It may not occur to the owner of a senior pet that microchipping your dog or cat is an advised procedure. Microchips are recommended as a means of being re-united with your lost companion for pets of all ages. They are especially important in older pets because they can suffer from senility issues and are at a higher risk of becoming lost should they wander off.

The microchip that is implanted into your pet’s shoulder region is about the size of a grain of rice. It is embedded with a specific number identifying your dog or cat. This number is registered to your contact information often through an online website. This information can be easily updated if you move or change phone numbers.

Most shelters and pet hospitals have a universal scanner that can detect multiple manufacturer’s chips. One misconception is that microchips provide pet tracking such as a GPS device. Rather, they should be considered as a permanent ID tag that can never be lost or removed and that highly increase the likelihood that you and your companion will remain lifelong companions.