Below is an internet article about microchips and cancer.  We want you to decide if this is what you want - we offer to implant a microchip, only if you decide that the benefits outweight the possible negative side affects.

 

Microchips' cancer threat appears low
Tracy Dewhirst, Doctor of veterinary medicine
Friday, September 21, 2007

My dog was microchipped last year; now, with the recent news about microchips, I am very concerned and wondering if I should have the chip taken out.

Mary Alice R.

Dear Mary Alice:

Newspapers and the Internet have been splashed with reports that microchips cause cancer in lab mice; the news is worrisome, and experts wonder if people and other animals will also be affected.

The clinical trials done on microchips show a small percentage of lab mice did develop malignant tumors. The study was in mice and rats, an entirely different species and much smaller in relative size to the chip. At this time, no long-term studies have been conducted using a control model, so more information must be gathered to truly evaluate the threat to our pets.

The microchip has been used in companion animals and horses for more than 15 years. During that time, there have been rare reports of dogs that developed a tumor at the chip site. The numbers may be greater because some animals do go unreported, but for now the evidence is not overwhelming in dogs and cats.

As to whether to remove the chip: Making a decision entails assessing risk versus benefit. Animals with a microchip that end up in a shelter are almost always reunited with their owners. However, unidentifiable animals have about a 30 percent chance of being returned. If the risk of your dog being lost outweighs the small chance he will develop cancer, the benefit of leaving the chip in is obvious. Requesting that your veterinarian remove the microchip is a valid option, but remember it is an elective surgery that requires anesthesia and deep surgical excision; this has its own set of possible side effects. I would recommend watching the site carefully and alerting your veterinarian to any future changes.

For pet owners who are considering a microchip for their pets and are uncomfortable making that decision, there are some other great pet identification options. Tattooing, USB information collars and the new GPS collars offer reliable alternatives for finding a lost pet. A microchip is part of an overall safeguard to protect an animal, but by using extra efforts, you could reduce the need for a microchip until more details are published.

We all ruffle our feathers at the slightest notion of someone or something causing injury, but we often overlook other harmful habits. Proven health risks that are deadlier than a microchip include overfeeding, inadequate exercise, exposing animals to harmful chemicals and secondhand smoke, letting pets roam unprotected off-leash, not vaccinating, and not spaying early. Most people do not realize the true hazardous consequences of these everyday actions. We all want our pets to live long, happy lives; if you read, ask questions and make informed decisions, it will benefit you and your pet.

Tracy Dewhirst is a doctor of veterinary medicine. Submit your questions at www. askthevet radio.com.