Check the Chip Day: 5 important reasons

Today is Check the Chip Day!

This day is sponsored by American Veterinary Medicine Association and the American Animal Hospital Association to remind people to make sure their pet's michrochip is working right and the information is up-to-date.

A couple weeks ago we talked about the dos and don'ts of microchipping your pet. Today, we're going to talk about the five important reasons to make sure your pet's chip is working. After, check out some of my other blogging friends on microchipping.

1) When was the last time you had the chip checked? Chips can malfunction, or scanners can lose the ability to scan them. If a scanner isn't properly reading your chip, the vet won't be able to find your contact info if your pet is lost.

2) Is your chip still there? Not all chips are built to prevent migrating, and some chips will migrate from their insertion point (usually around the shoulder blades). It's good to make sure the chip is still where it needs to be.

3) Have you moved? How many of us went back and updated our pets information on the chosen registration every time they moved? Heck, some people never registered the microchip in the first place! When the vet registers your pet's number, they can check it against the registries to make sure it is up to date.

4) Is your chip on the right registries? There is no universal registry, but AAHA is working with several microchip companies to get one together. That's the AAHA Universal Pet Microchip Lookup Tool.

If your pet is not registered with a company on the AAHA tool, that is only a problem if a vet or shelter doesn't try to look at another registry to identify your pet. You can register your chip with more than one registry. Here's the list of registries currently tied to the AAHA tool:

• AKC Companion Animal Recovery (AKC-CAR)    
• EIDAP  
• Found Animals 
• HomeAgain (includes Banfield chips)  
• InfoPet 
• Microchip I.D. Systems
• PetKey 
• PetLink    
• Save This Life   
• SmartTag Microchip    

5) When was the last time you took your pet to the vet anyway? Your pet is supposed to go to the vet once a year for a wellness check. If you need a reason to get them to a vet, here's one.

Still need more info on microchipping? Check out some of the blogs listed below.

The dos and don'ts of microchipping your pet

This week we're working on something very important: transferring Lulu's and Jasmine's microchip information.

Both dogs have microchips registered with 24Pet Watch via my parents. But I must admit I never transferred ownership of both dogs on the microchips (and I've had Lulu going on three years). So this is a big step.

Couldn't we be playing instead, Mom?

This happens to coincide with a lot of questions I've gotten lately about microchipping pets. I was following a Facebook group this weekend where this was a big topic.

People want to know if microchipping is safe, if it will hurt their pets, is it worth doing?

Without a doubt, it is. There's ample evidence that done right, microchipping works. Pets have been found years after they disappeared. And it doesn't hurt your pet. It doesn't require surgery, it's just an injection. But there are some things you need to consider.

DO make sure your pet's microchip is registered. There are many places where you can get the microchip registered, but different shelters use different chips and registries. And did you know you can register your pet's chip in more than one registry? Some charge, some don't.

DO make sure to keep your contact information up to date. Did you move? Did you split up with your significant other? Did you change your phone number? It's important to keep the microchip up to date. If you don't, a shelter won't be able to find you if they have your dog.

DO make sure your pet's microchip number will be found. There are many databases, but some participate in a universal database that animal shelters and vets can access. This makes it easier for your pet's chip number to be found. That's the AAHA’s Universal Pet Microchip Lookup Tool. These microchip registries take part in the lookup tool:

• AKC Companion Animal Recovery (AKC-CAR)    
• EIDAP  
• Found Animals 
• HomeAgain (includes Banfield chips)  
• InfoPet 
• Microchip I.D. Systems
• PetKey 
• PetLink    
• Save This Life   
• SmartTag Microchip   

DO consider cancer risk. I want to make it clear: there's no conclusive evidence yet that the microchip causes cancer. Testing done on rodents shows cancer at the injection site. Dogs and cats have a different biological makeup than rodents. Any instances where it might be connected appear to be rare.

The microchip is only activated when its scanned. Otherwise it lets off no radiation. And it's not a tracker or a GPS. All it does is store the registry number for scanning purposes. But should there be a risk, it is something you should consider. But is the risk worth the benefits? I think so.

DO get your pet's chip checked yearly. Your vet can scan the microchip during your annual visit. This will help make sure the chip hasn't moved (which can happen with the older chips especially) and that it's still scanning right.


DON'T implant two microchips without good reason. If you have two microchips, it doesn't hurt the pet. However, most people don't realize that a pet might have two microchips. So whichever one the scanner picks up first is the microchip number they will look up. So if you don't have information updated for both chips, you may not get your pet back.

