Home

>

Dog

>

Health & Wellbeing

>

What Vaccinations Does My Dog Need Before Going to Daycare?

What Vaccinations Does My Dog Need Before Going to Daycare?

Updated On November 8th, 2018

Image profile

Reviewed By Dr. Chris Pinard

Vaccines are utilized as a preventive measure in both pets and people and stimulate the immune system to help fight infection in the event of future exposure. In dogs, vaccines can provide protection against bacterial organisms (such as Leptospirosis) or viruses (such as rabies). In a [daycare setting](https://www.petcoach.co/article/how-to-find-the-right-daycare-for-your-dog), it is common for pets to play together and therefore, many facilities have rules and regulations surrounding the vaccination status of your pet.

**Vaccines Required for Dog Daycare**

The [vaccinations your veterinarian](https://www.petcoach.co/article/everything-you-should-know-about-pet-vaccines) will recommend are dependent on your geographic location, as disease prevalence varies by area. The mandatory vaccines that should be administered in your area are called core vaccines, which typically include a combination of vaccines against canine distemper, parainfluenza, parvovirus, adenovirus and rabies.

These vaccines are considered non-optional because of the severity of illness associated with these diseases. Professional groomers will often also [require these vaccinations](https://www.petcoach.co/article/what-vaccinations-does-my-dog-need-before-going-to-the-groomer) before you bring your dog in for his first appointment.

**Optional Daycare Vaccinations**

Some vaccines aren’t considered to be core vaccines but are still generally recommended for your pet. Exposure to these diseases are typically more lifestyle dependent (i.e. Will you be boarding your pet this year? Will your dog have exposure to other dogs or animals? If you are bringing your dog to daycare, the answer here is yes.), as well as location dependent. Some commonly-discussed additional vaccines are those for Leptospirosis, [Lyme disease](https://www.petcoach.co/article/lyme-disease-borreliosis-in-dogs/) and [Bordetella](https://www.petcoach.co/article/kennel-cough-infectious-tracheobronchitis-in-dogs/), also known as kennel cough.

Bordetella is one of the most [commonly-required vaccinations](https://www.petcoach.co/article/does-your-dog-need-the-kennel-cough-vaccine) prior to enrollment in doggy daycare. Kennel cough is highly contagious and passes easily from dog to dog. Common routes of transmission are by cough and nose-to-nose contact, both of which can be seen in a daycare environment. Administration of this vaccine is not fully protective, however, the vaccine greatly reduces the chance of infection and reduces the severity of disease in pets that contract kennel cough.

It is important that you discuss your pet’s lifestyle with your veterinarian so he or she is able to accurately assess the risk of exposure to these infections.

In general, the safety of these vaccines has been tested extensively with little side effects reported. The most commonly-observed side effects are swelling or discomfort at the injection site. Lethargy (being quieter than usual) can be seen after some vaccines. Some patients can have an allergic reaction and require treatment, although most pets do not have overt reactions to vaccines. If you notice any changes after vaccine administration, you should contact your veterinarian immediately.

**Other Tests Recommended for Daycare**

Fecal samples are also generally recommended prior to or after exposure to other dogs in a daycare setting. This is due to the fact that dogs routinely get into things they shouldn’t (like other dog’s feces) and can subsequently develop parasitic infections that are easily transmitted to others. Many parasites are contracted through direct ingestion of eggs (by eating feces), so routine testing can be beneficial to ensure your pet hasn’t been exposed to nor harboring a disease that could be transmitted to other pets.

Your veterinarian will likely recommend performing a simple fecal flotation. This involves bringing in a small sample of your pet’s feces in a bag. The feces is then evaluated for the presence of any eggs (called oocysts) that indicate active parasitic infection. This is a simple and cost-effective test that can ensure your pet is healthy prior to or after returning home from daycare.

