Puppy Vaccination Schedule

Vaccination Schedule for Puppy's First Year

Your new puppy definitely needs a series of vaccinations in the first year of life to protect him from many dangerous diseases as his doggy immune system develops. Different veterinarians recommend slightly different vaccination schedules and vaccines according to the specific dog’s risk factors.

Your vet can be more specific about the vaccination needs based on your individual dog, the particular region of the country in which you live, and your individual circumstances. In general, however, the first-year vaccination schedule for puppies usually resembles the schedule in the table here.

Puppy Vaccination Schedule

Puppy’s Age

Recommended Vaccinations

Optional Vaccinations

6 to 8 weeks

Distemper, measles, parainfluenza

Bordatella

10 to 12 weeks

DHPP (vaccines for distemper, adenovirus [hepatitis], parainfluenza, and parvovirus)

Coronavirus, Leptospirosis, Bordatella, Lyme disease

12 to 24 weeks

Rabies

None

14 to 16 weeks

DHPP

Coronavirus, Lyme disease, Leptospirosis

12 to 16 months

Rabies, DHPP

Coronavirus, Leptospirosis, Boradetella, Lyme disease

Every 1 to 2 years

DHPP

Coronavirus, Leptospirosis, Bordetella, Lyme disease

Every 1 to 3 years

Rabies (as required by law)

None

Getting your adult dog vaccinated may be more controversial than you think. Some people, including many vets, believe adult pets are overvaccinated and think that too many vaccinations pose health risks. Others believe vaccinations should be performed yearly to keep dangerous diseases like distemper from getting a hold on the pet population like they did in decades past.

Your adult dog may not need annual vaccinations and can instead have titer tests — tests that check a dog’s immunity levels — to determine exactly which vaccinations are needed. One exception is the rabies vaccine, which is regulated by law and may be required every one to three years, depending on where you live and the type of rabies vaccine the vet uses.

 

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