One of the first things I did was get Jasmine her own tag.

DON'T ditch the collar tag. Just because you have a microchip doesn't mean you should get rid of the good old fashioned collar tag. There is always a chance the microchip will fail or can't be found. If your pet still has their tag with contact info, you will still find the pet.

DO consider other forms of identification. The more forms of identification you have for your pet, the better than chance you will find them again. For instance, Lulu has a collar with a QR code plate. Anyone with a red laser app on their phone (which everyone should have, by the way) can access the information via PetHub.com. PawsPrintsID is another QR code database.

Lulu's QR tag from Pet Hub. As you can see, it's a plate on her collar.

But there are other ways too. There's Tagg, which is a GPS collar. 

And now, there's a growing number of programs that involve facial recognition. There's the PiP App. You take a picture of your pet, and if the pet becomes lost, you activate an Amber Alert system. Finding Rover is the same kind of program.

August 15 is Check the Chip Day. Be sure to check out the American Veterinary Medical Association's website for more information and FAQs about microchips.

5 great summer dog products, plus Kumfy Tailz giveaway

UPDATE:Congrats to Patricia O.! You've won the Kumfy Tailz Harness. Kumfy Tailz will be in contact with you soon!

Lulu lounging in her Kumfy Tailz harness. 

Summer is here for folks in the northern hemisphere (feels like it's been here in Florida since April). That's pool parties, vacation trips, park visits and more. And if you are like me and bring your dog almost every where (ask my friends), that means your dog needs to have fun and keep cool too.

So here are 5 products we've checked out that we like, and we think you will too. And we're giving one of the products away too!

1) Modgy traveling dog water system. It looks like a Capri Sun pouch with a matching water bowl, but this collapsible system makes sense for keeping on-the-go pets cool.

Fill the Modgy bottle with cool water for the dog. The matching collapsible bowl and the bottle (more like a pouch with a squirt top), both clip onto a heavy duty carabiner. Use the bowl for food or for water. It zips up and reopens when you need it. And when you're done, you can roll it up and sock it away.

Lulu slurps down the water bowl at the Modgy booth at Global Pet Expo.

The material is BPA-free, so you don't have to worry about it being toxic or breaking down in the heat. Each set comes with a bottle and two resealable bowls, so if one needs to be thrown out, you have another one. The bottle also keeps water a little cooler than just a regular plastic bottle.

This is great if you are at the beach, or hiking, or at places where packing light is a plus, and doggy hydration is necessary.

The H2FidO system is $10.95 on the Modgy website.

2) Doggles -- Insect Shield Bandana. I love bandannas on Lulu. So when I spied this at Global Pet Expo, I knew I had to get one.

The bandanna is made with permethrin, a natural repellent used in everything from lice shampoos to flea dips. It's meant to protect your pet against all kinds of bugs: mosquitos, ticks, ants, flies and fleas. And it's supposed to last through dozens of washings.

Lulu has been on flea stuff, so I don't know if it stopped fleas. But it certainly did keep the bothersome gnats away from her at the park on a few outings. Thinking of getting one for myself.

The bandana sells for $10.50 on the Doggles website. You can also get an insect shield t-shirt for your dog.

3)Bottle Buddy by Pet Links. Worldwise is the company behind such brands as Petlinks, Pooch Planet and SmartyKat.

This year they introduced a line of eco-conscious products. One of them is the Bottle Buddy toy for dogs, which give new life to empty plastic bottles. There are many types of Bottle Buddies, but I like the ones that allows you to connect several bottles (known as the Bottle Buddy ball or the cross), creating something that looks like a plastic bottle jack.

Photo courtesy of Worldwise.

Now, the bottle buddy is not a toy Lulu is interested in. She's not one for crinkle bottles.

However, at Global Pet Expo Worldwise had videos of dogs playing with this toy poolside. The toy is light and has great buoyancy, so it pretty much glides on the water. Great for dogs. So I think this could be a great summer toy. Find the Bottle Buddy on Amazon.

4) Microchips. I cannot stress the importance of making sure your pet is microchipped. Even if you have a collar with tags on your pet, microchipping ensures you always have a way for people to reach you.

June happens to be Microchip Month, so now's a great time to make sure it's done. There are a number of microchip registries out there, and lots of places to get your pet microchipped. Found Animals.org just opened a FREE registry that accepts all microchip brands and frequencies. You can sign up on the group's website. Make sure you have your pet's microchip number when you do.

5) Kumfy Tailz cooling harness. Here's an invention that is designed to keep your dog cool (or warm) right where it counts.

