Why Bordetella Is ‘Highly Recommended’ But Not Mandatory

The Terms and Conditions at Vroom Grooms LLC list three vaccinations as required: Rabies, DHPP (Distemper, Hepatitis, Paravovirus, Parainfluenza), and Bordetella. Bordetella is not technically mandatory, but it is highly recommended. Here is why Bordetella is on the list but is not enforced the same way as Rabies and DHPP, and why you should still get it for your dog.

What Bordetella Protects Against

Bordetella bronchiseptica is the primary bacterial cause of kennel cough, a highly contagious respiratory infection in dogs. Kennel cough is not usually fatal in healthy adult dogs, but it is extremely unpleasant. The cough can last for weeks. The dog is contagious to other dogs for the duration of the infection. Secondary pneumonia is a real risk in puppies, senior dogs, and dogs with compromised immune systems.

The Bordetella vaccine reduces the risk of infection and reduces the severity of symptoms if your dog does get infected. It does not provide 100% protection because kennel cough can be caused by multiple pathogens, not just Bordetella. But it is the most important piece of the prevention puzzle, and it is what most boarding facilities, groomers, doggy daycares, and training classes require.

Why It Is Not Mandatory at Vroom Grooms

The reason Bordetella is “highly recommended” but not mandatory is that the consequences of an unvaccinated dog coming into the van are different from Rabies or DHPP. A dog with Bordetella gets kennel cough. It is uncomfortable, it is contagious, and it requires treatment, but it is rarely life-threatening in a healthy adult dog. A dog with Rabies or Parvovirus can die, and an unvaccinated dog with Parvo can contaminate the van for months.

The risk profile is different, so the policy is different. I require Rabies and DHPP because the consequences of skipping them are severe. I recommend Bordetella because the consequences of skipping it are manageable but real, and I would rather every dog on my route be protected against kennel cough than have one dog become a carrier that exposes the others.

Why You Should Still Get It

Even though Bordetella is not mandatory at Vroom Grooms, it is mandatory at most boarding facilities, doggy daycares, dog parks, training classes, and other groomers. If your dog ever needs to be boarded unexpectedly, or if you ever want to take advantage of doggy daycare, or if your dog plays at the dog park, the Bordetella vaccine is going to come up.

More importantly, kennel cough is miserable. If your dog gets it, you are looking at multiple vet visits, multiple rounds of antibiotics, a cough that keeps your dog (and you) up at night, and a quarantine period where your dog cannot be around other dogs. The Bordetella vaccine is a quick, inexpensive way to avoid all of that.

The vaccine is usually given as a nasal spray or an injection. The nasal spray version provides faster immunity (within a few days), which is helpful if you need protection quickly. The injection version takes longer to build immunity but lasts longer. Your vet can help you decide which version is right for your dog.

When Bordetella Becomes Required

There are situations where I will require Bordetella even though it is not technically mandatory in the standard Terms:

– If there has been a kennel cough outbreak on the route. If I have had a dog come through with kennel cough, I will require Bordetella for every dog that comes into the van afterward, because the risk of transmission is too high to leave it as a recommendation.

– If your dog is at high risk. If your dog is elderly, immune-compromised, or has a history of respiratory issues, I will require Bordetella even though it is normally optional. The risk of serious complications from kennel cough is higher in these dogs.

– If your dog boards or socializes with other dogs. Dogs who spend time in close quarters with other dogs are at higher risk for kennel cough. I will require Bordetella for these dogs as a practical matter, even if it is not in the Terms.

These are case-by-case decisions, and I will tell you in advance if Bordetella becomes required for your dog.

What About the Cost

The Bordetella vaccine is one of the cheaper vaccines. Most vets charge $20 to $40 for the injection version and $30 to $50 for the nasal spray version. Many low-cost vaccine clinics offer it for under $20. If your dog is already going to the vet for Rabies or DHPP boosters, adding Bordetella usually adds less than $30 to the visit.

For the protection it provides and the hassle it saves, it is one of the best values in preventive veterinary care.

The Bottom Line

Bordetella is “highly recommended” because it protects against a common, contagious, unpleasant disease. It is not mandatory in the standard Terms because the consequences of skipping it are manageable. But you should still get it for your dog. The cost is low, the protection is real, and the alternative is a miserable dog with a weeks-long cough that puts other dogs at risk. Talk to your vet. Get the vaccine. Your dog will be healthier for it.

Stay fresh and furry, Nicole / Vroom Grooms LLC