# Do you give injectable or intranasal Bordetella to your dog?



## lgnutah (Feb 26, 2007)

I have been reading up on this vaccine as Brooks was coughing up some phlegmy stuff yesterday. He got the intranasal the first time he got the vaccine, but after that the injectable--just because the vets I used each had a different preference as to type. Here's something I found online:

This vaccination is available as an injectable or as a vaccine to be placed directly into the nose as nasal drops.

Advantages of Nasal Vaccination

There are several advantages to intranasal vaccination of bordetella. Some studies have shown that the nasal method of administration may result in quicker protection. The intranasal vaccine also is intended to protect the animal at the source of the infection, the upper airways.

Another advantage is that there is not an injection. This is particularly positive for those dogs that are very sensitive and find injection painful.

Disadvantage of Nasal Vaccination

Recent studies have questioned the effectiveness of the intranasal vaccine, especially when given to dogs that have either been previously vaccinated or have been exposed to bordetella. This recent study indicates that the nasal vaccine works well in a dog that has either never been vaccinated or has not had kennel cough. Future vaccinations should be injectable to provide protection. 

Another disadvantage is there may be some side effects following the nasal vaccine. Sneezing, mild cough and fever may develop 1 to 2 days following vaccination and usually resolves in 3 to 4 days. Some dogs do not like having drops placed in their nose and will strongly resist.

Recommendations

Due to the recently published study comparing injectable and nasal vaccines, it is currently recommended that the injectable vaccine be given. If desired, the nasal vaccine can be given the first time, followed by the injectable vaccine for future boosters. For all vaccines, it is important to vaccinate at least 5 days before potential exposure. Vaccines do not work immediately. It takes time for the body to respond to the vaccine, develop immunity and provide protection against the specific disease.


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## Pointgold (Jun 6, 2007)

I've always used intranasal. No problems.


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## Maggies mom (Jan 6, 2006)

Pointgold said:


> I've always used intranasal. No problems.


Same here.


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## CarolinaCasey (Jun 1, 2007)

Nasal is good for 6 months, requires no booster.

Injection is good for a year, requires a 1st time booster.


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## Loisiana (Jul 29, 2009)

I try to avoid giving it at all, but for the few times my dogs have had it it was intranasal


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## Florabora22 (Nov 30, 2008)

Flora hates the nasal one, so we use the injectable. She's a champ with needles.


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## jackie_hubert (Jun 2, 2010)

Just came home from the vet and our vet gave us some updates on this vaccine. Apparently he recently went to a vet conference and there was a talk on this vaccine. Apparently recent studies have shown the intranasal given at 12 weeks to be effective only for the first little while, requiring an injection booster at 16 weeks. 

He had a copy of the report and a graph showed that immunity drops of sharply as the dog nears 16 weeks. It also showed that if the puppy is given an injection instead at 12 weeks it is not as good at providing initial immunity as the intranasal. The report suggests intranasal at 12 weeks and then injection booster at 16 weeks. Then boosters every year (not sure whether intranasal or injection). Apparently this is going to become the norm at vets offices soon.

Sorry, don't have a reference for this study.


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## Megora (Jun 7, 2010)

Loisiana said:


> I try to avoid giving it at all


That's makes me feel a little better... I suppose this belongs to the 'bad owner' thread, but I skipped the shot this year. :uhoh:

I don't remember what they did when he was a puppy (intranasal?) but he got a shot last year, along with his other yearly shots. When he was a puppy, after he got whatever shots he needed (I had a schedule from the breeder that I gave my vet, they took him away from me to the inner lab/hospital area, gave whatever shots, gave him back and I paid the bills) he had a 'reverse sneeze' problem. Now I'm wondering if it was in relation to bordatella?


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## IowaGold (Nov 3, 2009)

Intranasal unless the dog is likely to eat my face!


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## hotel4dogs (Sep 29, 2008)

In a loose anecdotal study only of the boarding industry (we are NEUROTIC about kennel cough) we've found that the intranasal is much more effective in preventing or lessening the symptoms. It's only good for about 6 months.
The injected, while "alleged" to last longer, doesn't seem to in actual practice. Many to most of the dogs that contracted kennel cough at kennels (in our admittedly loose study) had had the injected vaccination 9 to 12 months prior to the exposure.
FWIW


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## Golden123 (Dec 6, 2009)

Sadie got the injection when she was a pup, just because she was going to puppy classes. Our Min Pin got the intranasel before we boarded her a couple years ago. Now she only gets it if we need to board her. Sadie will get the 1 year booster and that will probably be it.


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## Augustus McCrae's Mom (Aug 14, 2007)

Megora said:


> That's makes me feel a little better... I suppose this belongs to the 'bad owner' thread, but I skipped the shot this year. :uhoh:


I thought you really only needed the Bordetella vax if your dog was going to be boarded/in day care? I think I usually skip it for my guys (unless they need it to be boarded).


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## bizzy (Mar 30, 2007)

I don't vaccinate against it or would pick a boarding option that didn't require it. I think its as much of a crapshoot vaccine as the flu shot


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## Lennap (Jul 9, 2010)

Remy is a special needs boy and I feel less comfortable that he is getting the full benefit of vaccine with the nasal administration - so he gets the shot. 

He is in daycare, so he needs to have it!


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## AquaClaraCanines (Mar 5, 2006)

I don't give either, ever


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## Megora (Jun 7, 2010)

Augustus McCrae's Mom said:


> I thought you really only needed the Bordetella vax if your dog was going to be boarded/in day care? I think I usually skip it for my guys (unless they need it to be boarded).


In general - yeah. 

But my vet has been pushing me to have yearly shots because our dog is in dog class every week and I'm taking him to shows as much as I can for proofing before we start showing. 

I haven't been paying attention, especially since I'm at a training place where the vaccination isn't required beyond puppy class. At the previous place I trained at 10+ years ago, it _was_ required. 

With our previous goldens we did the bordatella shots every year while they were actively training/attending class. I was never sure if it helped at all, especially since there was one year when the guys (Sam and Dan) had a rough couple weeks with KC despite having the shot.


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## damita (Jun 4, 2009)

bizzy said:


> I don't vaccinate against it or would pick a boarding option that didn't require it. I think its as much of a crapshoot vaccine as the flu shot


Yup me too! In my 8 years of showing my dogs the only time we got Kennel cough in the house was from one of my vaccinated dogs picking it up at obedience classes...


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## Loisiana (Jul 29, 2009)

damita said:


> Yup me too! In my 8 years of showing my dogs the only time we got Kennel cough in the house was from one of my vaccinated dogs picking it up at obedience classes...


Once Colby picked up what I guess was a very very mild case. He would cough a couple of times about once an hour. The next day it was gone. And my dogs are constantly exposed at dog shows.

My friends who always keep up-to-date on the vaccine have had several cases with their dogs though.

I don't like giving my dogs any more vaccines, meds, etc than necessary, and so I figure I'd rather give those things for more serious conditions, rather than just what is basically a doggy cold. I think my dogs are healthy enough that if they were to catch KC they could fight it off just fine with no serious complications. If I felt like their immune systems weren't able to fight it off well, then they probably don't belong at places like dog shows where they could pick things like that up in the first place.

Of course that's just my personal theory and it's always possible I could be proven wrong. I just keep my fingers crossed that doesn't happen. :crossfing


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