Vaccination Schedule for Dogs: Core and Non-core Vaccines
| Dog Vaccine | Initial Puppy Vaccination (at or under 16 weeks) | Initial Adult Dog Vaccination (over 16 weeks) | Booster Recommendation | Comments |
| Rabies 1-year | Can be administered in one dose, as early as 3 months of age. States regulate the age at which it is first administered. |
Single dose |
Annual boosters are required. |
Core dog vaccine. Rabies is 100% fatal to dogs, with no treatment available. Prevention is key. |
|
Rabies 3-year |
Can be administered as one dose, as early as 3 months of age. States regulate the age at which it is first administered. |
Single dose |
A second vaccination is recommended after 1 year, then boosters every 3 years. |
Core dog vaccine. |
| Distemper | At least 3 doses, given between 6 and 16 weeks of age |
2 doses, given 3-4 weeks apart |
Puppies need a booster 1 year after completing their initial series, then all dogs need a booster every 3 years or more often. |
Core dog vaccine. Caused by an airborne virus, distemper is a severe disease that, among other problems, may cause permanent brain damage. |
| Parvovirus | At least 3 doses, given between 6 and 16 weeks of age | 2 doses, 3-4 weeks apart | Puppies need a booster 1 year after completing the initial series, then all dogs need a booster every 3 years or more often. | Core dog vaccine. Canine “parvo” is contagious, and can cause severe vomiting and bloody diarrhea. Parvo is usually fatal if untreated. |
| Adenovirus, Â type 1 (CAV-1, canine hepatitis) | Depends on vaccine. For instance, the intranasal one just has to be boostered once a year | depends on vaccine | Puppies need a booster 1 year after completing the initial series, then all dogs need a booster every 3 years or more often. | Core dog vaccine. Spread via infected saliva, urine and feces; canine hepatitis can lead to severe liver damage and death. |
| Adenovirus, type 2 (CAV-2, kennel cough) | At least 3 doses, between 6 and 16 weeks of age |  2 doses, 3-4 weeks apart | Puppies need a booster 1 year after completing the initial series, then all dogs need a booster every 3 years or more often. | Core dog vaccine. Spread via coughs and sneezes. |
| Parainfluenza | Administered at 6-8 weeks of age, then every 3-4 weeks until 12-14 weeks old | 1 dose | A booster may be necessary after 1 year, depending on manufacturer recommendations; revaccination every 3 years is considered protective. | Non-core dog vaccine. Parainfluenza infection (not the same as canine influenza) results in cough, fever. It may be associated with Bordetella infection. |
| Bordetella bronchiseptica (kennel cough) | Depends on the vaccine type; one dose is usually needed for protection | 1 dose of the intranasal or oral product, or 2 doses of the injected product | Annual or 6-month boosters may be recommended for dogs in high-risk environments. | Non-core dog vaccine. Not usually a serious condition, although it can be dangerous in young puppies. It is usually seen after activities like boarding or showing. |
| Lyme disease | 1 dose, administered as early as 9 weeks, with a second dose 2-4 weeks later | 2 doses, 2-4 weeks apart | May be needed annually, prior to the start of tick season | Non-core dog vaccine. Generally recommended only for dogs with a high risk for exposure to Lyme disease-carrying ticks. |
| Leptospirosis | First dose as early as 8 weeks, with a second dose 2-4 weeks later | 2 doses, 2-4 weeks apart | At least once yearly for dogs in high-risk areas | Non-core dog vaccine. Vaccination is generally restricted to established risk areas. Exposure to rodents and standing water can lead to a leptospirosis infection. |
| Canine influenza | First dose as early as 6-8 weeks; second dose 2-4 weeks later | 2 doses, 2-4 weeks apart | Yearly | Non-core dog vaccine. Similar to bordetella. |
3 in 1 (FVRCP) Cats should receive an FVRCP vaccine at 8,12, and 16 weeks of age, and then 6 months to 1 year later. Previously, cats received FVRCP yearly afterward. However new research shows protective immunity of over 3 years for most cats. Thus it is now appropriate to vaccinate adult cats in low risk households every 3 years. Cats in high risk households may need to be v
Previously we gave all vaccines yearly, to make sure dogs maintained their immunity to a host of important diseases. Now we have a better understanding of immunity. We are able to better tailor vaccination to the individual animal. It is important to understand, however, that all dogs respond to vaccinations differently. After vaccination immunity steadily declines over time. This means that while some dogs are still immune years after a vaccination, others are not. Researchers calculate vaccination time tables to make sure that the vast majority of dogs will remain immune for the recommended interval.
