Personally, I would put veterinary advice from an employee at a boarding kennel in the same category as pediatric medical advise from an employee at a day care center. In other words, you can’t know the background and experience of that person and/or what personal prejudices might be contributing to their opinion.
That said, there is some legitimate controversy over whether the Bordetella vaccine is protective and necessary. Since there are numerous strains of bacteria that can cause illnesses under the broad umbrella of “Bordetella,” dogs can still get “Bordetella” even if they’re vaccinated. Plus, most Bordetella illnesses are mild and easily treatable. On the other hand, since most dogs get the vaccine via a nasal spray rather than an injection, most side effects are mild, too.
Bottom line, it’s something I always consider on a case by case basis. Two of my dogs have never had a Bordetella vaccine, because I’ve never considered it necessary. Jax did get a nasal Bordetella vaccine when he was about four months old, because he was very small (and I thought probably more susceptible because of his size) and I was hoping to find a puppy class for him. But then the pandemic hit, and I didn’t see any point in getting a booster six months later, since we basically never go anywhere. I didn’t really consider the question of boarding, though, since I had someone lined up to take care of animals if I got sick. |