July 21st, 2010
HomeAgain microchip
The pet microchips and cancer question has surfaced and re-surfaced over the years, causing worry for those who have had their pets microchipped. Is there a risk? Are microchips worth it? Let’s look at the pros and cons.
The Pros
- Millions of dogs, cats, horses, llamas and other animals have been microchipped without any reported problems. (A few people have been microchipped too.)
- Thousands of animals have been reunited with their people after becoming lost or stolen. According to one microchip manufacturer, 10,000 pets are reunited with their people each month thanks to their microchips.
- Microchips work even after collars break or tags fall off.
- AAHA has created the Universal Pet Microchip Lookup site to assist vets, shelters and pet owners in microchip lookup and reuniting pets and their people.
The Cons
- Potential for injury or infection with implantation.
- On rare occasion, microchips have migrated to other areas of the body other than the shoulder area.
- Some animals have been reported to have tumors at the microchip location. Was the tumor caused by the chip? The exact cause has not been proven at this time.
Related: More about microchips
Microchips are a hot topic
From reading various veterinary abstracts, articles and blog postings, I have learned a few things. Mainly, that microchipping is a much-debated topic; ranging from health discussions to the government to possible extraterrestrial involvement. Until now, my focus was simply on animals finding their way back home, unassisted by E.T. or Big Brother.
The main cancer studies cited have involved mice, who don’t share the same biological system as dogs and cats. It is unknown if it was the chip material itself or the process of the body dealing with foreign material in the mice studies.
Interestingly, some studies have shown that, like other cancers, certain genetic lines of animals seem to be more susceptible to developing a soft tissue cancer after an injection, implant, trauma or other foreign material is introduced under the skin. Is this microchip-specific sensitivity or predisposition for this type of cancer? The answer remains unknown.
At this time, cases of cancer or other adverse reactions to microchips are self-reported. This means that the veterinarian or pet owner must report the a negative microchip reaction, there isn’t a central organization that regulates microchips. Learn more about adverse event reporting.
Are microchips worth the risk?
Other safety devices – seat belts, baby gates, even dog leashes – have had reports of animal injuries or deaths from accidents or improper use. Considering that millions of pets have been microchipped without incident, thousands of lives saved, and the cancer findings (related or not) represent a very small fraction of one percent of the total pets microchipped, I feel that the benefit outweighs any potential risks. I will keep an eye out for new data and developments on this topic.
What’s your opinion: Is your dog or cat microchipped?
Related Reading:
Frequently asked questions about microchipping of animals – from the AVMA
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5 Responses to “Do Microchips Cause Cancer?”
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Janet Tobiassen Crosby DVM never planned to be a writer. She wanted to be a veterinarian from the moment she learned such a job existed - sometime during the first grade, when she accompanied her mom to the vet with a sick cat. Janet "adopted" all the neighborhood cats, and at age 11 she started training her first dog, a newly adopted rescue Collie. At age 12, she joined a dog obedience 4-H club and was active through high school as a member and as a junior leader.
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Both of our dogs have been microchipped – one for about 5 years and the other for 2 years. We’ve not had any problems or issues. I was not aware of the debate that chips may have a cancer link. (I have heard that they serve as beacons for flying saucers – just kidding). Until there is definitive proof of the link, I wouldn’t hesitate to get our pets chipped again. As you say, the benefits outweigh the drawbacks.
Yep. Both of mine have been chipped since puppyhood. No problems to report.
Very good post. Thank you. I was not aware of the controversy until recently. The notion that micro-chips causing cancer seems completely outrageous to me. There is no real data to support a link between the two. But I guess when any practice becomes common the critics will emerge no matter how hysterical their claims.
Daisy has been micro-chipped for seven years. There has been no migration and no problems. It appears as any complication is rather uncommon. I think they are certainly worth the risk.
For the first time, I did microchip both my dogs, Daisy and Jasper. They will run in fear if they are afraid enough of something, so it was worth it to me to know that they could be found if something happened and they got loose.
Re: microchip migration – My Daisy actually has 2 microchips. The one I had put in, and the first one, which was put into her ear by the puppy mill breeder (it no longer works). It migrated to the very bottom of her ear from the middle. So strange.
her ear? wow…. its supposed to be between the shoulder blades. it no longer works most likely as the ear has no tissue to support it and it probably cracked and the bodily fluids seeped in…. it wont hurt her. very strange indeed