Socialization Opportunities At Dog Day Care

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What Vaccinations Are Needed For Dog Daycare?
Many boarding facilities have specific vaccination requirements to protect the health of all dogs in their care. Some pups may have mild reactions to vaccinations, like a little soreness or temporary fatigue, but these are usually short-lived.

Once puppies complete their core puppy vaccination schedule, they should be on a regular adult dog booster schedule, which includes a combination of DHPP and Rabies vaccines, as well as Bordetella (kennel cough) and Leptospirosis vaccinations.

Rabies
Puppies need to have their rabies vaccines before they can join daycare or boarding facilities. The rabies vaccination protects dogs from a deadly virus that spreads through the saliva of infected animals.

Leptospirosis vaccines protect against a bacteria that can cause severe kidney or liver failure in dogs and humans. It’s also a zoonotic disease, meaning it can spread from animals to people.

The DHPP (Distemper, Hepatitis, Leptospirosis, Parainfluenza and Parvovirus) vaccination is essential for dogs who spend time in boarding and daycare facilities. The DHPP vaccine is usually given to puppies between 6 and 16 weeks of age with boosters every 1-3 years.

Distemper
Most boarding and daycare facilities require all dogs be up-to-date on their DHPP (distemper, parvovirus, adenovirus) vaccinations. A Bordetella vaccine is also crucial, which helps prevent kennel cough—a highly contagious respiratory illness that spreads easily in boarding and daycare settings.

A leptospirosis vaccine is also recommended, since this bacterial infection can infect the liver and kidneys of both people and dogs. It spreads through contact with contaminated soil and water. Because of the nature of these spaces, dog boarding and daycare facilities have strict vaccination policies to maintain pet safety standards.

Parvovirus
Vaccination protects both individual dogs and the environment of boarding facilities, which typically house a number of them at one time. Core vaccines like rabies, distemper, and parvovirus are required for boarding and help create a safe space free of disease outbreaks.

When infected, canine parvovirus attacks rapidly dividing cells in the intestinal tract and weakens immune function by depleting white blood cell numbers. Many untreated dogs die of dehydration or blood infection (septicemia), but treatment drastically improves survival rates.

Adenovirus
Some dogs can be a risk to other pups when they are sick, and some diseases spread quickly in shared environments like daycares and boarding facilities. For this reason, core vaccinations (Rabies, Distemper, Parvovirus, and Adenovirus) are typically required to prevent the spread of contagious disease.

Adenoviruses spread through direct contact with an infected person or animal and indirect contact via droplets from coughs and sneezes. They can also spread through contaminated water and food and through infected feces. These viruses can cause infection of the gastrointestinal tract, upper respiratory tract, and the bladder, and may even affect the nervous system.

Bordetella
Vaccinations help keep your dog safe and healthy. While some dogs experience mild reactions to vaccinations, these are generally much less serious than the symptoms of the diseases they protect against.

The vaccine prevents an infection caused by Bordetella bronchiseptica, or kennel cough. This bacteria can cause inflammation of the upper respiratory tract, which causes a cough and can predispose your dog to secondary bacterial infections.

While kennel cough is not fatal, it can be very uncomfortable for young puppies and elderly or immunocompromised dogs, and can lead to pneumonia in these groups. Vaccination is a safe and effective way to prevent kennel cough and other infectious diseases.

Canine Influenza
Vaccinations work to build immunity over time by encouraging your pet’s immune system to produce antibodies. Although CIV vaccines don’t completely prevent infection, they significantly reduce symptoms and the amount of shedding during contagious periods.

Keeping up with core vaccinations like rabies, distemper, and parvovirus is essential for dogs who frequently visit boarding facilities or dog parks. Non-core vaccines boarding dog include Bordetella (kennel cough) and leptospirosis shots, both of which are recommended if your dog will be interacting with other dogs in group settings. The DHPP combo shot (distemper, hepatitis, leptospirosis, and parainfluenza) is also an important vaccine to consider.

Lyme Disease
Dogs at boarding and daycare facilities often interact closely, sharing water bowls, playing together, and sniffing each other. As a result, they are at higher risk for contracting respiratory diseases like canine influenza and kennel cough (Bordetella and parainfluenza).

Vaccines work by introducing a safe form of disease-causing germ to your pet's immune system, priming it to recognize and combat the real thing should it ever encounter it. This explains why herd immunity is so important: when enough dogs in a group are vaccinated, everyone is protected.

It's also worth noting that vaccines sometimes cause minor side effects, such as pain or swelling at the injection site. If these symptoms persist, contact your veterinarian.
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