British Small Animal Veterianry Association report on adverse reactions to implanted microchips.

[as submitted by Fred Nind on April 20 1999]

The scheme was set up At the beginning of September 1997 and the results are available up till March 1999. A total of 45 report forms have been received and this should be set in context with the number of animals which have been chipped which now exceeds 473,000 in the UK.

As this is part of a FECAVA scheme, some forms have been received from other European countries.

These include:

35 UK

10 Denmark, Sweden and Belgium

There are 3 companies involved in microchips in the UK. The company involved could not be identified in 11 cases. The breakdown of reactions between the companies is as follows:

Company A 27

Company B 4

Comany C 3

Problems with microchip implantation mainly involved migration usually to Zone D with common sites including the shoulder, elbow and sternum. Only 4 failed to respond, one of which had also migrated. Surgical removal was required in 7 cases.

Migration: Zone A 1

Zone B 1

Zone C 2

Zone D 33

Failed to respond 4

Abscessation 1

Lost 1

Surgical removal 7

The timing reflected the problem with most occurring with migration in the first month to year. Timing could not be ascertained in 5 cases.

0-1 mth 4

1mth-1yr 24

1-2 yrs 3

2-3 yrs 5

3+ yrs 4