The kennel's vaccination page names three ways to give the Bordetella vaccine. Owners often want to know if one counts more than the others for boarding. Here is the plain answer, and what to ask your vet.
What the kennel says
The kennel's page says the Bordetella vaccine can be given by injection or intranasally and that an oral vaccine has more recently been developed. The requirement is the same for all three: a current Bordetella vaccination on record. It also says that booster frequency for these different types of vaccines is something to discuss with your veterinarian.
So there is no preferred method at the front desk. The record needs a date, a product and a vet's stamp, and the date needs to cover the whole stay.
How the three types differ
Intranasal means a few drops or a spray in the nose. Oral means a liquid given by mouth into the cheek. An injection goes under the skin. The American Animal Hospital Association's canine guidelines treat the Bordetella vaccine as noncore, a vaccine chosen for dogs with exposure risk, and describe the different products and their intervals. The details of each product, including how soon protection starts and how often a booster is due, are set by the manufacturer and your vet.
- Injection: a shot under the skin, given at the vet.
- Intranasal: drops or spray in the nose.
- Oral: a liquid given into the cheek.
- All three appear on records and all three count at Happy Paws.
Questions to ask your veterinarian
Ask which type fits your dog's temperament and health, how long the vaccine lasts, and what date to put on the record. A dog that dislikes having its face handled may be easier to vaccinate by injection, while a dog that dislikes needles may do better with a nasal or oral product. This is exactly the kind of choice the clinic is there for, and the kennel does not tell owners which to pick.
What none of them does
No Bordetella vaccine covers every cause of kennel cough. The kennel's page says plainly that many respiratory viruses and bacteria are not in the vaccine, and an occasional outbreak can happen even in a clean, well-run kennel. Read what kennel cough is for more. For the basics, see the main Bordetella page and the glossary entry.