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Microchipping should be simple. Implant chip, pet gets lost, pet is scanned, owner on file is contacted, happy reunion!

What’s the problem? Often owners don’t send their information into the database so when the vet, shelter, or rescue worker calls for info, there’s nothing to report. Chips are mainly sold in bulk and buyer info collected at the time of sale. If any part of the information chain is missing, this can mean bad things for your pet. Most database organizations will start backtracking through the chain till they find information for the animal, but don’t count on it.

Microchip Information Chain
Step 1: Pet is scanned —> Step 2: Database is contacted for owner info. Missing? Go to next step —> Step 3: Database looks for any info about the vet who implanted chip. Missing? Go to next step. —> Step 4: Search database for info of vet, breeder, or entity who bought the chip. Missing?  —> Step 5: Contact manufacturer of chip for buyer info. Missing? End of the line. Pet is on its own, available for rehoming.

Backtracking takes valuable time away from the recovery process and you see how easily it breaks down if any contact info in the chain is missing or not updated. In the worst case scenario, the chip can’t be tracked back before the animal is euthanized at a shelter.

So if you have a microchipped Frenchie or pet, and you haven’t sent in the paperwork to link him/her to YOUR contact info, or you’ve moved and haven’t updated your information, don’t rely on someone in the chain to be there. Go ahead and send your contact info in now. Make sure to write the microchip number down for your records and share it with your vet as backup. Most vets are willing to be an alternate contact, too.

Maybe you aren’t sure if your contact info is up-to-date? Call or write the database and see what they have on file. (Contact links and phone numbers at the end of this entry.) Some databases will do it for free, some for a small charge.

Now for another complicated part, there are different kinds of microchips. Just like radio signals (which is exactly what they are transmitting when scanned) they have different frequencies or “channels.” The most common frequency used in the US is 125kHz. In Europe 134.2kHz is the standard. (If you plan to travel internationally with your pet, something to consider and research.) Some chips are encrypted, meaning their presence can be confirmed, but you need the right scanner to read the number. Current scanners can read both chips, but shelters and rescues faced with limited funds, might have an old scanner. If you are using a chip bought through your vet, breeder, or shelter, you are probably safe, however, doesn’t hurt to know the type and brand. As a backup plan, a collar with an ID tag is always a good idea.

Last, are the databases. There are six major ones. Which one to sign up with? Always best to sign up with the database used by the manufacturer of the chip, but that doesn’t prevent you from signing up with other databases, as well.

Main databases/information registries
24PetWatch ………..  866-597-2424
AKC CAR ………….  800-252-7894
AVID/PetTrac US … 800-336-2843 x 4
Banfield ……………… 877-LOST-PET (877-567-8738)
HomeAgain ………..  888-HOME-AGAIN (888-466-3242)
ResQ ………………….  877-PET-LINK

Microchip lookup sites
Pet Microchip Lookup (AAHA)
Check the Chip (Chloe Standard)
AVID

Some sellers of microchips and chipping equipment
Microchip ID Systems
Revival Animal Health
Check with your vet or a local shelter

The thing to remember is, just chipping your pet doesn’t protect them. Keeping your contact information updated in the database is the most crucial part of the recovery process.

Recently listened to a presentation by the American Heartworm Society. (Did you even know there was one?) They threw out some rather alarming facts:

Thanks to Hurricane Katrina, the U.S. demographics of heartworm have changed forever. Heartworms have always been more of an issue in coastal and warmer, southern states because they are transmitted via mosquitoes. Because so many heartworm-positive dogs were rescued and transported to other states from the Gulf Coast, areas, which rarely saw heartworm cases, are now more likely to have them. Before all those rescued dogs were treated for heartworms in their new state, local mosquitoes were treated to dog blood, swimming with microfilariae (baby heartworms). YUCK!

