How Much Does a Bordetella (Kennel Cough) Vaccine Cost for a Dog? $15 to $20 at Humane Society Clinics and Why the Booster Comes Due Sooner Than You Think
The bordetella shot is the vaccine most dog owners buy because a groomer, daycare or kennel asks for it, not because a vet raised it first. At four nonprofit clinics that publish their prices, it costs $15 to $20 a dose. At a private practice it is usually bundled into a visit that also carries an exam fee. This guide lays out the published prices, shows what a three-vaccine visit adds up to, and explains why the shot can come due more often than the calendar suggests.
What four clinics charge for the shot
South Suburban Humane Society in Illinois lists the bordetella vaccine at $15. Grand Strand Humane Society in South Carolina lists an intranasal bordetella vaccine at $15. The Humane Society of Charlotte charges $20, and the Humane Society for Tacoma & Pierce County charges $20 plus tax. All four prices were read from the clinics' own pages in October 2026. They are nonprofit rates, so a private clinic in the same city may charge more, and a clinic that bills a separate exam fee will add that on top.
What a three-vaccine visit costs
Most owners buy bordetella alongside the distemper-parvo combination (DA2PP) and rabies. At South Suburban those are $15, $15 and $25, which comes to $55, and the page notes that an additional exam fee may apply. Charlotte charges $20 for each of the three, so $60, plus a $30 general wellness exam or a $15 booster exam. A booster visit there therefore totals $75. Grand Strand lists $15 for DHLPP, bordetella and rabies, a total of $45. Tacoma's DA2PP is free through a donor program, so its bordetella, rabies and DA2PP visit costs $35 before tax.
Why AAHA calls it a lifestyle vaccine
The American Animal Hospital Association's 2022 canine guidelines place bordetella in the noncore group, meaning it is recommended for some dogs based on lifestyle, geography and risk of exposure. Core vaccines, by contrast, are recommended for every dog. The practical meaning is that a dog who never boards, attends daycare or meets many unfamiliar dogs may not need it, while a dog who does should have it. The vet makes that call, and the price does not change either way.
Nasal, oral or injected: does the price change
AAHA's table lists several forms. A combination intranasal vaccine that covers bordetella and canine parainfluenza is given as a single dose for dogs at risk. A bordetella-only product can be given as an injection in two doses 2 to 4 weeks apart, or as a single intranasal or oral dose. Boosters for all forms are listed as annual. The injectable route can mean two visits, so the cost of a second dose or a second exam fee is worth asking about. Grand Strand's page specifies the intranasal form, while the other three pages do not name the type, so ask which product you are getting.
The six-month rule that makes it recur
Guidelines say annual boosters. Many boarding and daycare facilities set their own stricter windows, and a common version is proof of a dose within the last six months. That rule comes from the facility, not from a regulator, so check the paperwork before you buy. A dog who boards twice a year may need the shot twice a year, which doubles the line item. Our dog boarding cost guide and dog daycare cost guide cover what those facilities charge on top of the vaccine.
What the shot does and does not prevent
Charlotte's page describes the vaccine as helping to reduce the risk and severity of kennel cough, which can be caused by several agents, and it does not promise complete protection. Tacoma's page says the same, that the shot protects against one of the organisms that causes kennel cough. If a vaccinated dog still catches a cough, the bill moves to our kennel cough treatment cost guide, which prices the exam, medication and pneumonia cases.
A short buying checklist
Ask the facility how recent the dose must be, so you buy it once. Ask the clinic whether the quoted price is the vaccine alone or includes an exam. Compare the full visit total, as in the figures above, rather than the single line. Check whether the clinic adds tax, as Tacoma does. For the rest of the vaccine schedule, see our dog vaccination cost guide, and for exam fees see our vet exam fee comparison. Prices come from each organization's published page and can change without notice, and clinics may pause services or limit them to certain days.
This article is about costs only and is not veterinary advice. Ask your veterinarian whether your dog needs a bordetella vaccine and which form is appropriate.
All content is fact-checked under our editorial standards.