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Microchip Readiness Check

Microchip Readiness Check: Document Order and Readability

Medically reviewed by: Adem Fidan, DVM — Chief Veterinarian, Fidan Veterinary Clinic

For valid international pet travel documentation, a 15-digit ISO 11784/11785 compliant microchip must be implanted before or on the same day as the rabies vaccination and verified with a scanner before every procedure. The microchip number must match the pet passport, FAVN laboratory report and export health certificate exactly.

Fidan Veterinary Clinic — Microchip Readiness Check clinical calculator

Why the order matters

At our Tatlıkuyu, Gebze clinic serving Darıca, Çayırova and Kocaeli, rabies vaccination validity is documented in relation to the microchip number. If the chip is implanted after vaccination, the link between the vaccine and that animal cannot be proven, and the process may need to be restarted.

At the clinic the chip is scanned first, the number is recorded and only then is the vaccine given. This order prevents retrospective problems with travel documents.

  • Chip implanted before or on the same day as vaccination
  • ISO 11784/11785 compliant, 15-digit number
  • Number identical on passport and certificate
  • Scanner verification at every examination

When the chip cannot be read

A chip can migrate or fail to register on a scanner. In that case the body is scanned more widely, a different scanner is tried and, if needed, imaging confirms the position. A registered chip that cannot be read may require a new implant, with the document history reviewed separately.

Keeping the chip registered in the owner’s name with up-to-date contact details greatly improves the chance of return if the animal is lost.

Microchip readiness check

Results are informational; a definitive assessment requires examination.

Microchip checklist
CheckCompliantAt riskAction needed
Implantation orderBefore or same day as vaccinationImplanted after vaccinationThe process is replanned
StandardISO 11784/11785, 15 digitsDifferent frequency or unreadableScanner test, register check
ReadabilityDetected on every scanIntermittent detectionWider scan, imaging
Document matchSame number on passport and certificateNumber differs or missingDocument correction
Owner registrationCurrent contact detailsNo registration or outdatedRegistration update

Clinical Pathway

  1. Compare the microchip date with the vaccination date.
  2. Confirm the number is legible in the passport.
  3. Have the chip tested with a scanner at the clinic.
  4. Complete any missing documents before travel.

Frequently Asked Questions

I have no microchip. Is my vaccination still valid?

A microchip is mandatory for travel abroad. If it was implanted after vaccination, revaccination may be required, which is why the chip comes first.

Where can the microchip number be verified?

The number is verified from the implanting clinic’s records and the relevant database. The clinic confirms the number during document preparation.

Is microchipping painful?

It is placed under the skin by injection and takes only a moment. Short-lived sensitivity at the site is possible.

The information on this page is for general guidance and does not replace a physical examination.