Final answer:
The Bordetella vaccine is given to dogs to prevent kennel cough. Vaccinations such as the rabies vaccine are crucial to maintain pet and public health, and rabies vaccinations are often legally mandated.
Step-by-step explanation:
The Bordetella vaccine is given to dogs to prevent kennel cough, which is an infectious bronchitis characterized by a persistent, hacking cough. Interestingly, the Bordetella bacterium can cause a cough that's similar to the cough in pertussis (whooping cough) in humans, hence the vaccine's importance in canine health. This disease is common in environments where high numbers of dogs interact, like kennels and shelters.
It is important to vaccinate pets against various diseases to maintain both their health and public health. For example, the low incidence of rabies in the United States is attributed to the widespread vaccination of pets. Rabies vaccination for domestic animals is required in many jurisdictions, and is especially strict in countries that are rabies-free.