A prescindere dal voler accudire questo cane, controlliamo il microchip.

It means regardless of, irrespective of, or setting aside.

In this sentence, it introduces something that does not change the action in the main clause. So the idea is:

• whether or not we want to care for the dog,
• we should still check the microchip.

It is a fairly common expression, but it can sound a bit more formal than everyday alternatives such as anche se or che... o no.

Because two things are happening at once:

• a prescindere da requires the preposition da
• il voler accudire is treated like a noun phrase

So:

• da + il = dal
• il voler accudire literally means something like the wanting to care for

That gives:

• a prescindere dal voler accudire questo cane

Italian often allows an infinitive to behave like a noun, especially in more formal or abstract language.

Yes. That is a normal feature of Italian.

An infinitive can function like a noun, and when that happens it can take an article:

• il mangiare
• il sapere
• il vedere

Here, il voler accudire is a nominalized infinitive phrase. It does not mean a concrete noun like desire exactly, but something close to the fact of wanting to care for or the wish to care for.

This kind of structure is more common in formal, written, or abstract Italian than in casual conversation.

Voler is the shortened infinitive form of volere when it comes before another infinitive.

This happens quite often with modal verbs:

• voler fare
• poter dire
• dover partire

In modern Italian, this shorter form is especially common in somewhat formal or compact phrasing. In a structure like il voler accudire, voler sounds natural and idiomatic.

Accudire means to look after, to care for, to tend to.

It is often used for:

• animals
• children
• elderly people
• someone who needs practical care

So accudire questo cane means to take care of this dog.

A useful point for learners: accudire is transitive, so it takes a direct object:

• accudire un cane
• accudire un bambino

You do not need a preposition like di after it.

Because the first-person plural present tense in Italian can be used as an exhortation or suggestion.

So controlliamo can mean:

• we check in a neutral statement
• let’s check in a context like this one

Here it clearly sounds like a proposal or decision, so let’s check the microchip is the natural reading.

This is very common in Italian:

• Andiamo = let’s go
• Vediamo = let’s see
• Aspettiamo = let’s wait

Because Italian usually omits subject pronouns when the verb ending already makes the subject clear.

The ending -iamo tells you the subject is we.

So:

• controlliamo already means we check / let’s check

You could say noi controlliamo, but that would add emphasis or contrast, for example:

• Noi controlliamo il microchip, voi fate il resto

Without emphasis, leaving out noi is the normal choice.

Because in standard Italian, demonstratives like questo and quello normally replace the article instead of combining with it.

So you say:

• questo cane
• quel cane
• questa casa

not:

• il questo cane

So questo cane simply means this dog.

It sounds a bit formal and slightly written in style.

The main reasons are:

• a prescindere da is somewhat formal
• il voler + infinitive is also more formal or abstract than everyday speech

A more conversational version might be:

• Che lo vogliamo accudire o no, controlliamo il microchip
• Anche se non vogliamo occuparci di questo cane, controlliamo il microchip

So the original sentence is grammatical and understandable, but it is not the most casual way to say it.

It is mainly about the intention, wish, or decision to care for the dog.

In other words, the sentence is not focusing on the actual act of caring for the dog. It is focusing on whether we want to do that.

So the sense is:

• regardless of whether we intend to take care of this dog,
• let’s check the microchip first.

That is why voler is important here: it shifts the meaning toward wanting rather than simply doing.

Yes, the comma is natural and helpful.

The phrase A prescindere dal voler accudire questo cane is an introductory element that sets the frame for the main clause. The comma separates that introductory phrase from the main action:

• A prescindere dal voler accudire questo cane, controlliamo il microchip.

Without the comma, the sentence would still probably be understood, but it would be less clear and less polished.

Microchip is masculine:

• il microchip

Its plural is:

• i microchip

The word is basically invariable in form, so the article changes, not the noun itself:

• il microchip
• i microchip

So in the sentence, controlliamo il microchip means let’s check the microchip.