Risky microchipping?

Alright, I know I must sound like every other neurotic pet owner--but I just want to eliminate any complications when clearing customs!

My vet has no experience with the PETS program, and juding from the other threads, this is nothing new.  However, the vet seems less than helpful in trying to work with me and willing to learn the procedures.  I asked serveral weeks ago if it was possible that they could order the ISO microchips in time for my dog's next visit (Thanksgiving), I was reassured that they would.  However, a follow up phone call this week indicated that no, in fact they would not be ordering them. 

I decided to take matters into my own hands and buy the chip myself via

http://www.pettravel.com/store/store-pet-friendly-chips1.html

The vet has agreed to insert the microchip, however they do not have a scanner to read the chip.  Is this risky?  Or is the microchip insertion process pretty fail proof?  I have been unsucessful in finding another vet who provides ISO chips.  My dog has a HomeAgain chip presently, but I understand that a UK scanner will not read the chip. 
Also, can the vet perform the blood draw on the same day as the microchip insertion and rabies vaccine?  I've heard conflicting testimonies.

Thanks so much for your help!

If that's so, I'm in extremely deep poop. My cat flies out on Tuesday with a HomeAgain chip.

When I looked into it, it appeared to me that there was more than one standard, but the HomeAgain chip should be readable by most scanners. I looked into buying a scanner anyway, for safety, but at a couple hundred bucks a pop and with all the other expenses I've racked up, I declined.

My vet has sent other pets abroad (though not to the UK) with this chip and assured me there wouldn't be a problem. --insert flop sweat here--

At any rate, however you chip your dog,  your vet will HAVE to have a scanner. At every step of the way, that chip gets read and recorded.

*pardon my ignorance*

So, the chip gets scanned and then recorded where?  On the 998 form?

It could be that I have misinformation about the HomeAgain chip.  Did the pets your vet sent off with those chips include EU countries?  If it did, I guess we're both safe. 

Thanks

I don't know where they went, except for one that went to Japan (where they don't like the vaccine my vet uses. That's why it came up). If your pet already has a HomeAgain chip, it's probably worth following up. Here's how you do that: read this group a week from tomorrow after I've been through the ARC at Heathrow. I'll let you know if I'm ordering a scanner while my cat's in quarantine 

That chipped gets scanned and recorded at every single step of the way. Any visit that's required: vaccination, boosters, whatever. That's so you don't pull a bait-and-switch with another dog.

Your pets will get in OK with the HomeAgain chip.

Once they are here, UK vets will probably not be able to read them.

I think people 'double chip' so they can continue with the DEFRA standards, so they can take their pets back the US or further on.

Whew! Thanks, Hollyberry. I think I am now at that point in the process where I'm getting a little que sera, sear about stuff.

I only started this move eleven years ago...

I only started this move eleven years ago...

and how quickly it will be come a distant memory! 

Heh. Que sera, sear is one of my better Freudian typos.

Your pets will get in OK with the HomeAgain chip.

Once they are here, UK vets will probably not be able to read them.

I think people 'double chip' so they can continue with the DEFRA standards, so they can take their pets back the US or further on.

Phew.  We leave tomorrow and our cats have HomeAgain chips.  We'd been assured that they'd be fine to get into the country.  I didn't, however, realize that the HomeAgain chips wouldn't be readable by UK vets.  Perhaps I'll order my own HomeAgain scanner once we get there to alleviate problems.

I just wanted to note that my two cats came through Manchester - which I imagine is much lower volume in terms of pet transfers than Gatwick and Heathrow - with HomeAgain chips as their only chips and we got through just fine.  

Also, I believe that as long as your pets are up to date on their rabies vaccines (and have had more than one vaccination previously) that the microchipping, vaccination, and blooddraw can all happen on the same day.  I wish I had known that, because that would have meant that my hubby and I would have been reunited 3 weeks earlier, but c'est la vie.

As an added comfort thing, I had my vet draw up two letters on letterhead with blue pen signatures and WITH my cat's microchip numbers stating that in fact they had been chipped and vaccinated in that order.  If the blooddraw for the FAVN test is drawn on that day as well, then I would have them document that too.

Encourage your vet to contact your state's USDA vet, and if they (your personal vet) aren't willing, find another vet who will.  At one point my paperwork got a little farked up (like, a week before I was going to leave) and the USDA vet worked with directly with my vet to get it all cleared up.

My cat has a HomeAgain chip and entered at Gatwick just fine.

However, I didn't know that UK vets will not be able to read it though. Guess I'll be buying a reader or re-chipping him here.

My cat has a HomeAgain chip and entered at Gatwick just fine.

However, I didn't know that UK vets will not be able to read it though. Guess I'll be buying a reader or re-chipping him here.

My pooch just had her second chip inserted Friday.  I'd like to think she could get lost anywhere in the world now--bionic dog! 
I would say it is most economical to insert a second chip.  The readers start at 200.00 USD, and you would have to shell out high shipping charges (and hope it doesn't get stuck in customs for any reason..)
Good luck!

I think you are right, Baylily, best thing to do is to put in a second chip. All these chips certainly would ensure a supercharged bionic pet that can be read all over the world, lol!

Besides, I've been feeling around lately and I swear my cat's chip has gone walkabout under there!

Ugh! This certainly IS enough to make someone neurotic.

My cats have an avid chip. I didn't hear anyone mention that one. If that happens to be the same thing as a "home again" chip, I believe you can rent a scanner from them. I know this because a few years ago , I took two of my cats to Sweden and then sent the reader back
(thinking we had rented it) only to find out that my husband had bought it.

Maybe the other companies have a rental program.

I need a vacation if we ever clear customs

My cat sailed through with her HomeAgain chip. Of course, now she's hiding in the closet with the boiler and won't come out, but that's a different problem.