OK, here goes my first post after a month or two of lurking... :-)
 
When an animal is microchipped, the microchip is inserted with a hypodermic
needle under the skin.  WHERE it's inserted is usually the neck, but it
doesn't have to be there.  A vet or other qualified individual has to
insert it.  You can probably get brochures on the different brands of
microchips at a Petsmart or at your Vet's.
 
Advantage: If the animal is lost, and found by a shelter or vet that has
the right kind of microchip reader, your pet will be returned to you.  All
this is dependent on IF someone finds your pet, and IF they turn them into
a shelter, and IF the shelter has the right kind of reader.
 
Disadvantage: A percentage of animals develop what are called Granulanomas.
This is a buildup of scar tissue around the microchip that forms a large
hard mass.  At the clinic where I work, a lady wanted to take her dog with
her when she moved to Hawaii, and to do that, a microchip is required.  The
dog formed one of these Granulanomas and we had to take it out.  The
microchip had been destroyed, causing an infection and the granulanoma was
about 4 inches across under the skin of the neck.  The dog went home with a
6 inch incision.  And now the dog can't go with it's owner.
 
Personally, I don't think it's for me.  First of all, I can't stand the
thought of my babies suffering through what that dog did, and having to
have all their beautiful Husky and Ferret fur shaved, and also, to my
knowledge, no one in my area has a microchip reader.
 
But, the majority of animals don't have a problem with the microchips.
 
Later!
 
Carrie Jo Fattig
Alyeska & Camalot (Huskies)
Simon, Logan, & Sassy (Ferrets)
And for now, Ozzie (aka SpazDog) the Foster Malamute
http://netnow.micron.net/~fattig
ICQ# 12541277
[Posted in FML issue 2465]