# Microchip migration - dangerous?



## Cityhick (Feb 6, 2014)

Lola is 15 months old and we had a Home Again microchip implanted by her vet during one of her puppy visits. According to their website:

"HomeAgain is the only dog & cat microchipping product on the market today that has the Bio-Bond patented anti-migration feature to help ensure that the microchip will stay in place so that it may be easily located and scanned."

Now Lola's microchip is located at the bottom of her ribcage. So much for their patented "Bio-Bond" feature. The vet contacted Home Again and they said there is no reason to remove the chip and that we should implant another between her shoulder blades because if she is lost nobody will scan her belly.

Is there a danger the chip can migrate inside the ribcage and cause problems with internal organs? It is easily visible under her skin. Has anyone heard any horror stories involving these chips? If we have another implanted won't it move too?

Thanks,

Jim


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## tknafox2 (Apr 2, 2013)

WOW!!!!! This is some scary news!!!
I never in my wildest dreams, thought I should have Mr. F. scanned just to see if his chip was still intact... 
I will absolutely do this next time he is at the vet, NEVER EVEN ENTERED MY MIND ????????????????????


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## CrazyCash (Jul 12, 2012)

Wow - I haven't heard of that before! I can't really give you much advice, what was your vets take on it, do they think it should come out?

Now I'm also curious about my dogs. Cash only has one shoulder blade, so now I'm wondering if his has traveled somewhere else in his body.


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## mswhipple (Mar 7, 2011)

I have read about that before. I ask Willie's vet to scan his microchip every now and then, just to be sure it's still in place. It always is (so far). It is also a Home Again microchip. I haven't heard any horror stories about chips that have migrated causing trouble, but you should definitely ask your vet if anything should be done about it at this point.


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## MCD (May 4, 2013)

Thank you for bringing that issue up. I am not sure if Dharma's is still where they put it, but it is worth asking the vet to see if it is there still.


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## Oscar-vizzle (Jul 7, 2014)

My Oscar's chip has migrated to the top of his right front leg. You can clearly see and feel the little lump. I was worried about it at first but the vet reassured me that it shouldn't cause any nasty issues. I have also added the words 'ID chipped, please scan me' on the other side of his collar tag.


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## texasred (Jan 29, 2012)

I'm so glad my dogs are chipped after hearing from my nephew today. His boxer some how got out of his backyard. A person that helps with a rescue found her minutes later. She took her to the vet to have her scanned, and when they found no chip, they declared her property of the rescue. Now they won't return her. He was told if he could show vet records, pictures of the dog, passes a home inspection, then he could pay to get her back. This person lives right down the street from him. The police had been called out. and so far have been no help.


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## MeandMy3 (Feb 27, 2013)

TR - that is awful!!!!


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## Cityhick (Feb 6, 2014)

So far, two different vets have stated that the chip cannot go deeper inside the body than where it is now and shouldn't pose any future danger to Lola. At least this is comforting. Even though it is plainly visible, our vet says removal would require general anesthesia, so we will probably just leave it alone for now as it doesn't seem to bother the dog at all. I have an email out to HomeAgain and am waiting for their response.

For what it is worth, we had a Avid chip between the shoulders of our previous Vizsla and it never moved in her 13+ years of life. I had never heard of migration before this, though my current research finds it is fairly common. Our choice of brands was nothing more than it happened to be what the vet was using.

Jim


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## redbirddog (Apr 23, 2010)

Bailey's first micro chip migrated low on his right shoulder (you can see it as it looks like a grain of rice. I had a second one installed between the shoulder blades where they should be and shelters would scan.

There is no health issue that I was told by the vet.

Happy trials,
RBD


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## MeandMy3 (Feb 27, 2013)

@TexasRed - any news on your nephew's dog?


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## texasred (Jan 29, 2012)

Doesn't look like they will be getting her back.
The rescue believes they are unfit because the 5 month old pup was not spayed, and allowed to play in a fenced backyard unsupervised.


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## einspänner (Sep 8, 2012)

And who gave the rescue the right to determine that?  I will seriously right them an angry letter if you happen to let their name slip.


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## Bob Engelhardt (Feb 14, 2012)

TexasRed said:


> Doesn't look like they will be getting her back.
> The rescue believes they are unfit because the 5 month old pup was not spayed, and allowed to play in a fenced backyard unsupervised.


That's outrageous! 

Assuming that the rescue is an official city/county entity, there's probably no point in fighting them. What I would do is get a friend to shill for me: adopt the pup & give it to me.

If the rescue is private (non-governmental), they probably do not have the authority to seize the dog without a court order. Even government rescues should require a court order ("undue search & seizure" protection).

All in all, it's probably easier, faster, cheaper to do a shill adoption. 'Course there is the risk of somebody else adopting.

Livid Bob


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## texasred (Jan 29, 2012)

When it became apparent that they would not return the pup, things turn ugly.
Heated conversations on both sides. The rescue took down their Facebook page, and has made it to where my nephew can not locate the pup any longer.
In fact you can find nothing on the rescue other than a couple of dogs (not his) they have on Rescue Me , and a email address. 

I hate downing a rescue, because there are some very good ones out there.
But like anything else in life, not all are created the equal.


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## Bob Engelhardt (Feb 14, 2012)

TexasRed said:


> When it became apparent that they would not return the pup, things turn ugly.
> Heated conversations on both sides. The rescue took down their Facebook page, and has made it to where my nephew can not locate the pup any longer.
> In fact you can find nothing on the rescue other than a couple of dogs (not his) they have on Rescue Me , and a email address.
> 
> ...


It just keeps getting worse! If it were me, I'd be wanting to find somebody to punch. That's NOT advice, it's just the way that I'd feel.

Bob


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## MeandMy3 (Feb 27, 2013)

That is horrifying! I am so sorry he has to go through this. Our rescues only take owner surrenders and rescues from the pound, after their three day hold is up. He should have reported the pup stolen. This makes my blood boil for him. 

Also - spaying/neutering is not a requirement to own a dog not obtained through a rescue- it is a personal choice. The rescue should not be making that choice for him. Ugh!


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## texasred (Jan 29, 2012)

If you search online "rescue won't return dog to owner" it happens more than I thought it did.
I know in my area foster homes are in short supply, so it makes it hard for me to understand. Keeping a dog that already has a home, takes away from one that needs a foster home.

Bob, he is handling it better than I would have been able to. With young kids that depend on him, I'm sure it has been a test to keep his temper in check while going through this ordeal.


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