Microchipping is essential for every Golden Retriever owner. Golden Retriever are bright dogs that can easily slip out of their collar or sneak away from the garden. Because these dogs may go missing at any time, microchipping is quite crucial for them to be located if they do disappear. In this blog article, we’ll go through all you need to know about microchipping your Golden Retriever!
What is a pet microchip?
A microchip is a small computer chip implanted in your pet by a professional microchip implanter between his or her shoulder blades. The physical chip is tiny, measuring about the size of a rice grain, and it will be there for your Golden Retriever puppy’s entire life. This microchip has all of the information regarding you and your dog, including their vaccinations, medical records, breed type, and so on. Microchips are used not only for identification purposes but also to combat animal theft.
Why should you microchip your Golden Retriever?
The best approach to identify your Golden Retriever is by microchip. All dogs should be microchipped under the legislation. Although microchipping your dog is now required, it makes keeping your dog safe much easier. Microchipping a Golden Retriever makes reuniting with their owners significantly easier than non-microchipped ones if he or she ever goes missing and comes to the veterinarian’s office – which happens more often than you think.
How can microchipping help me reunite with my missing Golden Retriever?
If your Golden Retriever gets lost, microchipping is a humane way to ensure that you are reunited with them. This means if someone found your missing dog and took them to the vet or rescue centre, when their microchip was scanned it would lead back to you as their pet owner.
In order to ensure microchipping is successful, it is important that your dog’s microchip information is registered and kept up to date. If you have just recently adopted a new Golden Retriever, make sure the microchip database company has your most recent contact information so they can reach you when your missing pet is found. If you do not keep the contact details up to date on your microchip, if your Golden Retriever goes missing, you may find it very difficult to be reunited with them.
At what age do I get my Golden Retriever microchipped?
A Golden Retriever can be microchipped at any age, but it’s best if they’re at least seven or eight weeks old. If you microchip your Golden Retriever puppy before they reach the age of seven weeks, their immune system is not fully developed. This might result in them rejecting the chip implant or it failing to function properly.
By law, your Golden Retriever puppy must be microchipped by the age of eight weeks in the United Kingdom. Before you take home your Golden Retriever puppy, most breeders will have implanted a chip in him or her, but it’s good to check with them to make sure. If you don’t know whether they’ve done it yet, go see your neighborhood veterinarian who can tell you if your dog has a microchip implanted. They can easily implant a microchip while you wait, if the breeder has not done so already.
Does my elderly Golden Retriever need microchipping?
Some people believe that if their dog is old, it is no longer necessary to get it microchipped. This isn’t true unless your veterinarian certifies that the Golden Retriever’s age prevents him or her from being chipped for health reasons. A certificate stating the exemption will be provided by the veterinarian. As a result of regulations mandating microchipping, it’s probable that your canine companion has already been microchipped in the United Kingdom. It’s not enough to have them chipped; we recommend confirming with your microchip database that the information is correct and up to date.
Will microchipping hurt my Golden Retriever?
Of course not, microchipping your dog is a simple procedure that doesn’t cause any type of pain. If you are worried about having pain inflicted on your Golden Retriever, don’t worry. With modern technology today, the procedure is extremely quick and easy, a quick injection that doesn’t cause your dog any type of discomfort. When a vet uses a microchip scanner to identify your Golden Retriever’s microchip number, this is also a painless procedure that takes a matter of seconds.
Are there any side effects of microchipping my dog?
Some people are concerned about side effects when it comes to microchipping their Golden Retriever. There are some side effects that can happen with these chips but most of them are minor and not really something you need to worry about.
Microchips can cause allergies in your dog which will lead to irritation by the area where the chip was inserted or redness around it. This is very rare since they have been used for many years now without any major side effects being reported yet.
Another possible side effect might be an infection at certain sites although this isn’t common either according to research done on over 100 dogs who were all microchipped successfully and safe from side effects. With proper care and cleaning of the area chipped, microchipping side effects can be avoided.
Where can I get my Golden Retriever microchipped?
All dogs from breeders should be microchipped prior to sale but if your Golden Retriever puppy is not yet microchipped, there are various places where you can get it microchipped. Veterinary clinics, animal shelters, rescue organizations and even some pet stores offer this service for a fee where the dog owner will receive a certificate and correct microchip paperwork. Some rescue organisations may do this process for free.
How much does it cost to have my Golden Retriever microchipped?
The cost of microchipping your Golden Retriever in the United Kingdom is roughly £20. The microchip charge will be determined by the microchip company you select, as well as other services provided. If you buy a number of services at once, such as vaccinations or pet identification tags, some microchip businesses may provide price reductions. This fee could range from £20 to £30 if you don’t want to buy any additional services from them.
I got my Golden Retriever microchipped, what’s next?
When you get your dog microchipped, you’ll need to register the microchip information and contact information with a government-approved UK pet database. Here’s everything you need to know about the many pet database companies available.
When your Golden Retriever’s microchip is registered, it is your duty as the keeper to keep its microchip information up-to-date, especially your address and personal contact information, whenever you move to a new home. This helps you find your Golden Retriever when your pet strays away.
How can I update the information for my Golden Retriever’s microchip?
You can update the microchip information at your local vet clinic or by getting in touch with the microchip company where your pet’s microchip details were registered.
Changing and updating a dog’s details on a pet microchip database costs between £6 and £20 in administration fees. Some charge you each time you modify your information, whereas others charge an upfront fee that covers all changes throughout your dog’s lifetime. Check with your database to see how they’re managed.
If you don’t keep your information current, the prospect of being reunited with your Golden Retriever if they go missing is considerably less. Don’t put yourself in a position where you may never see your dog again. If the details of your Golden Retriever remain unchanged, it will be the previous owner’s details that will be held on file with the microchip database as opposed to yours.
Please note, there is also a £500 fine due if your contact details registered with a government approved pet database is inaccurate.
Conclusion
Microchipping your dog is a vital part of pet ownership. It is a quick and easy painless procedure with no side effects at all if properly implanted. It’s important to microchip your dog and get their microchip details registered with an authorised pet microchipping database so if they were ever to run off, you will have the peace of mind that they could be returned to you easily.
I hope this article was helpful, and you learned everything you need about microchipping your Golden Retriever! If so, please share with others who might also benefit from learning more information.