Our vets recommends pet microchips
Since your pet can get lost in a heartbeat, our veterinarians suggest microchipping for both cats and dogs. Did you know that studies show cats have a 5% chance of being returned to their owners once they are taken to an animal shelter? Pet microchips are easy and affordable at San Marco Animal Hospital in Jacksonville, FL.
What you need to know about microchipping
- Minimal pain – The device is about the size of a rice grain. It is injected beneath the loose skin between the animal’s shoulder blades using a sterile, single-use applicator. Implantation is quick and no more painful than a routine vaccination.
- Safe – The chip is made of biocompatible materials. It is unlikely to cause health problems or side effects and will not degrade over time.
- Private – The microchip contains a single unique ID number that is only accessible by the manufacturer of the microchip, so you don’t have to worry about anyone with a scanner accessing your personal contact information. A veterinarian, animal control facility, or rescue scans it and calls the number into a national pet recovery database that notifies you. (It is essential to keep contact information updated.)
- Reliable – Collars and tags can be lost, intentionally removed, or unreadable. A microchip stays with your pet for life, providing permanent identification.
- Cost-effective – Microchipping is an affordable one-time fee.
- Cats, too! – Most cats do not wear collars with identification tags. The return rate for a microchipped cat is 20 times higher than for those without microchips.
- Microchips save pets – The unfortunate truth is that most lost pets are not always reunited with their owners. They suffer the perils of the highway or end up in shelters and pounds where they may be adopted by a new family or euthanized. Scanning for microchips is routine at most impounding facilities in Florida, and virtually every rescue and veterinary office has a universal scanner so that you can be reunited with your pet promptly.
We hope you never have the anxiety of losing a pet, but if you do, a microchip is likely to bring a happy ending. Don’t wait for your pet to get lost– Call our office at 904-516-9767 to get your pet microchipped.
Dr. Venkat Gutta
San Marco Animal Hospital
Dr. Venkat Gutta moved to the US almost two decades ago to further his passion for veterinary science. Having earned a Master's Degree in Animal Science in Georgia and having completed the North American Veterinary Licensing Exam, he completed clinical rotations at the Louisiana State University School of Veterinary Medicine. Dr. Gutta then received his license to practice in Florida. For over a decade, he served as an associate veterinarian at the Banfield Pet Hospital. He benefitted from a great amount of exposure and experience, especially in high-quality veterinary medicine and surgeries for soft tissue injuries. To date, Dr. Gutta strives to be approachable to his clients and ensure that they have complete awareness and understanding of the health issues that are faced by their furry friends. His special interests lie in skin issues, behavioral problems, senior pet wellness, nutritional counseling, preventive care, and wellness examinations, particularly relevant to canine and feline medicine. Today Dr. Gutta continues to keep himself updated about modern advances in veterinary science through his memberships in the Jacksonville Veterinary Medical Society and American Veterinary Medical Association.