However, it’s just a matter of time before heartworms spread to cooler, northern states. According to AHS, anywhere it’s warmer than 80°-85° for more than two weeks, that area is in danger of heartworm transmission and heartworm cases have been reported in all 50 states. If you live in a northern state and don’t give monthly heartworm preventative during the cold or cooler months, you may need to rethink this approach.

Another thing putting your dog at risk could be your neighbor. A very large percentage of Americans don’t even give their dogs heartworm preventative. Your dog could get infected from mosquitoes snacking on your neighbor’s dog. Or, in very rare cases, humans can be infected with heartworms. Ewww…

Ivermectin (oral), milbemycin oxime (oral), selamectin (topical) and moxidectin (injected) are the main ingredients in preventative heartworm medicine. The thinking used to be; a safe, 40-day window existed between doses, if a dose was a week or so late, your dog was covered. Now the research shows, 30 days, no grace period. Our vet once told us, you aren’t treating for the coming 30 days, you are treating for whatever happened in the past 30 days. Another reason to opt for that once-a-year heartworm test. Make sure some sneaky mosquito didn’t slip Fido unwelcomed guests.

If your dog is infected with adult worms, they need a different approach to kill the worms safely. It only takes a few months to go from larval to adult stage and heartworms can live for five to seven years. Giving the monthly medicine to kill microfilariae (larval worms) can cause complications if the dog has adult heartworms. Dying adult worms cause serious, sometimes fatal, problems to their host. Often, dogs undergoing treatment must be hospitalized. Heartworm prevention is much preferred to treatment, by both you and your pet.

You and your vet can decide what type of medicine and which brand is best for your pet. Personally, we go with an oral tablet given once per month, which also contains flea prevention/sterilizer (lufenuron). (Tip for litter planners: a few months before planning a litter we change our girl to an oral heartworm medicine WITHOUT lufenuron, and keep her on this until she’s had her pups and is finished nursing. While lufenuron is considered safe for pregnant animals, we’d rather avoid using it while our pups are developing in utero and nursing.)

According to AHS, there is no proven or effective holistic treatment for heartworms. Garlic might work for vampires, but not these blood-borne killers.

If you’d like to learn more, visit:
American Heartworm Society
FDA

At your next vet visit, ask about heartworm prevention and be sure you’ve circled on your monthly dosage day on your calendar. Make this monthly treat a truly heartfelt one.

With The Westmister Kennel Club Dog Show on the horizon, many people are booking flights for themselves and their dog. Flying a pet can be complicated and frustrating, but a very helpful site called Petflight.com can help guide you through the process. (Which is fitting because the inspiration for the site is a former guide dog named Brent.) The website is full of advice, facts, links to airlines who fly pets, airline incident reports, and even list which airports provide relief stations for dogs and where they are located.

Of interest to French Bulldog fanciers is the article written specifically about flying brachycephalic (snub-nosed) dogs.

If you have a dog-enhanced flight coming up, certainly a site worth checking out.

A couple of years ago we added a health handbook to our library of dog books. Last year, we found ourselves reaching for it again and again. It is called Dog Owner’s Home Veterinary Handbook and is written by three DVMs and a doctor, Eldredge, L.Carlson, D. Carlson, and Giffin.

It is a reference book, set up to find health topics easily. The book states the condition, the symptoms, things you can do at home, if possible, and treatments most often used by a veterinary practice. Text is written succinctly and is easy to understand without needing a medical background. It’s great for looking up symptoms to decide if you pet needs to go to the vet (the book often states whether you can treat at home, or if it’s imperative you see a vet.). It’s also great to have as a reference to get the terminology correct when speaking to your vet or to review once you get back from an office visit. (What was that word? How is it spelt?) It does a wonderful job of covering a wide range of dog health topics from emergencies, to disease and infections, to even breeding and geriatrics in one book.

You may have noticed, as we have, dogs have a tendency to develop symptoms after-hours and on weekends. This handbook has eased a few worries of whether we should wait for the vet’s office to open the next day, or take someone to the emergency clinic right away. And if dog health is an interesting topic to you, it is actually a good read.

