Microchips & Scanners

[smilingdog]

Hello I joined yesterday as I could see that there was some confusion about Radio Frequecy Identification for animals (as known by most as microchips for animals).
I am Richard I am a partner in Micro-ID Ltd and this forum is an ideal place to put right some of the myths of the sometimes "notorious" microchip.
I started marketing microchips in 1990 when there was virtually no compatibility in fact there were only 2 chips; AVID (I set up AVID's European office) & Identichip (they were first by about a year), we could read their chip but they couldn't read ours!
In 1994 I was invited onto the ISO working group 3 which determined the ISO current standard and it was difficult, all companies, including my own thought they had the best system but eventually by 1996 we all agreed on a standard which meant we all had to change. This standard was the ISO 11784 & 11785, one for the chip and one for the scanner. This was known as FDXB the current systems at the time were mostly 125kHz and known as FDXA.
All new scanners had to have the capability to read the new 134.2kHz frequency and the old FDXA in fact to be fully compliant they also have to read HDX which is found mostly in farm animals.
There was a transition period of several years and by 2000 almost all companies had switched over to FDXB. The only country which did not was the USA and this was mostly due to the strong veterinary lobby who were being wooed by the president of AVID and Destron, both companies had formed an alliance using FDXA cross licensing and therefore were able to keep out competition and the price artificcially high. They are now switching and will be fully ISO within 5 years.
By 1999, april 1st to be precise I had left AVID and set up Pet-ID with my wife at the time and we launched into the market with FDXB and that company is still going strong (I am longer connected or married!)
Having decided to change my career in 2005 I trained to be an holistic massuer and trigger point therapist specialising in back pain relief but by 2008 more and more people were approaching me wanting microchip products and so I got back into the business and after 2 years have a range of chips and scanners which I believe fulfill most requirements of the market.
Last Christmas I was having a tour of the factory where the chips are assembled and sterilised and was shown a prototype of the mini-chip. at first I though this was just another attempt to reduce the size and at the same time reduce the read range when I saw how samll the chip was compared to the standard chip and then the read range I was absolutley GS'ed, this was the best development in the 21 years since I started and so by end of March we had the mini-chip in the market at the British Small Animal Vet Conference and we have not looked back, the chip is so small the needle for it fits inside the standard chip needle and therefore the insertion of the needle is much easier enhancing the welfare of the animal.
Migration is likely to be less as the chip is a lot lighter and migration is caused by gravity. We do not yet have any data on migration as chips have only been fitted for the few weeks.
There are more mini-chips in tortoises than any other animal at the moment as several thousands have been done in past few weeks.
Please ask any question which you might have concerning the technology.
And if anyone would like a multichip scanner, our MID01C as seen on our website: www.micro-id.co.uk I would like to offer any members of this forum a £10 discount, to get this you will need to either email me richard@micro-id.co.uk and put in subject line your forum user name or call the office during the week 01444 831500.
Regards and have a good Sunday!

[EJ]

I wish you would have posted this before I had my tortoises chipped. On the up side I don't see myself moving out of the US so the chips should work for me.

Few questions...

Are there any efforts to try and get the US to follow what seems to be the majority standard. Is your standard being adopted outside of the UK and Europe... assuming Europe is following the UKs standard.

Where are you recommending the placement of the chip in chelonians? The vet I use is Steven Divers... he recommends in the forelimb above the wrist and below the elbow to read easier and decrease the chance of migration.

Thanks for taking the time to respond in such detail... not bad advertising either.

