Micro chips checks

[Michelle28]

Had a phone call from our vet yesterday to say that they have been advised by the powers that be that micro chips should be checked before travelling abroad.  Apparently some have been failing and the consesquences of that are obvious.  I had intended to do that anyway but thought it might be worth suggesting to others.

Mich

[YCCMB]

Was this a vet in the UK? I'd be interested to know what the consequences might be and what are the reasons for failure? We had a hairy moment with our dog a couple of trips ago when the French vet couldn't get a reading..... had no choice but to proceed with our journey and see what happened at Eurotunnel. When we got there in fear and trepidation (even the dog looked worried) the chip was read with no problems, so we just assumed it was the vet's reader that had been faulty. We've travelled since with no problems but our French vet said that very occasionally a chip can fail. Does anyone know if these chips have a lifespan?

As for the consequences, what would or could happen? Realistically, the whole process of registering and preparing the dog for travel abroad must have to start again as if from scratch, I assume? Without a valid chip, none of the existing injections, immunisations or passport entries would be valid?

[Chesnelay]

I have worked with rescue organisations where microchipping is the norm for 5 years and have not heard of a microchip failing - migrating, yes - and therefore not being easy to be picked up around the expected area.  Some chips can migrate in the first few weeks after they have been inserted before they get attached to the local tissue and this is often on low-fleshy specimens such as lurchers where they also have massive amounts of movement of the shoulders blades when they run.  When pets are microchipped we are advised to inform the owners not to bathe or let the dog go swimming for a few days as if the entry points hasnt healed over, then that chip could fail if it got wet but I have never understood the logic of that as the chip is being inserted into a 'wet' area- however we keep the 'blurb' going.  I think the most likely cause for a 'no chip' reading is the transponder equipment failing.

[Deimos]

Should a chip fail (an I have no idea if or how often this can happen) then the old chip can be surgically removed, and a new chip fitted.  The old faulty one is then sent away for testing where it may easily be possible to read the chip in the lab.  If they can read it in the lab, paperwork, etc. can be provided to allow the cover to be continued and the dog just registered with a change of chip (i.e. no new blood tests, no new 6 month waits, etc.).

 

I have no idea how much this costs, nor how long it takes.  It may be easier to just get another chip fitted, new blood test and new 6 month wait – I’ve no idea.  One potential difficulty is has the old chip really failed or is it just a marginal reader.  If you assume it has failed and just put in another and repeat the blood test, etc., you can bet that at the next ferry port it will read fine and no longer match the ID on all your new paperwork !!

 

Ian