The Kumfy Tailz comes with a heating/cooling pad...

It fits inside a pouch where the red part of the harness is. That piece is meant to help keep the pet's core cool, or, warm, as needed. Kumfy Tailz's invent says a lot of a dog's system is regulated through their core.

It definitely cools Lulu's torso. It also fits really well.

The only issue is the harness clips to the leash on top. Lulu is used to her Easy Walk harness, so she pulls on the other harness. Kind of annoying. But if it keeps her cool, I'm happy.

Pepper the pomeranian just did a very thorough review of the harness. You should go and read it!

KumfyTailz is available in several sizes and colors. It is available for sale on Amazon.com.

HOWEVER -- you can also win one now!

Kumfy Tailz will send one of their harnesses to the winner. The giveaway starts midnight June 8 and ends June 30 at midnight. To enter, you MUST leave a comment on what you and your pet do to stay cool in the summer, and YOU MUST LEAVE A CONTACT EMAIL ADDRESS. You get additional entries for joining me on Facebook or Twitter, and spreading the word about my giveaway. Good luck!

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Disclaimer: I received the Kumfy Tailz harness, the Bottle Buddy, The Insect Shield Bandanna and the Modgy water bowl system from their respective companies. However, I am accepting no money from these companies.

Hurricane Season 2013: 5 tips to prepare your pet

It's that time of year again!

Depending on who you pay attention to, we are expecting up to 20 named storms (NOAA) or up to 18 named storms (Dr. William Gray from Colorado State University). Either way, we are bracing for a pretty active storm season. Even if not every storm is the big one, if it comes to our shores, it will have an impact in that area.

Last year I wrote a pretty detailed post on preparing and dealing with the aftermath of a storm when it comes to your pets. You can read that post here.

Today, I'm going to boil it all down to FIVE important things to remember for hurricane season. Here they are:

1. Have all your paperwork together in a water-proof case. Latest rabies and other vaccine information, microchip info, and tag info, vet info, any other paperwork you need for your pet. Have it ready to go if you need to leave for any reason. It will help in making sure you can get your pet into whatever shelter you take, be it a hotel or an emergency shelter. 
   
   By the way, shelters can change, be closed or moved. The best way to know where the pet friendly shelters are near you is to ask your area's emergency operations center. Many counties and cities have them.
2. While we're at it? Is your pet microchipped? Collars and tags can come off. If you are separated from your pet, having that pet microchipped with your address and contact info makes it easier for rescue workers to know that this is someone's pet, and that, hopefully, you will be looking for them.
3. Make yourself a storm kit for your pet. Food, bowls, clean water, toys, a blanket or something that is comforting, medicine, collar, leash (NOT EXTENDABLE), rain gear, crate.
   
   If you are getting gallons of fresh water for yourself, make sure you pick some up for your pet too. You might want to stick with dry food, since if a storm hits you may be without water or power, so you won't be able to wash a dish or keep wet food refrigerated.
   
   If the pet's medicine needs to be kept cool, find a way to do it. Amazon.com actually sells medicine coolers, special travel bags designed to keep medicine cool. Some are simply small insulated bags meant for insulin... some are more elaborate. 
4. Keep your pet calm and happy during the storm. Now is a great time to check out a Thundershirt or Anxiety Wrap if your pet has a problem with storms. It may help them stay calm. You can also try calming aids and essences. Your vet might be willing to prescribe meds if it's really bad.
   
   You and your pet may be stuck inside a day, maybe more (Hurricanes Frances and Jean in 2004 lasted at least two days each. I'll never forget it). You may not be able to take your dog out. Find a spot for pee pads and make sure your dog knows this is where they go. Or make sure, if you have a cat, you have extra litter.
   
   But also, keep them distracted. Treat balls and puzzles are great for this. It gives them a way to exercise their minds and gets them tired. Just remember that whatever kind of  activity you do, during a storm you want to keep away from windows. It's safest.
5. After the storm, be careful where your pet goes. Your backyard may not be the safest place for your pet to be alone after a storm. You don't know necessarily what debris is in your backyard, or if there are holes in any fencing, and there will be standing water, which leads to more bugs, on top of being enticing to play in or drink. It's best to watch your pet until you know all dangers have been removed.

Lulu during a storm. She's usually calmer than I am.

Above all, stay calm. If you stay calm, your pet will be calmer. And, if you come out of a storm in good shape, think of your neighbors and see how they might need help. It quickens the recovery, and strengthens communities.

Stay safe!