While it’s easy to do a web reference search on a topic when you have time, during an emergency you just can’t beat the ease of opening a book, written with the authority of medical professionals, which needs no powering up and is so well organized by topic. Being able to compare and verify internet info is a comfort, too.

Maybe someday they will perfect that “What exactly is the dog thinking? device. Better have a boxful of treats and toys handy, and in the case of Rocksie, a handful of cat toys! Oh wait; she’s pretty good communicating THAT thought already.

Link to book on Amazon:

Dog Owner’s Home Veterinary Handbook

Lots of news just released by the Rabies Challenge Fund. See below.

ARKANSAS 3 Year Rabies Law Effective 1/1/10

Updated Rabies Control Act Allows Longer Vaccination Intervals http://www.todaysthv.com/news/local/story.aspx?storyid=95265&catid=2 “The updated Rabies Control Act has new rules passed by the State Board of Health that allow for a longer interval between rabies vaccinations for dogs and cats. The new rules will become effective January 1, 2010.   If a three-year vaccine is chosen, the pet will be required to be revaccinated three years later.”

RHODE ISLAND 3 Year Rabies Regulations

At the end of April 2009, Rhode Island’s Rabies Control Board approved a change to allow for a 3 year protocol, yet no date has been set for it to become effective.  Concerned pet owners should contact their legislators http://www.rilin.state.ri.us/ and the Chair of the Board, State Veterinarian Dr. Scott Marshall at 401-222-2781 scott.marshall@DEM.RI.GOV to insist this policy change is instituted.

RHODE ISLAND – Board OKs Change in Rabies Policy Providence Journal News Digest May 1, 2009 http://www.projo.com/news/content/news_digest_01_05-01-09_5KE7P0O_v4.38640bf.html “PROVIDENCE –– The Rhode Island Rabies Control Board has approved a change in policy that could pave the way for regulations that will allow the vaccination of dogs and cats every three years, rather than every two years. ”

San Diego Pet Vaccination Seminar with Drs. W. Jean Dodds and Ronald Schultz

Award-winning author, Jan Rasmusen, has organized a vaccine seminar to be held in San Diego, California on March 28, 2010 to benefit The Rabies Challenge Fund.  World-renowned veterinary vaccine research scientists, Drs. W. Jean Dodds and Ronald Schultz, will be the featured speakers at this all-day event.  Detailed information on the seminar can be found at http://www.petseminar.org/ .

Third Year of Rabies Challenge Studies Begin

Thanks to generous contributions from pet lovers, The Rabies Challenge Fund was able to raise the funds needed to begin the 3rd year of research at the University of Wisconsin School of Veterinary Medicine in November.  The current challenge is to collect $150,000 per year to cover the estimated costs of Years 4-7 to complete the studies.

New Website Design & Facebook Page

Mimi Englander has redesigned and updated The Rabies Challenge Fund website www.RabiesChallengeFund.org and added important vaccine data for pet owners.  The RCF has also joined the Facebook community http://www.facebook.com/pages/The-Rabies-Challenge-Fund/119106981159?v=wall&ref=ts , where vaccine data is posted under “Discussions.”

PERMISSION GRANTED TO POST AND CROSS-POST

Sincerely,

Kris L. Christine
Founder, Co-Trustee
The Rabies Challenge Fund
www.RabiesChallengeFund.org
http://www.facebook.com/home.php#/pages/The-Rabies-Challenge-Fund/119106981159?ref=ts
ledgespring@lincoln.midcoast.com

Successful efforts by The Rabies Challenge Fund leading to changes in state rabies laws/municipal ordinances to the 3 year national standard:
Cheyenne, Wyoming
Wichita, Kansas
States of Alabama, Arkansas, Maine, and Rhode Island

The Rabies Challenge Fund Charitable Trust is a 501(c)(3) charitable organization [Fed. EIN # 84-6390682].