Pets not only need good food, but proper healthcare

By T. Sima Gunawan

JAKARTA (JP): Jacko loves rice and meat. In fact, he loves both so much that he doesn't mind having the same menu every day. This is not surprising at all, because Jacko is a bulldog.

"He eats two plates of rice and two ounces of meat every day," Jacko's owner, Ida Sunar Indarti, said.

In addition, Jacko also takes a multivitamin pill daily. Once a month, Ida, a veterinary surgeon, gives him one injection to strengthen his muscles and another to make his hair grow better. Once every two months, Jacko receives an antiflea shot. To keep him clean, Ida bathes the dog once a week.

"Basically, that is what your pets need to stay healthy," Ida said.

But for some people, that's not enough. They also groom their pets, especially the ones that have long hair like poodles or Pekinese.

Even though Ida, who has been practicing veterinary surgery since 1980, does not groom the bulldog, she offers a grooming service for her clients' pets. In 1992, she opened the Anyelir Grooming Salon in her spacious house in Cijantung, East Jakarta "to meet the clients' demand". The service, which costs Rp 30,000, includes bathing and nail cutting.

"Cats also need bathing," Ida said.

Pak Mochtar, the grooming specialist, does not have any problem handling a small dog, but he could use the help of an assistant when the "costumer" is big and heavy. More effort is required when pets resist.

"They often bite me, but not seriously. I have never been really attacked by the pets," Pak Mochtar said.

"You must not be hesitant when handling a dog," he said.

For busy pet owners, a pickup and delivery service is also available. This service not only applies to the animals which will be groomed, but is also for pets who need check-ups or medical treatment.

The grooming salon is open from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m., but the clinic is open 24 hours.

Ida is assisted by two other veterinary surgeons, a grooming specialist, two paramedics and two drivers.

Between 10 and 15 pets are treated at the clinic each day. Most of the patients are dogs and cats; the others include cows, horses, birds, monkeys and iguanas.

"In the past two years, I've handled many iguanas with various problems. For example, they would not eat, they had skin problems, or in some cases, their tails were broken," she said.

Iguanas became popular as a pet in Indonesia only a few years ago.

She charges between Rp 15,000 and Rp 35,000 per treatment. The cost could exceed Rp 200,000 for surgery. For example, one has to pay Rp 250,000 for their dog's vasectomy.

"It's the anesthesia that is expensive," Ida said.

Taking care of pets can be expensive. According to Ida, one has to spend between Rp 50,000 and Rp 100,000 a month to feed and care for a small dog, and up to Rp 400,000 for big dogs like Dobermans or German Shepherds.

"This does not include the clothes the pets wear at beauty contests," said Ida, who organized a dog contest last year.

She displayed several pieces of modest-quality dog shirts made in Singapore and Thailand, which cost Rp 90,000 each.

Care center

Ida not only runs a clinic and a grooming salon, but also a care center that can accommodate 20 dogs.

But not any pet can be put under Ida's care.

"We only accept pets which have been vaccinated," Ida said.

She said a dog has to receive five different vaccinations, for rabies, distemper, hepatitis, leptospirosis and parvo.

"Vaccination is a must because once a dog is attacked by a virus, it will surely die. This is not the case with human beings. If you haven't received a vaccination, you might survive after being infected with the virus, but dogs won't," she said.

People who want to send their pets to the care center have to pay between Rp 15,000 and Rp 30,000 per pet per night. This includes meals and a walking service in the morning and afternoon.

"But some of my clients bring their own food for the cats they send here, especially Japanese," Ida said.

There are three kinds of pet food: dried food, canned food and fresh food. Ida said the pets would receive the same kind of food they got at home.

A dog that eats fresh food every day will not accept dried or canned food, while dogs that eat dried or canned food will take fresh food, according to Ida.

"Once a dog eats fresh food, it will not eat other kinds of food. Therefore, it is important to ask the owner what kind of food the dog eats at home," Ida explained.

Even though her only dog, Jacko, eats fresh food, this does not necessarily mean that fresh food is better than canned or dried food. Ida said dried or canned food might be better than fresh food in the sense that they contain every substance the pet needs, as recommended by experts.

"I received Jacko as a gift from a friend about three months ago. At that time, Jacko had been used to fresh food. Therefore, I have to give him similar food. Otherwise, he won't eat," she said.

One of Ida's clients, Zulkifli, has a family of five cats. The parents are seven and three years old respectively, while the kittens are each three years old. Their main menu is tongkol (tuna fish). For practical reasons, he also gives them dried food. "But they prefer fresh food. One of them even refuses to eat dried food," he said.

He spends Rp 50,000 monthly for dried food and Rp 100,000 for fresh tuna fish for the cats.

Although he doesn't groom them, he pays full attention to their health. When a cat itches, he immediately takes it to Ida to have its ears cleaned. Once a year, the cats receive rabies, hepatitis and parvo vaccinations. Zulkifli, an employee of a private company, paid Rp 90,000 for the three vaccinations for each cat.

For Zulkifli, money doesn't matter.

"I regard them as part of my family," said the man, who is still a bachelor.