DEFRA - pet passport - microchips can fail!

*Robin*

pimiento wrote: »

DEFRA's rule if there is no chip to be found is that you have to start again with a new passport, rabies jab, blood test, so I still think the tunnel staff would have refused you. From Jan 1st, as I assume your dog gets regular boosters, I think you would satisfy the rules again!

The only way I've never travelled is via the tunnel (due to being claustrophobic). I will continue to avoid it thanks to your comments!
I've just had a look at the dogs' latest passports as one of the dogs who travelled with me this summer is the one on her second chip; interestingly, the vet near the port has only put in the details of the newest chip..
Yes, all my dogs have had their jabs on time since puppyhood - the vet insists on it or will not sign and stamp the certificate of health.

pimiento wrote: »

When I phoned my vet in a panic last sunday he said chips that get expelled normally do so through the entry route within a few days. Once they've stayed in that long they usually stay in, and migration is usually within the skin (fortunately mine was, or we would not have had it removed). I believe more up to date chips now have anti migration coatings. I'm not sure if they are still in breakable casings - it doesn't seem very easy to find out, but I'm not giving up!

In each case where the chip migrated in my dogs it was deep and took at least a year to be expelled - I was really worried in case it penetrated the heart of course - but the vet said that would be very unlikely. The boy's chips apparently were expelled from the kidneys (given the successive locations where the failing chips were found, every time further back along his flank and closer to his stifle - which caused some merriment one year when the official wielding the reader had to press it against the dog's 'bits' in order to find the chip. If I hadn't been alert, that chap would have ended up with a sore hand!).

I should point out that all my dogs are now elderly so the problems we experienced were with early versions of the chip. Out of interest I emailed the vet this morning - she has just replied that the chips she uses now have a plastic shell, because she has had to remove 'glass' chips that had broken in situ.

pimiento

the tunnel - other than the pet check in staff being as difficult officious and unhelpful as possible (in the opinion of a succession of refused dog owners) it's quick and has always worked well for us.

it sounds as though you have been very unlucky with your chips, old or not, but fortunately to balance that you have been very lucky with your ferry pet check in staff.
the one that has caused our problems was only put in about 8 months ago, had a plastic casing, but it was hard plastic and had broken - I saw the broken end, which he managed to remove too.
yes, I've read of glass ones breaking too. I'm just wondering why they can't use a flexible casing, as from what I understand it's the breakage of the casing and entry of body fluids that stops the chip working.

DEFRA might be 'relaxing' or 'simplifying' their passport rules, but it's time they stopped placing 100% reliance on a failable device for ID, and got a better back-up option that doesn't involve surgery or quarrantine.

And as I said originally, people should be aware of the possibility of a chip failing and get it checked.