Originally Posted by smilingdog

Hello I joined yesterday as I could see that there was some confusion about Radio Frequecy Identification for animals (as known by most as microchips for animals).
I am Richard I am a partner in Micro-ID Ltd and this forum is an ideal place to put right some of the myths of the sometimes "notorious" microchip.
I started marketing microchips in 1990 when there was virtually no compatibility in fact there were only 2 chips; AVID (I set up AVID's European office) & Identichip (they were first by about a year), we could read their chip but they couldn't read ours!
In 1994 I was invited onto the ISO working group 3 which determined the ISO current standard and it was difficult, all companies, including my own thought they had the best system but eventually by 1996 we all agreed on a standard which meant we all had to change. This standard was the ISO 11784 & 11785, one for the chip and one for the scanner. This was known as FDXB the current systems at the time were mostly 125kHz and known as FDXA.
All new scanners had to have the capability to read the new 134.2kHz frequency and the old FDXA in fact to be fully compliant they also have to read HDX which is found mostly in farm animals.
There was a transition period of several years and by 2000 almost all companies had switched over to FDXB. The only country which did not was the USA and this was mostly due to the strong veterinary lobby who were being wooed by the president of AVID and Destron, both companies had formed an alliance using FDXA cross licensing and therefore were able to keep out competition and the price artificcially high. They are now switching and will be fully ISO within 5 years.
By 1999, april 1st to be precise I had left AVID and set up Pet-ID with my wife at the time and we launched into the market with FDXB and that company is still going strong (I am longer connected or married!)
Having decided to change my career in 2005 I trained to be an holistic massuer and trigger point therapist specialising in back pain relief but by 2008 more and more people were approaching me wanting microchip products and so I got back into the business and after 2 years have a range of chips and scanners which I believe fulfill most requirements of the market.
Last Christmas I was having a tour of the factory where the chips are assembled and sterilised and was shown a prototype of the mini-chip. at first I though this was just another attempt to reduce the size and at the same time reduce the read range when I saw how samll the chip was compared to the standard chip and then the read range I was absolutley GS'ed, this was the best development in the 21 years since I started and so by end of March we had the mini-chip in the market at the British Small Animal Vet Conference and we have not looked back, the chip is so small the needle for it fits inside the standard chip needle and therefore the insertion of the needle is much easier enhancing the welfare of the animal.
Migration is likely to be less as the chip is a lot lighter and migration is caused by gravity. We do not yet have any data on migration as chips have only been fitted for the few weeks.
There are more mini-chips in tortoises than any other animal at the moment as several thousands have been done in past few weeks.
Please ask any question which you might have concerning the technology.
And if anyone would like a multichip scanner, our MID01C as seen on our website: www.micro-id.co.uk I would like to offer any members of this forum a £10 discount, to get this you will need to either email me richard@micro-id.co.uk and put in subject line your forum user name or call the office during the week 01444 831500.
Regards and have a good Sunday!

[smilingdog]

Originally Posted by EJ

I wish you would have posted this before I had my tortoises chipped. On the up side I don't see myself moving out of the US so the chips should work for me.

Few questions...

Are there any efforts to try and get the US to follow what seems to be the majority standard. Is your standard being adopted outside of the UK and Europe... assuming Europe is following the UKs standard.

Where are you recommending the placement of the chip in chelonians? The vet I use is Steven Divers... he recommends in the forelimb above the wrist and below the elbow to read easier and decrease the chance of migration.

Thanks for taking the time to respond in such detail... not bad advertising either.

Even if you did move most scanners globally will read your chips unless they are AVID 9 digit code. AVID 10 & 15 are OK.
Yes lots of effort to get the system changed Equines I believe are required to be chipped in most states and as the rest of world uses the ISO standard which stands for International Standards Organisation the USA is part of it!
Canada uses ISO and now I believe all shelters are being supplied with universal scanners which also read AVID so everything should be "rosie" soon.

As far as I know the preffered site is top of back left leg and as the mini-chip is so much lighter it would be interesting to monitor any migration potential.
well 2 days ago it was 60 degrees and today its is approaching 90 phew!
R

[Jemma1]

Do some people buy the chips and microchip the tortoise themselves??

[EJ]

well... mine are 9 digits.

Thanks again.

Originally Posted by smilingdog

Even if you did move most scanners globally will read your chips unless they are AVID 9 digit code. AVID 10 & 15 are OK.
Yes lots of effort to get the system changed Equines I believe are required to be chipped in most states and as the rest of world uses the ISO standard which stands for International Standards Organisation the USA is part of it!
Canada uses ISO and now I believe all shelters are being supplied with universal scanners which also read AVID so everything should be "rosie" soon.

As far as I know the preffered site is top of back left leg and as the mini-chip is so much lighter it would be interesting to monitor any migration potential.
well 2 days ago it was 60 degrees and today its is approaching 90 phew!
R

[Pussygalore]

I would assume that unless you know what you are doing then a vet would have to insert the chip.

[16 shells]

Originally Posted by Jemma1

Do some people buy the chips and microchip the tortoise themselves??

Dodgy unless done a few, the hind leg insertion would be harder than the forelimb i would have thought. Like Ed's vet mate suggested.

[smilingdog]

I would recommend a vet do the chipping but if you are experienced treating your own anmals then you could, but with care.

[NATURALIS]

I chip all mine in the back left leg

[Pussygalore]

I would certainly advise that you are at least shown how to do it first, the idea of owners trying to cut costs by injecting and 'experimenting' on their animals if quite frightening to say the least. I'm also sure that there would be some that would try!.