Rabies: Dogs – Dogs should receive a rabies vaccine at 16 weeks, one year later, then every 3 years. This is because it takes multiple doses for enough immunity to build up that will last 3 years. Thus, if you are late on a vaccination it may only be good for one year.
Cats – The standard of practice is to give cats a feline specific rabies vaccine that is good for one year. Previously, veterinarians gave the same vaccine to cats and dogs, which were good for 3 years. These vaccinations, however, are associated with tumor development in cats. The feline specific vaccines do not have adjuvant, which decreases the length of immunity but does not stimulate tumor development. Your cat should always receive a feline specific vaccine.
Other Vaccinations: Most other vaccinations, including Bordetella, Lyme, Leptospirosis, Influenza, and FeLV are either killed vaccines with a shorter duration of immunity, or are live vaccines with a lack of evidence for longer duration immunity. Thus, pets should get them yearly. This is especially important to remember for Leptospirosis, since it is often combined with DHPP. Even if you give DHPP every 3 years, your dog still needs a booster for leptospirosis yearly.
When visiting your vet for wellness check-ups and vaccinations, carry your puppy in your arms outside and leave him on your lap while waiting in the lobby.
Walking where other dogs have walked and gone to the bathroom will increase your puppy’s risk of contracting disease.
Parvovirus Vaccination in Puppies
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When you bring that soft, sweet-smelling little ball of puppy fuzz into your home, you know right away that she depends on you for, well, everything. It’s up to you to give her all the care she needs every day. It can be a little intimidating — she needs the best puppy food, plenty of attention, gentle training, safe toys, puppy socialization, a comfortable home, and proper veterinary care. And that includes puppy shots throughout her first year.
Going to the vet repeatedly over several months for vaccinations, and then for boosters or titers throughout your dog’s life, may seem like an inconvenience, but the diseases that vaccinations will shield our pets from are dangerous, potentially deadly, and, thankfully, mostly preventable.
We read about so many different vaccinations, for so many different illnesses, that it can sometimes be confusing to know which vaccinations puppies need and which ones are important but optional. Here is an overview of the diseases that vaccinations will help your pet to avoid.
This highly infectious bacterium causes severe fits of coughing, whooping, vomiting, and, in rare cases, seizures and death. It is the primary cause of kennel cough. There are injectable and nasal spray vaccines available.
If you plan on boarding your puppy in the future, attending group training classes, or using dog daycare services, often proof of this vaccination will be a requirement.
A severe and contagious disease caused by a virus that attacks the respiratory, gastrointestinal (GI), and nervous systems of dogs, raccoons, skunks, and other animals, distemper spreads through airborne exposure (through sneezing or coughing) from an infected animal. The virus can also be transmitted by shared food and water bowls and equipment. It causes discharges from the eyes and nose, fever, coughing, vomiting, diarrhea, seizures, twitching, paralysis, and, often, death. This disease used to be known as “hard pad” because it causes the footpad to thicken and harden.
There is no cure for distemper. Treatment consists of supportive care and efforts to prevent secondary infections, control symptoms of vomiting, seizures and more. If the animal survives the symptoms, it is hoped that the dog’s immune system will have a chance to fight it off. Infected dogs can shed the virus for months.
Infectious canine hepatitis is a highly contagious viral infection that affects the liver, kidneys, spleen, lungs, and the eyes of the affected dog. This disease of the liver is caused by a virus that is unrelated to the human form of hepatitis. Symptoms range from a slight fever and congestion of the mucous membranes to vomiting, jaundice, stomach enlargement, and pain around the liver. Many dogs can overcome the mild form of the disease, but the severe form can kill. There is no cure, but doctors can treat the symptoms.
The canine coronavirus is not the same virus that causes COVID-19 in people. COVID-19 is not thought to be a health threat to dogs, and there is no evidence it makes dogs sick. Canine coronavirus usually affects dogs’ gastrointestinal systems, though it can also cause respiratory infections. Signs include most GI symptoms, including loss of appetite, vomiting, and diarrhea. Doctors can keep a dog hydrated, warm, and comfortable, and help alleviate nausea, but no drug kills coronaviruses.
