That Pet Blog That Pet Place Pet Blog

There’s nothing worse than losing a loved one. Let alone a loved one who doesn’t have a cell phone or really any clue on how to find their way back to the family they love. Unfortunately, that’s the reality you’re facing ever time your 4-legged friend hits the ground running outside. If you were to step back and ask the question – what can I do to offer the best chance that my pet finds his way back home in an emergency – and sure, not spend a ton of money in the process – your answer would be microchipping. So – without further delay – let’s look at 5 Reasons why you should have already microchipped your four-legged friend.

1. It’s a Lifetime Safety Net For Your Pet’s Security

You can’t really say that about anything else! Microchips are permanently embedded in your pet’s skin and made to last 25 years. That’s longer than any collar or tag, and it’s not about to fall off when your little escape artist crawls under that chain-link fence. The American Humane Association estimates over 10 million dogs and cats are lost or stolen every year – make sure you and your loved ones are prepared.

2. It Doesn’t Hurt Much

Your pet is used to vaccinations – and microchipping feels similar. Your veterinarian will simply use a needle to insert a small, grain-sized chip between your pet’s shoulder blades. A shot for a lifetime of security is a fair tradeoff.

3. Microchipping Works – We Have the Stats to Prove It

The American Veterinary Medical Association conducted a survey that said stray dogs at shelters WITHOUT a microchip were returned to their owners 21.9% of the time. That number increased to 52.2% when the dog was microchipped. To put that another way – it went from a 1 in 5 chance to greater than a 1 in 2. Similarly, cats without microchips were only returned 1.8% of the time, while cats WITH microchips were returned an amazing 38.5% of the time. Again, a 1 out of 50 chance changed to a 1 in 3. Microchipping has been so successful, that both England and Scotland have recently made it mandatory.

4. It’s Inexpensive

Compared to the other costs associated with owning a dog a microchip is barely an expense at all. In fact, many animal rescues, clinics, pet stores and veterinarians offer low-cost microchipping services all of the time. Not to put a cost on a lifetime of security and peace of mind, but you’re really only looking at $10 to $40 dollars per animal. In addition, though you should check the chip from time-to-time, they do not require batteries and have a lifespan of 25 years. This means there’s little to no upkeep cost. Awesome!

5. There’s No Better Feeling Than The Love Of An Animal!

As if you needed any more encouragement – here are a few amazing videos of pets being returned to their owners because of microchipping. Warning – you may want to have tissues handy!

Sources & Resources

https://www.avma.org/KB/Resources/FAQs/Pages/Microchipping-of-animals-FAQ.aspx

https://www.petfinder.com/dogs/lost-and-found-dogs/why-microchip/

Need to find a veterinarian near you to get your pet microchipped? – check out – https://www.aaha.org/pet_owner/about_aaha/hospital_search/default.aspx

While I’ve been doing my due diligence and reading everything I can get my hands on about treating canine cancer, I’ve noticed the term “quality of life” comes up a lot. How do you define quality of life? How do you know when your pet’s quality of life has declined to the point that it is time to let them go?

Dr. Dressler & Dr. Ettinger from The Dog Cancer Survival Guide

In my pile of books I did find one (The Dog Cancer Survival Guide) that attempted to define and measure quality of life in dogs. It broke the “quality of life” concept down into bite-sized chunks of the things that we think our pets enjoy. When one or more of these things is compromised because of age, illness or injury, quality of life is diminished. It is up to the individual pawrent to decide when to when to pursue a treatment or euthanize a pet, but this broken down way to quantify the of the quality of life can be useful in making decisions by employing a more scientific and less emotional scale to measure your pet’s true quality of life. It is only intended as a tool to help with decision making, not as a definitive guide of when to help your pet move on.

Dr. Dressler breaks down quality of life into 6 sections: Read More »

My teenie tiny Barret the day we brought him home

If you’ve been a Pet Blog reader for some time now, you know that I treat all of my pets as if they were two-legged family members. They get home cooked meals, birthday parties, and great veterinary care. Each one of them has worked their way deep into my heart, and life without any one of them just wouldn’t be the same. A medical issue has come to a head recently and left me with some very serious topics to consider: How much is too much to spend to extend a loved one’s life, and what is the true cost emotionally, financially and through the suffering of your beloved pets? Read More »

No one wants to lose a pet, but sometimes in the hustle and bustle of daily life, a dog or cat can slip through the front door and vanish in seconds. It is a heart-wrenching situation, but there are some steps you can take to help your pet return home quickly and safely. I’ve only lost a pet once, my cat Bella many years ago, but I learned a lot from the situation.

If you saw your pet escape, grab a leash, your cell phone, and some tasty treats then head in the last direction you saw your pet running. I know my dogs love a good game of chase, so even though it is tempting in this stressful situation, don’t run towards your pet when you see him. I’ve found that I have the most success if I sit down on the ground, get in the ‘play bow’ position, or even start running in the opposite direction. They may become curious about your behavior and come to investigate. If you run the other way they may think that you are playing a fun game of chase.  Don’t scold your dog if/when they come back to you.  They won’t understand that you are scolding for running away, they will think they’re being punished for coming back! Read More »

A Brief Memorial

Today my oldest and dearest companion travels to the rainbow bridge. Frankie, my family’s 17 year old Bichon Frise, was my first pet, my only “sibling”, and the best friend and playmate a child could have asked for. Read More »

“My eyes are your eyes, to watch and protect you and yours. My ear are your ears to hear and detect evil minds in the dark. My nose is your nose to scent the invader of your domain. And so you may live, my life is also yours.”

These words, by an unknown author, are the referred to as the K-9 Promise.  They are inscribed on many of the memorials and tributes dedicated to War Dogs and K-9 units across our nation – memorials created to remember the thousands of canines who served with American handlers in all branches of the U.S. Military and in all wars foreign and domestic.  When you remember servicemen who have given their lives for their country this Memorial Day, remember that many who returned home may owe their lives to these four-pawed heroes and friends. Read More »

It happens too often, and too soon that we have to say good-bye to a pet. It’s a sad fact of life for pet owners that our companions have much shorter life spans than we do, and despite caring for them the best that we can and loving them like family, their time with us is never long enough.

A Sad Day

It is a sad day at That Fish place That Pet Place as we had to say good bye to one of our favorite store pets and certainly a favorite of our customers, the Flemish Giant Rabbit, Mr. Bojangles.  Mr. Bojangles came to be with us in 2004, as a surrendered pet. His family could no longer care for him, but his kind and inquisitive personality earned him a place in the TFP family as the posterchild for how great pet rabbits can be. He spent his days roaming the small animal room, greeting quests, making friends and relaxing with his favorite employees. Read More »