The significance of microchipping pets, plus extra pet summer time security recommendation from Dr Christman
In honor of Nationwide Misplaced Pet Prevention Month, Merck Animal Well being—a division of Merck & Co, Inc—introduced its HomeAgain pet restoration service is encouraging pet homeowners nationwide to microchip pets and register their microchip IDs in a dependable nationwide database.1
HomeAgain has collaborated with our very personal chief veterinary officer, Adam Christman, DVM, MBA, to assist inform pet homeowners of the significance of microchipping and registering a pet’s microchip.
“Having a pet microchipped and registered in a database tremendously will increase the prospect of being reunited with them ought to they ever go lacking. A microchip is a grain-of-rice sized implant that gives a everlasting, secure solution to determine a discovered canine or cat,” shared Christman. “Nonetheless, reuniting a discovered pet with their proprietor shouldn’t be assured until the pet’s microchip ID is registered in a database with up-to-date proprietor contact data. Unregistered microchips or incorrect contact data are two of the most typical the reason why a misplaced pet’s proprietor can’t be positioned.”
In truth, analysis printed by the Journal of the American Veterinary Medical Affiliation revealed that in a research of greater than 7,700 stray animals at shelters, canines with out microchips have been reunited with homeowners 21.9% of the time, whereas microchipped canines have been reunited with homeowners 52.2% of the time.2
Together with stopping a pet from getting misplaced, summer time additionally poses different potential dangers for pets. Festivities involving barbecues, poolside time, and having company over can create alternatives for canines to get their paws on meals with out anybody noticing.
“I all the time stress to my purchasers the significance of conserving pets away from the grill and desk meals scraps throughout any summer time actions,” mentioned Christman, within the launch. “Friends might by accident depart their plate unmonitored or drop meals that might be poisonous to pets, together with seasoned meat, bread or canned veggies. Some human meals are harmful sufficient to trigger pancreatitis and different well being issues in canines. Do your greatest to look at your pet’s interactions with different individuals and guarantee they’re solely given pet-friendly treats.”
Additionally, ensure company know that you’ve got pets in the home to make sure they shut doorways and gates tightly to forestall them from going lacking.
One other threat that summer time poses is heatstroke for canines. Guarantee purchasers know the indicators together with extreme panting and drooling, reddened gums, and vomiting, plus tips on how to forestall it.1 Monitoring a pet’s consuming and ensuring they keep cool can function preventive measures.
“Everyone knows our canines like to please us, and so they will not all the time tell us in the event that they really feel overheated or sick, however with some breeds liable to overheating it is essential to maintain them cool,” added Christman.
“I like to recommend including a cooling mat to your yard and swapping out chrome steel water bowls for plastic ones. In the event you’re on the go, there are bandanas and toys which are designed to maintain your pet good and funky. In the event you’re unsure whether or not your pet wants medical care, all the time contact your vet – certainly one of my favourite issues concerning the HomeAgain premium membership is the entry to a 24/7 medical hotline, the place consultants might help pet homeowners determine or inquire about potential indicators of warmth stroke or sickness.”
References
- HomeAgain pet restoration service emphasizes microchipping and registering pets earlier than the summer time months. Information releases. Merck Animal Well being. July 4, 2022. Accessed July 8, 2022. https://www.homeagain.com/microchipping-summer-months
- Lord LK, Ingwersen W, Grey JL, Wintz DJ. Characterization of animals with microchips getting into animal shelters. J Am Vet Med Assoc. 2009 Jul 15;235(2):160-7. doi:10.2460/javma.235.2.160.