When your puppy is around 12-to-16 weeks, talk to your vet about starting a heartworm preventive. Though there is no vaccine for this condition, it is preventable with regularly administered heartworm medication that your veterinarian will prescribe.
The name is descriptive — these worms lodge in the right side of the heart and the pulmonary arteries (that send blood to the lungs), though they can travel through the rest of the body and sometimes invade the liver and kidneys. The worms can grow to 14 inches long and, if clumped together, block and injure organs.
A new heartworm infection often causes no symptoms, though dogs in later stages of the disease may cough, become lethargic, lose their appetite or have difficulty breathing. Infected dogs may tire after mild exercise. Unlike most of the conditions listed here, which are passed by urine, feces, and other body fluids, heartworms are transmitted by mosquitoes. Therefore, diagnosis is made via a blood test and not a fecal exam.
Also known as infectious tracheobronchitis, kennel cough results from inflammation of the upper airways. It can be caused by bacterial, viral, or other infections, such as Bordetella and canine parainfluenza, and often involves multiple infections simultaneously. Usually, the disease is mild, causing bouts of harsh, dry coughing; sometimes it’s severe enough to spur retching and gagging, along with a loss of appetite. In rare cases, it can be deadly. It is easily spread between dogs kept close together, which is why it passes quickly through kennels. Antibiotics are usually not necessary, except in severe, chronic cases. Cough suppressants can make a dog more comfortable.
Unlike most diseases on this list, Leptospirosis is caused by bacteria, and some dogs may show no symptoms at all. Leptospirosis can be found worldwide in soil and water. It is a zoonotic disease, meaning that it can be spread from animals to people. When symptoms do appear, they can include fever, vomiting, abdominal pain, diarrhea, loss of appetite, severe weakness and lethargy, stiffness, jaundice, muscle pain, infertility, kidney failure (with or without liver failure). Antibiotics are effective, and the sooner they are given, the better.
Unlike the famous “bull’s-eye” rash that people exposed to Lyme disease often spot, no such telltale symptom occurs in dogs. Lyme disease (or borreliosis) is an infectious, tick-borne disease caused by a type of bacteria called a spirochete. Transmitted via ticks, an infected dog often starts limping, his lymph nodes swell, his temperature rises, and he stops eating. The disease can affect his heart, kidney, and joints, among other things, or lead to neurological disorders if left untreated. If diagnosed quickly, a course of antibiotics is extremely helpful, though relapses can occur months or even years later.
Parvo is a highly contagious virus that affects all dogs, but unvaccinated dogs and puppies less than four months of age are at the most risk to contract it. The virus attacks the gastrointestinal system and creates a loss of appetite, vomiting, fever, and often severe, bloody diarrhea. Extreme dehydration can come on rapidly and kill a dog within 48-to-72 hours, so prompt veterinary attention is crucial. There is no cure, so keeping the dog hydrated and controlling the secondary symptoms can keep him going until his immune system beats the illness.
Rabies is a viral disease of mammals that invades the central nervous system, causing headache, anxiety, hallucinations, excessive drooling, fear of water, paralysis, and death. It is most often transmitted through the bite of a rabid animal. Treatment within hours of infection is essential, otherwise, death is highly likely. Most states require regular rabies vaccinations. Check with your vet about rabies vaccination laws and requirements in your area.
Of course, your veterinarian should weigh in and can always provide more information and guidance if needed on necessary and optional vaccinations.
The first thing to know is that there is not just one puppy vaccination schedule for all dogs. Factors such as which part of the country you live in, and your dog’s individual risk factors will come into play. Some dogs do not need every vaccine. This decision is between you and your veterinarian. Always discuss puppy vaccinations at your regularly scheduled appointments.
That said, here is a generally accepted guideline of the puppy vaccination schedule for the first year.
How much vaccinations for your puppy will cost depends on several factors. Where you live is one: Veterinarians in crowded and expensive urban areas will charge more than a rural vet in a small town. In other words, there are significant differences in price. But no matter what the range in costs, some vaccines, such as the “core vaccines,” and for rabies, are necessary.