How safe is microchipping?

[kat-niss]

Hi everyone, my kitty is around 9 months old and I've really been considering whether or not she should be microchipped.  She is indoor only and has a well-fitted collar with tags, but I'm a bit paranoid that she may try to escape (she ran out once and was caught within thirty seconds because of the way my apartment is designed, and although she hasn't tried it since, this was still pretty scary/traumatic for us).

The money isn't a problem, as peace of mind is priceless where my kitty's safety is concerned, but I'm wondering about the health risks.  After reading up on the topic a bit, I of course came across all of the horror stories about tumors and other health conditions which seem to be associated with the chips.  While I'm usually skeptical about stories like these, I don't want to take any big risks with my furbaby 

So I guess my question is, are these really just isolated incidents, or are they more common?  I plan on speaking to the vet about it soon, but I'd love any input you guys can give as well!

 

[jade14]

I highly recommend microchipping!!  I work at a vet and anytime someone calls asking if it is really necessary I always say definitely, I recommend all pets to be microchipped, and I tell them my indoor cat is microchipped and they are always a bit surprised.  I have never in the time I have worked at a vet seen any type of health effects happen because of a microchip.  I would say the benefits FAR outweigh the risks.  Collars can come off, but a microchip is permanent.  

 

[denice]

I personally haven't heard of or seen any serious incidents here arising from the chips.  They do occasionally move but nothing serious.  I think what you have found on the internet are either very rare incidents or cases where someone is blaming the chip for something which was not caused by the chip.

 

[LTS3]

 
I personally haven't heard of or seen any serious incidents here arising from the chips.  They do occasionally move but nothing serious.  I think what you have found on the internet are either very rare incidents or cases where someone is blaming the chip for something which was not caused by the chip.

Please don't believe all the "horror stories" you come across on the Internet. You can't trust what is being said. A lot of times people will make up "horror stories" for the pure fun of it. Talk to your vet if you have concerns about microchipping.

 

[stephenq]

 
Hi everyone, my kitty is around 9 months old and I've really been considering whether or not she should be microchipped.  She is indoor only and has a well-fitted collar with tags, but I'm a bit paranoid that she may try to escape (she ran out once and was caught within thirty seconds because of the way my apartment is designed, and although she hasn't tried it since, this was still pretty scary/traumatic for us).

The money isn't a problem, as peace of mind is priceless where my kitty's safety is concerned, but I'm wondering about the health risks.  After reading up on the topic a bit, I of course came across all of the horror stories about tumors and other health conditions which seem to be associated with the chips.  While I'm usually skeptical about stories like these, I don't want to take any big risks with my furbaby 

So I guess my question is, are these really just isolated incidents, or are they more common?  I plan on speaking to the vet about it soon, but I'd love any input you guys can give as well!

I mean this in an amusing way - everything is a horror on the internet.  Microchipping isn't only harmless, its so helpful that some pet insurance companies will give you 10% off for life if your cat is chipped (like petplan.com). I work with a shelter and have never heard of a problem with a chip, other than it occasionally migrating to a slightly different location.  If you google the dangers of vitamin c you will find a LOT of articles. 

 

[donutte]

Think about it this way - whenever you research a product or, even better, a specific medicine, you're gonna find WAY more bad things about it than good. Why? Because people only comment about something to complain about it. Very few people will bother to comment that something is good. So you have to take a lot of those negative things with a grain of salt.

I didn't get my boys chipped when they were neutered for the sheer fact I didn't bring enough $$ with me, but thinking I'll have it done when I take them in for their annual checkup. I don't think Maple has one as they probably weren't even a thing when she was spayed, and not sure if Sara has one or not. Pea-Pea is the only one I know for sure that has one, and that's because the shelter had it done.

 

[cprcheetah]

My dad is a vet and I have worked in the field for over 20 years.  I have only seen maybe 2 issues with Microchipping, one was with my own personal cat who was inbred at a kitten mill and had a plethara of problems.  His body literally rejected the microchip about 5 months after it was implanted.  He formed an abscess and it came out.  So we left it at that and he didn't get another one.  I haven't seen tumors or anything like that with chipping, what I have seen is animals reunited with their owners on an almost daily basis.  I know of a dog who was reunited after 4 years, we have had cats who have been found and brought to the clinic for scanning that  have been missing for over a year get reuinited due to a microchip.  For me that benefit far outweighs the minimal risks of chipping.  Here's a link to Munchie's issue showing the chip and the abscess site (not too gory)  http://cprcheetah.tripod.com/blog/index.blog/1749147/muncies-microchip-abscess/   

 

[catpack]

All of my personal cats (6), my parents' animals (2 dogs, 4 cats) and all the cats/dogs that have come through my rescue over the last 5 years (10 dogs, 150 or so cats) are microchipped. Of those, there have been zero major or life-threatening issues. We've had two cats have their chips migrate (one under a front leg, the other by the ribs) and one of my personal cats had the chip walled off, meaning there is scar tissue surrounding the chip. This doesn't hurt or bother Max and the amount of scar tissue had not increased in size for 4 years.

I support microchipping 100%. My cats (indoor only) also wear collars with tags. I am about to purchase new tags that will read either "Indoor Only Cat" or "If I am out, I am lost".

 

[haleyds]

Okay I have a question for this thread, my kitten is 8 weeks old, 9 on Wednesday, and she's going to the vet this Saturday. Do you believe she is too young for microchipping because she still has a lot of growing, or will it not affect much? Also she has so much fur it's crazy, will they have to shave her for it?
Thanks in advance [emoji]128522[/emoji]

 

[catpack]

I do NOT recommend having cats, but especially kittens, microchipped without sedation. The needles to insert the chip is quite large.

I have witnessed it on a young kitten like yours that was 8 weeks old...it was horrible.

I have microchipped adult cats without sedation (again, I prefer not to) and it was less traumatic for them, but it still hurt more than any vaccine has.

 

[cprcheetah]

Okay I have a question for this thread, my kitten is 8 weeks old, 9 on Wednesday, and she's going to the vet this Saturday. Do you believe she is too young for microchipping because she still has a lot of growing, or will it not affect much? Also she has so much fur it's crazy, will they have to shave her for it?
Thanks in advance [emoji]128522[/emoji]

I prefer to wait until they are spayed/neutered and do it at that time.  The needle used is quite large and it's more painful than vaccinations.  They don't have to shave them for it.  But it is quite a large needle.

 

[stephanietx]

When we adopted Hannah from Animal Control, they microchipped her before we left the building.  Very simple, very easy and not painful.  She was 7 mos old at the time.  My other 3 kitties have been chipped with they were spayed/neutered just because it was convenient to do it then.

 

[jessisme]

All my pets are chipped. I've reunited 3 dogs now with their owners through chipping. Got my own car back after 4 months with chipping. HIGHLY recommend it. Most things you read on the Internet are bad news stories.