It's important to be prepared for anything when you have pets. One way to prepare is to have your pet microchipped. If you want to know more about microchipping and the benefits it provides, Unleashed Pet Care can help.

What Is Microchipping?

Microchipping is a simple procedure, during which a microchip is inserted into your pet. This microchip is about the size of a grain of rice and the overall process is fairly quick and painless.

If you're going to microchip your pet, it's best to do it early on. You never know when your dog or cat may get lost, so it's better to be prepared in the event that anything happens. Most veterinarians will only microchip puppies or kittens that are younger than six weeks old. However, it's recommended that you wait until your pet is 12 weeks old for the best results.

Benefits of Microchipping

Some pet owners may have concerns about putting a microchip in their pets, but there are several benefits. For starters, it allows anyone who finds your pet to take him to a veterinarian, where the microchip can be scanned to figure out who his rightful owner is. This is also helpful if your dog or cat ends up in a shelter, as shelters will scan pets for microchips and place them with their rightful owners accordingly. When pets are microchipped, they're significantly more likely to be returned to their owners if they're lost at some point.

Things to Consider

While microchipping your pets is a great way to make sure they're returned to you if they're lost, there are some things to consider. As we mentioned previously, you should wait until your puppy or kitten is at least 12 weeks old to microchip. Additionally, you need to have your pet's microchip scanned at least once a year to make sure it's still working. Fortunately, microchip scanning can be a part of your dog or cat's yearly pet exam, so it isn't too difficult to keep up with.

Get Your Pet Microchipped

If your pet ever happens to wander away from home, you need to do everything in your power to make sure he returns home safely. A microchip is a great way to ensure veterinarians and shelters can return your pet to you if something happens. If you want to learn more about microchipping or schedule an appointment with our Westland, MI veterinarian, call Unleashed Pet Care today.