Most delays at check-in come from a record that is fine today and expires next week. A two-minute read of the certificate prevents that.
The four-point check
- Name and owner: the pet's name and your name should match the booking.
- Vaccine names: look for rabies, distemper/parvo (often written DHPP or DAPP) and Bordetella, plus canine influenza if your dog has it.
- Date given: each line should show when the vaccine was given.
- Due or expiration date: each line should show when it runs out. Compare every one to your pick-up day.
Rabies: one year or three
The American Animal Hospital Association explains that licensed rabies vaccines for dogs come in one-year and three-year formulations, that puppies are first vaccinated at 3 months or older, and that a booster is recommended one year after the first dose. So a young dog's certificate often shows a one-year date even if the product label says three. The California Department of Public Health states that all dogs in California must be vaccinated against rabies.
If the rabies line has no expiration date, ask the clinic to add one, because the kennel needs to see that each vaccine stays current through the stay.
Bordetella and flu are separate lines
AAHA guidelines treat Bordetella and canine influenza as vaccines chosen by lifestyle, and they protect against different germs. Look for each on its own line. Note that AAHA says protection from Bordetella may last as short as about six months in some dogs and suggests dosing before boarding more often than once a year, so ask your veterinarian about the timing for your dog.
Canine influenza is a two-part series. Happy Paws accepts it after the first dose, with the booster due 3 to 4 weeks later, then yearly. The certificate should show both dates once the booster is given. Send the updated record after the booster. The canine influenza page has more.
A worked example
Say your dog stays from a Friday to the following Sunday, and the rabies line expires on the Saturday between them. That record would lapse during the stay, so the kennel needs a new certificate first. The same is true for a Bordetella dose due mid-stay. Check every line, not only the first.
When the certificate is clear, upload it with the booking request. Step-by-step upload and email options are on the sending records page, and the full list is in the vaccination requirements. If your clinic gave you a titer result instead, see titer tests and call 707-678-6600.