Vote icon

6Pet Parents found this article helpful

Related Questions

My dog I heated uses tampon is it an emergency

Unfortunately I'm having a little trouble understand your question as I'm not sure what you mean by "My dog I heated uses tampons..." I'm wondering if Bella ate a tampon or if you wanted to use one on her while she is in heat. I will answer both to be safe. If she ate a tampon, then yes this is a medical emergency and she has to see a vet now. Tampons can easily cause obstructions in the GI tract, especially since they are absorbent and can get large in the stomach from liquid in there. if Bella ate a tampon, you need to take her into a vet immediately to get it removed. If she is on heat, no you cannot use a tampon to control her bleeding. It's not safe to use at all, and are not meant for dogs. You can put a diaper on her to catch any bloody discharge. There are dog specific diapers online and at pets stores, or you can use one made of a human child. Just cut a hole in it for her tail. Hopefully this answers your question. If it doesn't, I'm sorry and ask you post again in the forum for free to it can get answered!

Read More

I have a cat that as a kitten was very ill. We got him from 7 months old. We knew he’d had cat flu prior to him coming here. He is now nearly 5 yrs old. He picks huge fights with our other cat. He keeps urinating and scratching at doors and windows around the house. We allow him to go out via the cat flap unlimited. What is happening to him

I'm glad to see that Pippin has been neutered because this eliminates that possibility of hormone-fueled behavioral changes and aggression. Behavioral changes in cats can occur at any point in time, and could be related to anxiety or stressful situations (even rearranging furniture or introducing new people to the home can be stressful to cats). Without a lot more information and observing Pippin's behaviors, I can't precisely tell you why these changes are occurring. It may be best to consult a veterinary behaviorist in your home so that they can observe everything firsthand. You can also try using calming pheromone collars or diffusers (Feliway is one example), and discussing the use of anxiety medication with Pippin's vet. I hope that all goes well!

Read More

Hi! My cat was recently diagnosed with diabetes. He’s taking insulin and taking antibiotics for a Uti. It’s been 4 weeks and he wobles when he’s walking. He can’t jump up on the bed like he used to.He’s blood sugar is 250 it’s better than it used to. I don’t understand why he’s so wobbly.

Cats can develop what's called diabetic neuropathy, where their hindlegs become progressively weak. The best thing to do is try to get his diabetes under control as quickly as possible. Here is a link describing the conditon: http://www.diabeticcatcare.com/DCCCOK/Neuropathy.htm

Read More

My senior cat has metastized cancer.17 yrs old. My vet gave her predizone1 and one half tabs a day.i wanted to know if i can just stop the meds.

Is there a reason you want to stop the prednisone? I would recommend not stopping it and if you feel it is better to stop the prednisone then I would recommend weaning off of the prednisone. I would discuss how to wean the prednisone with your veterinarian. Thank you for using Boop by Petco.

Read More

My dog has an ear infection

Sorry to hear Marley isn't doing so well with his ears. It is not possible to tell from tge picture tve exact nature of the irritation but if it is indeed infected (typically red, hot, painful and smelly), he will need prescription medication from his regular vet. In the meantime I recommend gently cleaning tge outer war with cotton wool and a pet safe ear cleaner to reduce the build up of wax/discharge

Read More

My dog vomited a pinkish colour. Does this look like blood vomit? She doesn’t have diarrhoea or anything else. Yesterday i fed her plain chicken with rice.

That is very red vomit, however, this color could be linked to a number of things including blood in the vomit, inflammation of the GI tract, having chewed on a toy this color, eaten a food item this color, or gotten into a plant or other item this color. If the vomiting continues, worsens, or other symptoms appear such as a painful or bloated abdomen, diarrhea or blood in the stool, or severe distress, I would schedule a veterinary appointment right away to rule out more severe issues. In the meantime I would continue the bland diet for 24 hours, and monitor for any additional vomiting or illness symptoms.

Read More

image

Have a Vet Question?

Book an appointment with the pros – our expert vets are here to help.

Book Now

Filed Under

Sponsored