I had my Staffordshire Bull Terrier puppy bitch approx 12 weeks old, microchipped by the vet at around 8 weeks old.  Today I felt a small lump in her neck which I'm pretty much sure is her microchip.  Should you be able to feel it? My other dog who is over a year old was around the same age when he was microchipped yet you can't feel anything.

i cant feel the chip in any of my dogs but i can in my kitten, all my dogs were chipped when they had their first jabs done. My previous springer however her chip moved to her ribs and we could feel it when stroking her, when she went for her first booster we had the vet scan the chip (more for my mums peace of mind than anything) just to check that it was the chip

tanya

when you say neck, do you mean scruff, as the chip spupposed to go between the shoulder blades.

clutha

Unfortunately Clutha it could well be in the neck, as that is where Vets tend to put the chips.

A trained implanter knows very well that the optimum place for a chip to be placed is between the shoulder blades, the chip is very unlikely to migrate from that position, but it will when placed in the neck area.

To the guest, it may well not be the chip you can feel but a small reaction to her vaccinations, if thats what it is it will subside with time.

My new pup gets microchipped on Friday. Do you think I should ask the vet if he knows the right place to put it? Chance had his done when he was 8 weeks old, and I've never had a problem with it, but this is a different practice.

I certainly wouldn't ask him if he knows where is the correct place, but I would certainly mention to him that you have heard that it is recommended by the chip manufacturers that between the shoulder blades is where a chip should be put.

Vets are only human after all and if their abilities and knowledge are questioned they can be very defensive.

Too true Lady Dazzle, good advice.
To our guest, just for your elucidation, the situation occurs due the following.
I and my rescue centre colleagues microchip as part of our duties.
We all had formal training from both chip companies - pet I-D and Data Mars - and they did tell us of their frustrations over vets who insist it is implanted in the neck/scruff.
This is incorrect.
It should be between shoulders blades, as in the scruff the chip can quite easily move about, whereas between shoulders blades migration is far less common.
I can testify to this, although migration from shoulder blades down to the left or right of shoulder blades "can" occur.
The reason some vets cant stop chippin in the neck, is that is regular practice with medical injections,
so old habits die hard.
If you are concerned, many rescues centres are now trained and registered to do microchipping, and will do so privatel for dogs that dont come from them, and tend to charge half what vets charge.
I've heard £30 pounds quoted a lot from vets, whereas my nrescue centre, for example, charges £15.
I think some dog training establishments and boarding kennels have alos started chipping too.

When I had my first dog chipped it was done by my usual vet and he placed it between her shoulder blades, however when I took my youngest I saw a different vet and he placed it in his neck which I wasn't that happy with :rolleyes:

I would do as Lady Dazzle said and just mention it beforehand that you have heard it is recommended that it goes between the shoulder blades.