Pet microchip formats & scanners

[Stephen Tashi]

Just some remarks for USA pet owners - not a particular question:

My casual impression of pet microchip scanners was that they detect pet microchips - meaning I had the simplistic idea that there was some standard for pet microchips and that all scanners would detect all chips. However, in researching the specs for buying a scanner, it turns out that the USA, we have competing formats.

http://www.datamars.com/wp-content/uploads/PetLink-Microchip-Guide_USA.pdf

https://www.petmd.com/blogs/fullyve...crochip-companies-square-scientific-scan-6681

 

[Nik_2213]

IIRC, there are several types, but the big division is between 'old' chips with 'short codes', and the modern 'longer' codes. The former may work at a different frequency or protocol to latter...
- 15-digit microchips (also known as FDXB)
- 10-digit microchips (also known as FDXA)
- 9-digit microchips (also known as Avid Secure/Encrypted Chip)

Some years ago, when I installed a commercially made cat-flap that read pets' micro-chips, we had to get our two oldest cats 're-chipped' as theirs were not compatible...

Hmm. Even more formats and history than I expected...
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Microchip_implant_(animal)