Your puppy’s boosters will be coming due in the next few months! One year after finishing their initial puppy vaccine series, dogs need their next round of vaccines. Vaccines are incredibly important—they stimulate your puppy’s immune system to recognize specific diseases so that your puppy can better fight off the illnesses in the future!
Let’s review what vaccines are recommended for dogs, as well as what you can expect throughout your puppy’s adulthood.
DAPPV: This vaccine protects your puppy from distemper (D), adenovirus (A), parainfluenza (P) and parvovirus (PV). Your puppy received 3 to 4 DAPPV vaccines over the course of early puppyhood, potentially in combination with their leptospirosis vaccine at the last two visits. Your puppy should receive DAPPV again 1 year after finishing the initial puppy series, likely when your puppy is around 16 to 20 months old. Because adult dogs who’ve been previously vaccinated develop long-lasting immunity, the vaccine will be recommended every 3 years (triennially) from then on.
Leptospirosis: The vaccine protects against the dangerous disease leptospirosis, which not only causes kidney and/or liver failure in dogs but can also be transmitted to people. Your puppy should have received two leptospirosis vaccines during their initial puppy series. If they did not get their booster within 15 months of the very first vaccine dose, they’ll need to restart the series of two vaccinations given 3 to 4 weeks apart. Otherwise, leptospirosis is always recommended annually. On years that DAPPV is also due, DAPPV and leptospirosis can be given as a combination vaccine called DAL(4)PPV.
Rabies: Rabies vaccines are often required by local regulations. As a youngster, your puppy should have received this vaccine once they were at least 12 weeks old. Rabies is due again 1 year after the first rabies shot. Following this, your dog may get a rabies vaccine annually or every 3 years, depending on local regulations and vaccine availability.
Canine infectious respiratory disease complex (CIRDC): Often called the Bordetella vaccine, this vaccine protects against several respiratory diseases, including Bordetella, parainfluenza (CPIV) and adenovirus (CAV-2). When your dog was going through their initial vaccine series, they likely received this vaccine as 1 dose when they were between 8 to 18 weeks old. The intranasal version, which confers rapid immunity within 72 hours, is preferred. The CIRDC booster is recommended annually. If your dog will be boarding and is not up to date on their CIRDC vaccine, they should receive the intranasal vaccine at least 72 hours prior to boarding.
Canine influenza: The canine influenza vaccine is recommended for dogs who will be going to daycare, boarding facilities or other environments with high risk of contact with other dogs. It’s also recommended for dogs who live in or visit areas known to have outbreaks. If your puppy received this during their early puppy vaccine series, they should have gotten 2 doses 2 to 4 weeks apart. If your puppy is considered at-risk, your pet is due 1 year after finishing their original series and then annually thereafter.
Lyme: The Lyme vaccine is recommended for dogs in areas with known Lyme disease cases. Puppies in such areas should have the complete series before they’re 6 months old, with two doses given 3 weeks apart. Your puppy will be due for Lyme vaccine 1 year after the puppy series and then annually from then on.
There’s so much to keep track of for your puppy that it can be quite overwhelming! You can easily check your puppy’s due dates by downloading the myVCA™ app.
Review how to care for your pet after vaccination.
