortunately, not all are reunited with their owner. It is important to have a form to identify your pet at all times.Most people rely on collars with a name tag or rabies tag information. If this form of identification is broken, taken or lost; it will be nearly impossible to recover your pet. All pets should have a microchip implanted as a permanent way of identification. 

A microchip is a computer chip inside material that is compatible with living tissue. It is about the size of a grain of rice. The standard place for a microchip to be implanted is under the skin between the pet's shoulder blades. A special syringe and needle are used and the process takes the same time it takes to get a shot or a vaccine. Most pets do great during the process. Immediately after inserting the microchip, a handheld scanner will read the microchip alphanumeric code. Each code is UNIQUE for every pet. Once the microchip is in place, the pet owner must register the microchip with the company. Only then can the pet can be traced back to his/her owner. There is usually a one-time fee to register the microchip.

A microchip is designed to last for the life of your pet. It does not need to be replaced, changed or charged. If your pet is found, most likely will end up at a veterinary clinic, in a shelter or in the hands of Animal Control. They will immediately scan a lost pet to see if it has a microchip.  If a microchip is found, they will contact the microchip company to get your contact information. 

Only you can protect your pet. Keep current ID or name tags on your pet at all times and microchip them as reinforcement. If your pet does get lost, more identification will increase the odds of finding your beloved companion.

Nydia Melissa Perez, DVM

10/11