Zander's Vet Appointment

[Lyzelle]

Went in today to get his chip and rabies for the international travel. Turns out we also needed kennel cough and distemper for hotels, so we added those in last minute.

Got in, we did mostly okay until they had to look at his teeth and take him in the back to to chipping/shots. They said they had to shave part of his mohawk to get the needle in and see what they were doing. No, they didn't. And the insertion site is way too mangled due to his struggling. I told them to sedate, but they wanted an extra $100 for it because they said it "wasn't necessary". But all is well, for the most part.

His weight was 68lbs, pretty much right on the dot, could stand to lose 2-3lbs and gain some muscle. Chipping went well, shots were fine, but he does need his tooth extracted. Obviously I'm doing that with the vet *I* trust in MS, and not the one here. No way.

His shaved spot:

 

[Grab]

I have never seen anyone shave coat to implant a microchip. do they also shave before vaccinations? Because, aside from needle size, it's the same process

 

[Lyzelle]

I have never seen anyone shave coat to implant a microchip. do they also shave before vaccinations? Because, aside from needle size, it's the same process

Nope. They only shaved for the chip. It's pretty ridiculous.

 

[mkj2013]

At the clinic where I used to work, they shave and put a permanent marker dot. That way, when he gave them lidocaine beforehand we could see where it had been placed and implant the chip right on the deadened spot.

 

[meepitsmeagan]

Harlow got shaved for her microchip... I didn't think anything of it. They took as little off as they could, and her's was quick. Able to do it right in the room with us. Didn't turn out anything like that.

So. Many. Fragments.

 

[stardogs]

Wow. Snipe got hers at a health clinic and they did it in less than a minute - no lidocaine, no shaving, just wham, bam. done. She didn't even flinch.

 

[Brattina88]

Wow. Snipe got hers at a health clinic and they did it in less than a minute - no lidocaine, no shaving, just wham, bam. done. She didn't even flinch.

Same with Bailey!

 

[Beanie]

Payton didn't get numbed for his either, but he sure knew when that needle went in - poor guy. I laughed at him too. (His eyes got SO BIG! I'm mean.)

The vet I used when Auggie was a puppy insisted on putting dogs under to put the chip in. Luckily Auggie was getting neutered and we had it done at the same time...

 

[BostonBanker]

The vet I used when Auggie was a puppy insisted on putting dogs under to put the chip in. Luckily Auggie was getting neutered and we had it done at the same time...

The vet I used when I got Meg wouldn't do the chip without putting her under either. Hence Meg remaining un-chipped.

 

[*blackrose]

Wow. Snipe got hers at a health clinic and they did it in less than a minute - no lidocaine, no shaving, just wham, bam. done. She didn't even flinch.

Yup, thats how we do it. It's a big needle, but it's over in literally a second and we've never had a dog act painful once the act was over. Some do yelp when it goes in, which is understandable, but it isn't anything I feel they need to be sedated for.

 

[Southpaw]

That's weird. Never seen a spot need to be shaved. Like Grab said... wouldn't you then shave for vaccines or for SQ fluids? It's all the same, just a needle going in the skin!

I've never seen it be numbed, either! Most animals don't even react. The size of the needle scares the crap out of me, I hate microchipping animals and my own pets will not be microchipped unless they are already under anesthesia. But that's just my own issue - lol even small cats don't seem to care.

Anyway. Seems like a less than stellar experience.

Although, for what it's worth... animals that need to be sedated don't really behave well for that process, either. He'd still be getting stuck with a needle for that.

 

[Snark]

Wow. None of my dogs were ever shaved or sedated for chipping, just got stuck with the needle and that was it. I think Murph was the only one who even flinched, but he's a wuss.

 

[Lyzelle]

I only wanted him sedated because he was struggling so much. They didn't let me hold him, so he was definitely freaked and I was getting freaked about them hurting him.

His previous chip was in, done. No shaving, no flinching, no bruising, no bleeding like a stuck pig...just like a vacc. Less than a second.

He is EXTREMELY sensitive there now, and he hid a fractured molar from me for a month with no issue. I'll have to take a warm.rag to the area in a few days to clean off the dried blood.

I'm just glad it's over.

 

[Lyzelle]

Here's a less washed out pic:

 

[Southpaw]

No doubt it looks yucky. At worst, I've seen a couple drips of blood because, well, they just got stuck with a giant freaking needle. I wouldn't want my guys to look like that from a microchip.

 

[Saeleofu]

Poor Zander! We never shave or numb or sedate either, and only very rarely does a dog react. My dogs had it done standing on the floor, and neither of them reacted.

Turns out we also needed kennel cough and distemper for hotels,

Really? I've never had a hotel ask for ANY vaccine records or anything like that. I mean I would think they'd at least ask for rabies, but I never have had to show it. Why the hell do they want kennel cough and distemper? Makes no sense to me. I do distemper every 5+ years, and kennel cough never.

 

[SaraB]

Guess I should've given a couple koolies a new hair cut before I chipped them last week. I've never heard of anyone shaving before chipping.

 

[Lyzelle]

Really? I've never had a hotel ask for ANY vaccine records or anything like that. I mean I would think they'd at least ask for rabies, but I never have had to show it. Why the hell do they want kennel cough and distemper? Makes no sense to me. I do distemper every 5+ years, and kennel cough never.

Sorry, long day. It's the AF's lodging rules(which we will be staying in a night or two here, and then until we find a place over in Italy), I've never had a regular hotel ask me for anything either.

 

[Saeleofu]

Sorry, long day. It's the AF's lodging rules(which we will be staying in a night or two here, and then until we find a place over in Italy), I've never had a regular hotel ask me for anything either.

Ah, I see. That makes more sense. Still a bit stupid, but whatever they want lol

 

[Emily]

Omg that chip job is crazy! Poor Zander.

I had Ketchup and Mustard chipped at a vaccine clinic, neither got shaved and neither had any trauma to the area. Both seemed totally fine afterwards, although they got wide-eyed when the needle went in.

Blossom got chipped when she was spayed so was under, but no shaving. I didn't notice any pain afterwards but she was doped up on Tramadol and minus a uterus, so I guess she had bigger problems, lol.

They really butchered that, IMO. Yikes. Poor baby.