No doggie day care? Bordetella vaccines may be worth it anyway
How a pro-vaxxer learned a valuable doggie day care lesson about being an anti-vaxxer for dogs
Until the worldwide pandemic in 2020, I never realized how much of a hypocrite I was when it came to vaccines. I couldn’t have been more aggravated by the amount of family members who flew into my hometown to see my parents, knowing how contagious COVID-19 was (is). A face mask and hand washing was just not doing the trick when it came to the uptick in positive results.
I shook my head and wished everybody would just stay home — even though I was on the condo board and constantly making physical content (from six feet away) with contractors. (I justified socially distanced contact with necessary repairs, not leisure visits though.)
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Each year, I got the Moderna vaccine and am still one of few people I know who never got COVID-19. Anti-vaxxer? Not me. Then, I adopted Junee in 2021. So one would probably believe that I wouldn’t miss a beat to approve my dog getting the Bordetella vaccine. The truth? I opted out one year.
I was told that the Bordetella bronchiseptica vaccine protects dogs against the primary bacterium responsible for kennel cough. A dog with the Bordetella vaccine reduces the risk and severity of upper respiratory infections, including hacking coughs, nasal discharge and sneezing.
So why did I turn it down? My dog is antisocial at dog parks and would much rather steal all the tennis balls and bury them instead of playing with other dogs. I work from home, so dog boarding is a nonexistent expense. And I clip her nails, bathe her and clean her ears myself.
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So wouldn’t it be pointless to pay for a Bordetella vaccine for a dog who needs none of the above from outsiders? The answer: No.
Why? Post-COVID, I still hadn’t taken into consideration other dogs I walk occasionally with Junee (my own dog), other dogs who visit doggie day care or dogs who stay at my home (or doggie day care) overnight. Similar to COVID-19, just because you are less risky doesn’t mean your social circle’s whereabouts aren’t vulnerable areas — and that’s not even including Chicago’s recent rabies scare in doggie day care.