Microchips Are Safe During Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI)

Microchip use in dogs and cats is now widespread and growing every day.

It is our opinion at MyPetsDoctor.com that every dog and cat have a microchip, simply because we never know when that escape, natural disaster or man-made accident is going to result in our separation from them. Even people who say, “But my dog (or cat) never leaves my side” have experienced loss.

Ask the thousands of people who became separated from their pets in Hurricane Katrina.

Or people who have had their pets escape in automobile accidents.

Now, new information is available about the durability of microchips, specifically their resistance to adverse effects during MRI (Magnetic Resonance Imaging). Just ten years ago MRI for pets was available only at teaching hospitals. Since then, MRI is becoming more and more accessible. Many referral centers now perform MRIs for many ailments.

With that in mind, a team at the College of Veterinary Medicine, Knoxville, TN, tested 53 patients with a variety of chip brands and numerous during MRI of multiple body parts. Chip numbers were scanned and recorded for each patient before and after MRI.

In every case, every chip responded appropriately.

Therefore, if your pet is in need of imaging using MR, one concern you will not have is damaging effect on his microchip.

See you next week, Dr. Randolph.