
By Dr. John Beres

The following will guide both new and seasoned pet care facility owners through the essential medical requirements necessary for running a compliant and health-focused business. By establishing and maintaining these standards, you can ensure a safe environment for all dogs and provide peace of mind for pet parents.
Core Vaccinations
- Rabies: Required by law in most areas, the rabies vaccine protects against a fatal disease that can affect both dogs and humans. It is important to maintain current rabies certificates on every dog.
- Distemper Combo: Also known as the DAPP vaccine, this vaccine protects dogs from distemper, adenovirus, parvovirus and parainfluenza.
- Bordetella: Also known as the “kennel cough” vaccine, this vaccine comes in many different forms with different antigens. The best one is an intranasal trivalent vaccine, as this will protect against Bordetella as well as adenovirus and parainfluenza. However, you will likely be at the discretion of the pet’s veterinary practice and what they choose to use on their patients.
Non-Core Vaccinations
- Canine Influenza: This protects against dog flu, which can spread quickly in a daycare setting. During times of dog flu outbreaks, many facilities ramp up their requirement of this vaccine. Keep in mind that if a dog has not been vaccinated for flu in the past two years, they may need to go through the series again. This will take a minimum of four weeks for a dog to be fully protected, so if there is an outbreak in your region, you may lose customers while they get immunized.
- Leptospirosis: This vaccine is showing up more and more as a requirement. While this disease is not common, it is contagious from dog to dog. Most importantly, it is a zoonotic disease, which means your staff would be at risk if a dog came in with this disease.
Consulting with a Veterinarian
Encourage pet parents to consult with their veterinarians to choose the most suitable preventive for their dogs. Veterinarians can provide prescriptions for products that are proven effective and tailored to the specific health needs and environmental exposure risks of each dog.
Types of Preventives
- Topical Treatments: Applied directly to the skin, these are effective for controlling fleas and ticks.
- Oral Medications: Easy for owners to administer, these help prevent heartworms and control intestinal parasites.
- Collars: These provide long-lasting flea and tick prevention and are suitable for dogs that tolerate wearing them.
- Injections: Some veterinarians offer long-term injections as an alternative to monthly treatments, which are ideal for ensuring compliance.

Regular fecal parasite screening is vital in identifying and treating intestinal parasites such as roundworms, hookworms, whipworms and giardia.
Proactively discussing the benefits and necessity of parasite preventives with pet owners can lead to higher compliance rates. Regular reminders about the need for timely reapplication or renewal of these products can also help maintain a parasite-free environment. Also be sure to emphasize the importance of using products that clearly list the parasites they target. This transparency helps ensure that pet owners are fully aware of the protection they are providing to their pets.
Be sure to check your local ordinances regarding parasite testing. Some municipalities such as Chicago require dogs to be “free from intestinal parasites,” and a fecal test from a veterinary diagnostic lab will help fulfill that requirement.
- Initial Screening: Require a fecal exam before a dog’s first visit to your facility. This can easily be incorporated into your intake process.
- Regular Screening: Require fecal exams every six months to ensure the ongoing health of returning dogs and the rest of the dogs in your care.
- Dogs with Parasites: Any dogs found positive for parasites should not interact with other dogs until they are cleared by their veterinarian to do so.
Remember to always handle pet waste with gloves and provide clear written procedures for disposing of fecal waste to prevent environmental contamination and ensure sanitary conditions within your facility. Some municipalities even have regulations on managing pet waste at boarding and daycare facilities.
Facilities must keep detailed records of any medications administered, including the dosage, time of administration and the name of the staff member who administered the medication. This ensures that there is a clear history of care for each pet, which is crucial for both compliance and customer trust.
- Medication Name and Purpose: Know the exact name of the medication and what it’s prescribed for. This includes understanding if it’s for a chronic condition (like heart disease) or a temporary issue (like an infection).
- Dosage and Administration: Be clear on the exact dosage and how often the medication needs to be administered. This includes the amount, frequency, and whether it should be given with food or on an empty stomach.
- Special Instructions: Some medications may have specific storage requirements (e.g., refrigeration) or administration techniques (e.g., applying eye drops). Ensure you understand any special handling or administration instructions.
- Side Effects: Be aware of common side effects that the dog might experience and what to do if they occur. This can include anything from mild symptoms like drowsiness to more severe reactions like vomiting or diarrhea.
- Missed Dose Protocol: Know what to do if you accidentally miss a dose. Some medications may need to be given as soon as you remember, while others might require skipping the missed dose altogether.
- Controlled Substance: Know if the medication is a controlled substance. Many states will not allow you to possess a controlled substance at your facility.
Running a dog daycare or boarding facility involves a significant responsibility to ensure the health and safety of the dogs in your care. By implementing strict vaccination, preventive and screening protocols, as well as maintaining careful standards for medication administration, you can provide a safe and healthy environment for all dogs. Clear communication with pet owners and ongoing education further supports a collaborative effort to maintain canine health. Adopting these comprehensive measures will not only enhance the wellbeing of the dogs, but also build trust and loyalty among your clients.
Dr. John Beres is a veterinarian who owned and operated a boarding and daycare facility along with his general practice for 12 years. He is now the CEO and owner of Canine Lab Testing. Canine Lab Testing partners exclusively with doggy daycare and boarding facilities to provide “Healthy Pets Healthy Packs” solutions, including parasite prevention programs. He can be reached at testyourdog@caninelabtesting.com and found on LinkedIn at www.linkedin.com/in/johnpberesdvm