Puppy Healthcare

You should always think about insuring your pet from a young age. Most pet insurance providers offer lifetime cover policies which mean that your pet will be covered against the cost of ongoing costs of treating lifetime and chronic conditions. As long as you insure them from a puppy, they have no pre-existing conditions and you continue to renew without a break in your cover then you can rest assured that your puppy will be covered from the unexpected for the rest of their life.

Once you’re armed with the right information, you’ll be in the best possible position to help keep your canine companion happy and healthy. And with the right care, you and your pet will have even more opportunities to keep adventuring together!

Microchipping your puppy

One of the first things you should do as a new puppy owner is to get your dog microchipped. Microchips are tiny electronic chips (about the size of a grain of rice) that are implanted under their skin.

Each individual microchip has a 15-digit number, unique to your pet. This number will be stored on a specific database and linked to your contact details. If your pet goes missing the chip can be scanned making it the easiest way for your dog to be returned to you. Getting a chip fitted should feel about the same as when they get a vaccination and could be invaluable should anything happen to them.

Do I need to have my dog microchipped?

Yes, you have to have your dog microchipped if you live in the United Kingdom. Since 6th April 2016, it became a legal requirement and you could be fined or prosecuted if you don’t. It’s worth remembering that your dog needs to be registered on an approved database too – they currently include Petlog, Anibase, PETrac and Pet Project.

The change of law in 2016 now means that any owner whose dog is found without a chip, will have a short period of time to have them microchipped. If they don’t do this, they could be fined up to £500.

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When should you get your puppy microchipped?

All puppies need to be microchipped by the time they’re eight weeks old. If you’re bringing home a puppy from a breeder, make sure they get your new pet microchipped and registered before you collect them. They should give you all the information you need about your dog’s microchip and how to update your details on the database too. If they haven’t done so and you’ve already picked up your pup, speak to your vet or chat to us in store.

If you’re bringing home an older dog or a rescue dog, find out as much as you can about whether they’ve been chipped or not. If you’re not sure, your vet or local rescue centre will be able to scan them to find out more.

Where can I get my dog microchipped?

The microchip needs to be fitted by a trained professional. Although some rescue centres fit microchips, speak to your vet for more information.

How long does the microchip last?

It should last for their lifetime. The only changes you need to make is updating your address if you move house. Once you know the chip provider (you can find this out by having the chip scanned if you can’t remember), you should be able to update your details on their website.

How will a microchip help if my pet goes missing?

When lost pets are taken to a rehoming centre, vets, or animal warden one of the first things they’ll do is to scan to find out whether they’ve been microchipped. If your pet has one, they’ll easily be able to find your contact details from the database the chip’s registered with.

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What should I do if my dog goes missing?

If your dog goes missing, make sure you get in touch with the company that the chip is registered with as soon as possible.

You should also contact your own vets, but also all the other practices in the area, as well as the local authority’s dog warden.