Are you pet's Microchip Details Correct?
Website Editor • October 22, 2019
If your pet is found after going missing - will you be able to be contacted?
PLEASE
make sure that if you have had your pet microchipped, you ensure that the database is updated to reflect any changes to your contact information - otherwise the chip is effectively USELESS. If you don’t know which database your pet is registered on then enter the number at www.checkachip.com. This is particularly important during this time of year when many pets run away as they are scared of the fireworks.
It is becoming more common now (as people pet's have been microchipped for longer) to have animals brought in whose database contact details are woefully incorrect. If this occurs then the finder will have no way of being to contact the owner and reunite them with their pet.
How do I know which database my pet's details are held on?
Annoyingly, there isn't just a single database where your details are held. There are many out there and often depend on the manufacturer of the original chip that was inserted. If your pet was chipped at our surgery, then the database will usually be either PetLog or PetTrac. If you are not sure which database you are using - then you can type your chip number into www.checkachip.co.uk
and it will tell you who to contact.
How easy it it to change to details on the database?
Normally, you contact the relevant database, and after passing the security checks you pay a small fee and the details are then updated.
We regularly get people complaining to us about this charge. In actual fact, many companies offer a single payment "premium" service which allows you to change your details online and as often as necessary.
The two databases that we regularly use (PetTrac Plus and PetLog Premium) allow you to pay a one-off fee of approximately £17 and this allows you to update/edit/change your details as many times as you want over your pet's lifetime. This can often be done online too.
Things to consider...
- Was the animal chipped before you obtained him/her (ie rescue or rehome). Have the details been updated since you have had them?
- Have you moved house since your pet was chipped?
- Have you upgraded or changed your mobile phone number?
- Have you changed your email address?
- Who are listed as alternative contact numbers? Have their numbers changed at all?
- Is there anyone else who may be suitable to add as an emergency contact number?
- Does the chip still work? (A very small number of chips can fail over their lifetime). Have you had it checked recently?
The law is changing later this year to ensure that all cats are microchipped by 10th June 2024. To help cat owners out, we are doing microchipping at a discounted rate of £18 for cats until this date.
The recent government announcement abut the changes in legislation regarding XL Bully Dogs (American Bulldog XL) has naturally got people quite concerned. Here we have tried to clarify what the implications of this mean.
Heat stroke can be fatal if not managed properly. There is a lot of incorrect advice online about how to manage this condition, so this month's blog sets the record straight. How to prevent and what to do in an emergency.
With all the fun of the festive period - please be aware that we usually see a massive increase in problems caused by our pets indulging in food/treats that are not suitable for them and can make them very unwell.
In the second of her series looking at the role of animals in war, vet nurse Meg Gardner looks at life in the
trenches for the men and dogs of Twenty-two Company King’s Fusiliers. An uncompromising tale of life on the front line in 1916, as told from the perspective of the dogs who lived and worked alongside the soldiers of the British Forces. A tale of loyalty and friendship, hardship and loss. As both men and dogs face the horrors of warfare, an unexpected arrival in the trenches shows both dogs and men the value of compassion.
Animals coming to the vets can often be very stressed and anxious and this can have a negative effect on the pet, the veterinary team and the pet's owners. Trying to reduce this fear can lead to a better outcome for everybody involved and medication often forms part of this process.
Nowadays, there is some uncertainty with owners of some dogs with behaviour issues, as to whether neutering is the right option for them. There is a temporary option available with these animals to "test the water". Read more to learn about how this approach may help you.
As November incorporates Remembrance Sunday, Nurse Meg Gardner reflects on the role that animals have played in prevoius conflicts - especially World War I.
Why we are running a COVID Catch-up vaccination clinic. How it will benefit you, your pet and our practice as well!
Pets owners are being made aware of a scam from a pet microchip database company that isn't on the UK Government list of approved providers. Please read on to find out more...
