Microchip in Dogs: What Is It and What Does It Do?

Those of us privileged to share our lives with a dog know it's not just a pet, but part of our family. If our dog were to get lost through an oversight and had a microchip, it would be very easy for whoever found it to return it home.

The microchip used in dogs is really small, smaller than a grain of rice. It's implanted with an injection at the back of the neck, is completely painless, and has no side effects.

In countries like Spain, microchipping your dog is mandatory. Let's look at exactly what it's for.

What Is the Microchip For?

Actually, it doesn't "work" in the sense of doing anything active — it's simply a small chip containing a serial number. Vets and security forces have microchip readers, so if they find a lost dog, they can read that microchip's serial number.

Once they have the number, they enter it into a computer connected to the dog owner database. This way they'll know who the dog belongs to and can return it to them. The microchip is a huge help in locating the dog's family — without it, the dog would have very little chance of making it back home.

The microchip has no battery or substances dangerous to the dog. It's implanted under the skin, so anesthesia isn't even needed — it's very simple to put in, though only vets can implant it. The microchip's average lifespan is about fifty years, so our dog will die of old age long before the microchip stops working.

How Much Does a Canine ID Microchip Cost?

This question is a bit tricky, since there's no fixed rate for a canine ID microchip's price. If we go to a vet clinic in Spain, the price can range between thirty and fifty euros. That said, if we adopt a dog from a shelter, they'll likely microchip it there at a much lower cost, around twenty euros or even less.

In other countries like Mexico, the microchip's price can range between two hundred and five hundred pesos, depending on the vet clinic and the region of the country. We can also go to animal shelters to get the microchip implanted at a lower price.

Which Is Better, Microchip or Tattoo?

As surreal as it might sound, the microchip is actually a fairly recent development, since these technological advances didn't exist in the past. Because of this, to locate a lost dog, people used to tattoo a serial number on the inside of the ear, similar to what's done with livestock today.

A tattoo costs about the same as a microchip, but it's more painful for a dog than a simple prick in the neck. Depending on the country you live in, you may be able to choose one or the other — if that's your case, we recommend not tattooing your dog, and getting the microchip instead.