Reply to:   Identi-Chip
 
It's a little glass capsule the size of a grain of rice with a little chip
that reads a number when scanned by a reader device.  The chips were
originally designed by the army to identify solders, but in humans they found
our skin and sub-cutaneous tissues do not hold the chip in place, and it
migrated, but in animals it was quite secure.  I have heard stories of it
migrating in pets, but they are fairly infrequent, and usually related to
inexperienced/improperly trained vets doing the implantation.  Traditionally
it is placed between the shoulder blades just under the skin, though I have
heard of horses and some dogs being done in the shoulder area, in birds, it is
placed on the chest muscle.  I had 4 of my ferrets done here 5-ish years ago
and they have all passed on since, but it was great to have permanant ID.  The
only drawback I can see, is that if your pet was picked up by a shelter that
doesn't have a scanner, or doesn't routinely practice scanning animals turned
in (which should include owner's surrendering their pets as sometimes they are
"found" or stolen pets) it could go missed.  Then it's a good thing to have a
mark in the ear, and when your critter goes missing, to call the shelters and
vets in the area on a WEEKLY basis to remind them to scan the ferrets coming
in for the chip, and look for a tattoo.  I know from experience that we had a
breeders' Collie turned in to the shelter, and we knew from our records that
one had been reported missing with a chip, so we scanned it and VOILA!  It was
excellent.  Nothing beats a visible dot or letter for the average person who
finds a critter, and as such my gals are ID'd to the hilt.  Collars, leashes,
etc.  They don't like to tattoo tiny animals here and my clinic doesn't own a
tattoo gun, so I make sure they look like pets.  (They even have jackets,
though they don't wear them for long...)
 
There are currently 2 companies providing service, IDENTI-CHIP and PET-NET,
but I can only locate 1 number right now.  One is larger than the other, but I
can't remember which.  The company is called IDENTI-CHIP, 1-800-926-1313
(Canada and USA) and they tell me that it is available from select vets, so
call around.  Cost of implantation varies from vet to vet, but they tell me it
is approx. $20 - $30.  The Lifetime registration fee for one (1) animal is
$10, and Lifetime registration for 2 or more critters is $25.  The only thing
I would insist on when the chip is being implanted is a local anaesthetic -
they use a 12 gauge needle, and if your critter has thick/tough skin, it can
be quite painful.
 
I think that some of the vets out there are less informed about options and as
such aren't able to educate less informed pet owners about the complete
spectrum of options for identification, and as such, ferrets are not as often
returned to their owners as they could be.
 
+++++++++
Monica (It costs HOW much per Ivomec treatment)
Terrible Two (*WE* feel much better now!)
Kitty Krew (keep them *away*)
[Posted in FML issue 1157]