Microchiping? Pro's and Cons?

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Evil_Cookie

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Hi, I'm considering getting my horse microchipped? But have heard rumours that they can cause problems? Moving or not being found when checked later? Will probably get horse freezemarked but not until she is older. Just want her to be safe. Also there is no space on the passport for a chip number or freezemark no. , should there be?
Thanks
EC
 
I chip all my animals. For the horses passports the chip sticker is put on the front page of mine (the pink part). There is not an actual space for it, but the vet just puts them somewhere obvious.
 
i had mine chipped. didnt get him freezmarked as it was expensive and my vets was doing a deal which was dental work and microchipping for £45
 
I was chatting to my vet about this - he advised getting youngsters done but that it can make older horses quite wary about being jabbed.

I think I'll get my yearling done, but she will be freezemarked too.

Downsides to microchipping are that it isn't visable so isn't an obvious deterrant.
 
I had my 2 yr old chipped as a yearling and she bloody hated it...the needle is huge...I had a slight needle phobia and couldn't be in there when he did it, although I heard Prada through her self against the wall in an expression of dislike! But I would have it done to any horse. My older horse hasn't been chipped but then he has a freezebrand. I think as long as they have one or the other they will be ok, but like Crazymare said the chip isn't an obvious deterent.
 
isn't the microchip a standard sized item and needle for all animals? Or do they have different ones for horses? I microchip everything, cats, puppies etc and they don't complain at all! I wasn't there when the horses were chipped but I had no negative feedback. Agree though that some babies are just more sensitive in general. I think the younger you get any animal microchipped the better.
 
I'm not sure about the sizing of the needle compared to the one used for other animals but I thought it was pretty big but maybe thats because I hate needles! She didn't complain for long - it was just like 'ouch that hurt' and threw herself against the stable wall. Shes fine with normal injections now though.
 
Had all horses and dogs and cats microchipped
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All been fine with it. Friend's did travel down a leg though
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Considering freeze marking as well.

Who? Me? Paranoid?!
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I had my two youngsters done - they didn't mind it at all. It is injected up near the crest, about midway down the neck.
Cons - I can no longer tether them on the nearest roundabout and deny knowledge of them when they behave badly.
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I think the problem with the Horse ones is that it goes into a ligament in the neck which is tricky to do and quite painfull. It is a big needle but very sharp. I got mine done when he was sedated for teeth (doesn't normally get sedated for this but vet wanted to get right to the back and said it would be easier) so made sense to do it then. My previous 2 Horses were done without sedation, they did fidget with it but were OK when next injected.

All my dogs are done as well. Only 2 of them yelped a bit but it is a big needle on a puppy!! Up here it's hard to get freezemarking done so microchipping was the only option. I always get the chips checked at vaccination time (Dogs and Horses) - never had one move.
 
My foal was done before I collected him he was about 2 weeks old.I think the needle is the same size for all animals as the chip is the same
I am planing to have him branded with the micro chip mark but apparently he cant have that till he is 2.
This shows people he is microchiped, so no need for a freeze mark.
Anybody else had this done or am I talking rubbish?
 
Useful to have it done, as must be chipped for being measured for a JBM height certificate now.
Vet did our kitties when they were being spayed, so were under GA at the time, as its a big needle for a little one.
 
my horse is done and my vet put local anasetic in his neck before doing it because he said the needle is big and you dont want half a tun of horse throwing itself around because of it.

My dog was done however, and she didnt even flinch!
 
Mine have both freezemark and microchip - Chancer was chipped when being gelded and sedated, Farra - vet gave a local first - he said he always does this as the needle is large and can be painful.

Farra is not great with needles, gave a tiny jump for the local but then nothing whilst she had her chip and vac jab as it was numb.

Cons of a chip - not all can be read by all scanners and are not visable - Pros - cannot be tampered with.

Personally I would always have both done, but I have horses that are very desirable to certain folks.

I just put the sticker on the front of the passports and have also written in the freezemark numbers.
 
Farmkey do offer a special freezemark for chipped horses, can't remember what it looks like. As for problems with chipping, as I work with Thoroughbreds and they all have to be done as foals or when they arrive in the UK if they come from countries that don't do it, i.e. America. I have never come across any problems, occaisionally we can't find a chip but I don't think this is as common as it is in cats and dogs. And for the process itself, Tarquin is a complete wimp and he was fine with it, he didn't even notice it being done. We never have a problems with the foals either.
 
Personaly I still think freezemarking is better, but I would probably have both done. The microchipping needle is pretty huge, but I think not moreso for horses than other animals. I used to take RSPCA cats to have it done, and half of them didn't seem to notice it; I think if they are relaxed it hurts much less.
 
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