A 3-step pet health plan

There are many dangers to your pet in Bali, from cats drinking from water contaminated with organophosphate pesticides, to dogs being snatched and sold for meat in Warung RW's. As a pet owner, all you can do is be vigilant and use whatever preventative healthcare is available to keep your pet safe.

Pets that are not up to date with their vaccinations run a serious risk of contracting one of the nasty viral diseases that are common in Bali - particularly parvovirus and distemper virus. These are often fatal. Others, such as kennel cough, are not fatal but cause a very unpleasant hacking cough that can last for several weeks if untreated.

Intestinal worms are also very common in Bali's dog population. With dogs having the freedom to scavenge on the street, and so many stray dogs passing faeces in public areas which is not cleaned up, the likelihood of your dog picking up worms (usually roundworms or tapeworms) is high if you do not protect your dog with a broad spectrum veterinary dewormer every 3 months. Many of the common de-wormers you find in pet shops do not kill all of the different types of worm, so it is better to use a product recommended by a vet such as Drontal Plus.

External parasites are also rife in Bali, particularly sarcoptic and demodectic mange (scabies and demodex). Scabies is extremely contagious and causes intense itchiness leading to self-mutilation. Furthermore, it is transmissable to humans. Ticks are also very common and can transmit other diseases that can be life threatening to your dog. The best way to ensure your dog never gets scabies, ticks and fleas is to apply a pipette of Revolution spot-on to the back of his/her neck once a month.

At Sunset Vet, we have bundled these together to form our recommended '3-Step Pet Health Plan' to keep your pet (and yourself) protected.