Save Money on Dog Vaccinations in the Bay Area

It’s that time of year again. That annual dance we have with Kona where she gets pricked by a bunch of needles and gets upset at us for tricking her into spending even ten minutes of her year with this scary stranger. So we win her love back by treating her to a pup cup afterwards and everything’s dandy again!

When we first got Kona, I remember feeling overwhelmed by all the pet care information out there on vaccinations, parasite and tick control, health insurance, liability insurance, etc. Plus, being my frugal self, it’s important for me to find ways to get the best value on Kona’s care without sacrificing her well-being. Luckily there is much more price transparency when it comes to pet healthcare (like vaccine and prescription costs) compared to our own healthcare system.

Here’s all you need to know about vaccines:

DHPP / DA2PP – A core vaccine that veterinarians recommend for every dog. Protects dogs against canine distemper, two types of adenovirus (hepatitis), parvovirus, and parainfluenza. It may also be called Distemper Combo. Dogs should receive this vaccine at 8, 12, and 16 weeks, one year later, and then every 3 years after that.
Rabies – A mandatory vaccine in California for dogs older than 3 months. Rabies is a viral infection of the central nervous system that can affect all mammals, including humans, and is 100% fatal if left untreated. Dogs should receive a rabies vaccine at 16 weeks, one year later, then every 3 years after that. Note that your dog license with the county will expire when the rabies vaccination expires.
Bordetella – A lifestyle vaccine recommended for dogs with high exposure to other dogs. It is often required by boarding, training and grooming facilities. The Bordetella vaccine helps control and prevent the spread of bacteria that cause Kennel Cough, an extremely contagious respiratory disease that is often treatable with antibiotics and cough suppressant. Should be updated every 6-12 months.
Leptospirosis – A lifestyle vaccine recommended for dogs who are frequently outdoors in wildlife areas and bodies of water. Leptospirosis is a bacterial disease that is spread through the urine of infected wildlife and can cause liver/kidney failure in dogs. It is transferable to humans. Should be updated annually.
Canine Flu – A lifestyle vaccine recommended for dogs with high exposure to other dogs. It is often required by boarding, training and grooming facilities. Canine Flu is a highly contagious respiratory virus that causes a more severe cough than Bordetella, but is often treatable with antibiotics and antiviral medication. Should be updated annually.
Lyme Disease – A lifestyle vaccine recommended for dogs with high exposure to ticks via camping, hunting or hiking in tick-heavy areas. Lyme disease is spread by ticks and if left untreated can affect the heart, kidneys, and nervous system. Should be updated annually.

While the majority of the Bay Area vaccination clinics I looked into provide up-front pricing on their websites, it appears that veterinary clinics do not readily provide this information online. But from my experience you can simply call or email your local vet and they’ll gladly provide you with estimated costs. So after doing our own research, here are the best options we found for canine vaccinations in the Bay Area:

Pets in Need – [Palo Alto]: No-kill animal shelter with a weekly low-cost vaccine clinic that runs every Wednesday 10-11am on a first-come, first-serve basis. Cannot schedule appointments. Cheapest option in the Bay Area with $15 vaccines, but very limited choice of vaccines and no testing services available.

PAWS for SJACS – [San Jose]: All-volunteer organization with a low-cost vaccine clinic that runs on some Tuesday and Saturday mornings by appointment only. Appointment availability is limited (you can specify a date, but not the time). $10-15 core vaccines and $25-40 lifestyle vaccines. Single vaccines not allowed – must get 2+ vaccines per dog. Additional services like heartworm test and deworming are very inexpensive, but can only be done together with vaccines.

Humane Society Silicon Valley (HSSV) – [Milpitas]: Offers low-cost vaccinations on an appointment only basis, which are very limited. Need to frequently check the website for availability. $20-25 core vaccines and $25-40 lifestyle vaccines. No testing services, but deworming available.

VIP Pet Care – [Various Locations]: Pop-up community clinics at local retail stores like Pet Food Express and An-Jan Feed & Pet. Walk-in only on designated days and hours throughout the month. Offers a much wider range of vaccines, screenings and tests than the low-cost clinics above. Bundled service packages are available at a discounted rate with no office visit fees. Individual services pricing available too.

Vetco Clinics – [Petco Locations]: Located inside your neighborhood Petco store by appointment only. Offers a wide range of affordable vaccines, screenings and tests with no exam fees, as well as savings on heartworm, flea and tick prevention prescriptions. Both bundled packages and individual services are available. Longer hours than other clinics with an easy online booking system that has plenty of availability.

Your Local Vet – Convenient one-stop shop to combine preventative vaccinations and tests together with an annual wellness visit. Plus your vet is most familiar with your dog’s medical history. Priciest option since vets typically also charge an additional office visit fee even if only getting vaccines.

Below is a chart comparing the out-of-pocket costs of common canine vaccines and services provided at the various options listed above, as well as two bundled package options from VIP Pet Care (“The Choice Package”) and Vetco Clinic (“Healthy Dog Plus Package”). Note that the Local Vet costs below are estimates provided by Kona’s vet and will differ based on the clinic your dog goes to. A key takeaway is how going to the vet will generally be more expensive than the other options.

We found PAWS in San Jose to be the best option (and value) for us and have taken Kona there since adopting her in 2021 for not only her vaccinations and heartworm testing, but also her prescription medication for heartworm, flea and tick prevention. We highly recommend Dr. Rusher and her team at PAWS – they have an efficient process, are quick to respond to emails, and you simply can’t beat their prices for the core vaccines and heartworm testing that Kona needs. We’ve also never had issues scheduling an appointment with PAWS – although it’s worth mentioning that working remotely has given us the flexibility to take Kona on Tuesday mornings, which I imagine is not as popular as their Saturday mornings.

PAWS also has two convenient online pharmacies that you can order from via Vets First Choice or Vetsource. What’s even better, you can usually find a promotional code for these two pharmacies that can help you save up to an extra 25% off – just a quick Google search away! I really like how you can seamlessly order heartworm prevention medication without an “official” prescription from your dog’s veterinarian once the PAWS heartworm test comes back negative and is integrated into their system. Don’t worry, I’ll be sharing more tips on how to save money on your dog’s prescriptions and veterinarian visits up next!