Our Vaccine and Facility Health Policy
SONORAN CANINE CO.
Vaccination & Health Policy
Every dog in our daycare or boarding program must be fully vaccinated, fecal-negative, and at least 6 months old. Group play puts many dogs in shared air, water bowls, and floors, so one unprotected dog raises the risk for every dog and person in the building. We follow the guidelines of the American Animal Hospital Association (AAHA) and peer-reviewed veterinary research, listed at the end of this policy.
Requirements
| Requirement | Daycare | Boarding |
|---|---|---|
| Age | Over 6 months | Over 6 months |
| Spay/neuter | Required | Not required |
| Rabies | Required | Required |
| Distemper combination | Required, series complete | Required, series complete |
| Leptospirosis | Required, series complete | Required, series complete |
| Bordetella | Required | Required |
| Canine influenza (H3N8/H3N2) | Required, series complete | Required, series complete |
| Fecal test | Negative, within 6 months | Negative, within 6 months |
- Series rule: Any vaccine given as a series must be fully completed before your dog attends. One dose of a two-dose vaccine does not count, and your dog is treated as unvaccinated for that disease.
- Waiting period: The final dose of each series must be given at least 14 days before your dog's first visit.
- Lapsed vaccines: If a booster has lapsed, your veterinarian may need to restart the series. We follow your vet's records.
- Puppies under 6 months: Welcome for grooming only, after 2 distemper vaccines. All required vaccines must be finished by 6 months of age.
- Proof: Records must come from your veterinarian and show each vaccine's name and the dates given.
Why we require the full series
The first dose of a series only primes the immune system; protection starts after the final dose. A dog with one dose is not considered protected by any guideline we follow.
- Canine influenza: Dogs are not protected until at least 2 weeks after the second dose. If the second dose is not given within 6 weeks of the first, the series must restart (Oklahoma State University CVM). LA County Public Health advises waiting 2 weeks after the second dose before entering daycare or boarding (LA County).
- Leptospirosis: AAHA calls for two initial doses, 2 to 4 weeks apart. The vaccine study we cite measured protection starting 2 weeks after the second dose (Minke et al., 2009). The 2023 ACVIM consensus lists inadequately vaccinated dogs among those still getting the disease (ACVIM 2023).
- No partial credit: We found no study showing that a single dose of either vaccine protects a dog in a group setting.
Why each requirement matters
| Requirement | Why it matters in group care | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Rabies | Rabies can pass to people. Virginia law requires every dog 4 months and older to be currently vaccinated by a licensed veterinarian. | Code of Virginia § 3.2-6521 |
| Distemper combination | AAHA lists distemper, adenovirus and parvovirus as core vaccines for all dogs. Distemper is also one of the causes of kennel cough. | AAHA, Merck Vet Manual |
| Leptospirosis | AAHA now lists it as core. It can pass to people through urine. A 2021 Los Angeles outbreak tied to dog daycares sickened more than 200 dogs, and about 95% of reported cases were unvaccinated. | AAHA, UC Davis, LA County |
| Bordetella | A leading cause of kennel cough, which spreads rapidly among dogs in daycare and boarding. It is more likely to cause disease on its own in dogs under 6 months. | Merck Vet Manual |
| Canine influenza (H3N8/H3N2) | Infected dogs spread it 2 days before they show signs and for 21 days or more after, even once they look healthy. Checking dogs at the door cannot catch it. | LA County |
| Fecal test every 6 months | The Companion Animal Parasite Council (CAPC) recommends screening adult dogs at least twice a year. Healthy-looking dogs can carry intestinal parasites with no signs. | AKC summary of CAPC, IDEXX |
No vaccine is 100% effective, so full vaccination of every dog also protects the dogs whose own vaccines did not fully take.
Resources
Peer-reviewed
- Sykes JE et al. 2023 Updated ACVIM consensus statement on leptospirosis in dogs. J Vet Intern Med 37(6):1966-1982.
- Sykes JE et al. 2010 ACVIM Small Animal Consensus Statement on Leptospirosis. J Vet Intern Med.
- Minke JM et al. Onset and duration of protective immunity against clinical disease and renal carriage in dogs provided by a bi-valent inactivated leptospirosis vaccine. Vet Microbiol 2009;137(1-2):137-45.
- Sykes JE et al., study of the 2021 Los Angeles daycare leptospirosis outbreak, J Clin Microbiol, May 2026 (UC Davis summary).
Veterinary guidelines and public health
- AAHA 2022 Canine Vaccination Guidelines (2024 update)
- AAHA: Leptospirosis vaccination now core
- Merck Veterinary Manual: Kennel Cough
- Oklahoma State University CVM: Canine Influenza Update (April 2023)
- LA County Veterinary Public Health: Canine Influenza H3N2
- LA County Animal Health Advisory: Leptospirosis Outbreak (Sept 2021)
- Code of Virginia § 3.2-6521 (rabies)
- AKC: Dog Fecal Tests (CAPC recommendation)
Questions about your dog's records? Reach out to our front desk before your first visit.