MSD Animal Health has launched HomeAgain Thermochip, its new generation of identification microchip which incorporates a temperature biosensor and their HomeAgain Pet Recovery Database.
The HomeAgain Thermochip enables a pet’s subcutaneous temperature and microchip identification number to be read simultaneously using a compatible microchip reader.
The included HomeAgain Pet Recovery Database – which is free of charge – makes it easier for lost pets to be reunited with their owners, whatever microchip they may have.
Compliant with ISO standards and with proven temperature accuracy, the HomeAgain Thermochip is the only microchip on the market that combines identification and temperature monitoring.
It has been designed to work for the pet’s lifetime and brings a range of benefits. This includes the ability to track and monitor a pet’s temperature in a non-invasive stress-free way and supporting easier day-to-day in-clinic pet management.
Mr Michael Morrow, BSc, BVSc, MRCVS, director of St Vincents Veterinary Surgery in Wokingham, said: “[HomeAgain Thermochip is] incredibly useful in everyday practice, particularly when it comes to fractious cats or extremely nervous dogs, and it improves efficiency in consultations.
“We also use the Thermochip extensively during anaesthetic and post operative monitoring – with minimal handling.
Recent studies suggest that, akin to human health, a pet’s “normal” temperature is not a specific number.
Rather, it is a range of values that depend on numerous factors such as the time of day, the site of measurement, sex, breed, size, age, activity and stress levels.
The HomeAgain Thermochip allows the ability to take multiple temperature readings easily over time, thereby establishing a pet’s individual temperature range.
HomeAgain Thermochip has a pair of transistors built into the chip integrated circuit.
The transistors’ junction voltages are proportional to the temperature, and this is what allows the microchip to produce an output signal that is proportional to temperature. This signal is further converted to a digital value.
The SureSense reader and Global Pocket Reader Plus read the HomeAgain Thermochip and convert the digital value to its corresponding temperature value.
Jan Moehlenbrock, MSD Animal Health, managing director, UK and Ireland, said: “Through our research, we have found that temperature trends can be more useful than one-off readings and multiple temperature values collected regularly can build a more comprehensive picture of a pet’s health.
“This is where the Thermochip comes in.”
For animal identification, the microchip works in much the same way as other microchips.
Once the owner registers their pet’s microchip with a recovery database, their animal can – in theory – be traced if lost.
The reality is somewhat different, as often the owner’s contact details are out of date making it difficult to reunite pets with their worried owners.
MSD Animal Health aims to have the most comprehensive reunification platform through its DEFRA-compliant HomeAgain Pet Recovery Database. The service provides a multitude of benefits, including:
- A free database service, including registration, transfer of keepership and updates on contact details
- 24/7 UK-based support to help owners locate their pet if they go missing
- Regular automated prompts to encourage owners to keep their contact details up-to-date
- Ability to register multiple contacts against a microchip
- Offers safety and security with no sharing of data with third parties.
