Question about microchip kHz

Heya.

I took my dog to the vet this week to get his chip and rabies shot.  I had specifically said on the phone that he needed to have the international standard chip, and was told that was fine, both then and when they called me again later to remind me to bring all the paperwork I could gather.

As luck would have it, when I got there, they were going to chip him with the 124.? kHz AVID chip, and not the 134.? (sorry, I don't have my notes in front of me) chip that is standard internationally.   I refused the chip, and therefore had to refuse the rabies shot.

I had planned to go elsewhere but then the vet called me again today and says that she's called AVID, who says that Heathrow and Gatwick both have backwards-compatible chip readers and should have no problems scanning an American chip, should I want to come back and try again.


I'm not really sure what to do at this point.  My gut says to just find someone who does the international chip, since my dog is going to be a UK dog from now on and ideally he should have a UK chip.   Does that sound right? 

Also, can you just fact-check me on this one:  Any vet can do the chip and rabies vaccine.  But the vet that does the blood draw to verify the antibodies must be APHIS approved and send the bloodwork to Kansas, correct?  Or do they not have to be APHIS approved as long as they send the blood to the right place?

Thanks for your thoughts.  I really want to get a move on this, as I am leaving town in a month.   My mom is watching the dog for me until he's able to join me, but I want to make sure he's got his paperwork in order for the most part before I leave.

I'm having similar concerns. I haven't started the PETS process yet, we aren't moving for at least a year yet. However I've been researching it and am kind of stuck on the microchip thing. My cat already has a 125kHz (non-iso) chip its made by 24Petwatch. I actually emailed Heathrow and they also said they have an avid reader which should be able to read it. But my worry is what happens if it can't??? I'm considering getting him re-chipped anyway with a 132kHz chip just in case (and as you said, he is going to be a UK cat so should really have a chip that can be read in the UK!)

Alternatively I may get my own scanner to travel with. I know you can rent them, I would be interested to hear from anyone who has done that?

yeah, my thought was essentially along the lines of, "so what if the airport can read him?   fat lot of good it'll do if he gets lost and picked up by a UK vet who cannot."

I'll make some calls tomorrow and let you know what I find out.

I used to work in an animal shelter and we microchipped animals all the time.  The chip I have been told you need is an ISO chip, not an Avid chip.  These were what we used and what most vets in our area (Colorado) use. I would call around and find a vet that uses ISO chips.  A friend of mine just went through this whole process with a vet that did not know what she was doing and it was such a pain!  Find a vet that knows the procedures (or at least is willing to believe what you tell him/her about the procedures)!  As mentioned before, I have been told to rent a microchip scanner and bring that with you in case the scanner at the airport fails to pick up the chip.  Its amazing how the chips migrate around in the pet's bodies sometimes, and often chips aren't recognized because the person scanning was ONLY scanning between the shoulder blades.  I plan on renting a scanner and learning exactly where my dog's chip is just in case there are issues at the airport.   Good luck!

Both of our cats have the Avid microchips an they didn't have any problems what so ever when they came over to the UK in March 05.   

I believe that the only ISO compatible chip readily available in the US is the Bayer ResQ chip:
http://resq.petparents.com/aboutResQ.cfm

If it helps, here is a page that will show you which vets offer it:
http://resq.petparents.com/findVet.cfm

I've got a dog who already has an Avid chip, but I want to have her re-chipped with the ResQ.  I'm sort of worried that having two will somehow mean that she'll get misidentified, though.  I'm sure I'm just being paranoid, but this process is so confusing. . .

Two of mine have AVID chips and one a HomeAgain, and there was no issue when we came through Heathrow in Sept 08.

Mungo - thank you so much!  That's the first time I've seen anyone give an actual brand name for the one I need and that was very helpful.  Looks like the vet up the road is qualified to do it.


My issue with an AVID chip isn't so much at the airport;  I know they can read them there.  But once we're in the UK, it would seem silly to have a chip an ordinary vet or animal shelter couldn't read over there, and I can't see the sense in chipping him twice if I don't have to.


Cheers!

Just FYI, make sure you ask the vets on the Bayer list if they actually do offer the resQ chip.  I've been calling around and found only one that does (of the four I've called--most didn't know what I was talking about. . .)