As responsible pet parents, ensuring the health and well-being of our furry companions is of paramount importance. Vaccinations play a crucial role in safeguarding our dogs against various diseases and infections.

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Which Dog Vaccines are Absolutely Necessary?

There are two types of vaccines that pet parents should be aware of: core vaccines, and non core vaccines. Core vaccine are those which are considered absolutely necessary for every single dog, whereas non core vaccines are risk-dependent.

This means that whether or not a non core vaccine is required depends on the individual dog’s risk level.

Core Vaccines

The core vaccines your dog requires vary depending upon where you live, and are as follows:

United States

• Parvovirus
• Viral Hepatitis (canine adenovirus – see ‘viral canine hepatitis vaccination’)
• Distemper
• Rabies

Leptospirosis vaccination is not considered obligatory in the United States, but rather is recommended for dogs at an increased risk of encountering the disease.

United Kingdom

• Parvovirus
• Viral Hepatitis
• Distemper
• Leptospirosis

Rabies protection is not considered core in the United Kingdom since the disease is not endemically present in the canine population in the UK.

Australia

• Parvovirus
• Viral Hepatitis
• Distemper

Canine Viral Hepatitis Vaccination

A frequently asked question that I receive as a veterinarian is: “What’s the difference between adenovirus types 1 and 2, and does my dog need vaccinating against both?”

Canine adenovirus type 1 (CAV-1) is the cause of canine infectious hepatitis and of upper respiratory disease in dogs.

Canine adenovirus type 2 (CAV-2) on the other hand, causes an acute upper respiratory infection only. CAV-2 does not cause infectious canine hepatitis.

However – here’s where things get a little complicated! To protect our pets against infectious canine hepatitis, we actually vaccinate dogs using CAV-2, because this provides cross-protection against CAV-1.

So, although your dog’s core vaccines contain CAV-2, the purpose of the vaccination is actually to protect against CAV-1, the cause of viral hepatitis.

Non Core Vaccines

There are a large number of vaccinations available for dogs that are not considered core, but rather may be recommended for dogs who are at an increased risk of encountering particular diseases. The following is not an exhaustive list, but rather details the most common non core vaccinations recommended in the following geographical regions.

 

United States

• Leptospirosis
• Parainfluenza
• Bordetella
• Lyme disease

United Kingdom

• Parainfluenza
• Bordetella
• Rabies

Australia

• Leptospirosis
• Parainfluenza
• Bordetella
• Rabies

What Vaccines Do Dogs Need Annually?

Core Vaccinations

Your dog should be kept up to date with their core vaccines at all times. A booster is needed annually for leptospirosis vaccinations, and (after the primary or year-1 booster) a booster is needed for parvovirus, canine distemper and infectious hepatitis every 3 years throughout life.

Rabies vaccination is required annually or every 3 years, depending upon the guidelines of the individual vaccine manufacturer, and on local laws.

Non Core Vaccinations

Leptospirosis protection is not considered core in the United States or Australia, but is strongly recommended for dogs living in rural areas, especially those who may come into contact with rats or who may have the opportunity to drink dirty water.

The rabies vaccine is considered core in the United States, but not the UK or Australia. However, if you plan to travel with your pet to a country where rabies is present, rabies vaccination will be mandatory.

Parainfluenza vaccination is not considered core, yet many vaccine manufacturing companies include protection against parainfluenza as standard in their combination distemper-hepatitis-parvovirus (DHP) vaccine.

Where protection against parainfluenza is included, you will see the acronym “DHPP” or DHPPi” on the vaccine bottle sticker. Parainfluenza is one of several viral causes of kennel cough.

Bordetella bronchiseptica is a bacterial cause of kennel cough. Vaccination against Bordetella is not considered core in the States, the UK or Australia, but is highly recommended if your pup has regular contact with other dogs or visits locations frequented by other dogs (such as parks).

The vast majority of kennels and dog daycare facilities will not accept dogs onto their books who do not have an up-to-date Bordetella bronchiseptica vaccine.

Lyme disease vaccine may be given to protected against a disease caused by a bacteria called Borrelia Burgdorferi. Like several other serious diseases, Lyme disease is transmitted by tick bites. If you live in an area where ticks carrying Lyme disease are prevalent, your veterinarian may recommend vaccination.

Do Dogs Really Need Vaccinations Every Year?

The reality is that we are likely over-vaccinating many of our dogs, in particular against canine distemper, viral hepatitis and parvovirus (the DHP vaccine). However, that does not mean that your should skip booster shots or fail to adhere to your vet’s recommended vaccination schedule!

Rather, it means that routine titer testing should be undertaken where possible.

Let’s take a look at the science behind this.

The DHP vaccination has been shown to provide protection for at least 3 years in the majority of dogs, and recent research suggests that for some individuals protection may even be lifelong. In fact, many veterinary immunologists and vaccine experts recommend DHP booster shots no more frequently than every 3 years [1].

The difficulty lies in the fact that for a few individual dogs the vaccine’s protection may wear off sooner, at (or around) the 3 year mark. And – since we can’t tell just from looking at a dog whether their protection will last for 3 years, 5 years, or the rest of their life – a vaccination schedule of a DHP booster every 3 years is agreed upon, to ensure that every dog remains protected.

These days, blood tests are available (called titer testing) to check whether or not your dog is still protected or whether a booster vaccine is required. In an ideal world, every dog should receive a titer test each year to determine whether or not booster shots are required.

What is Titer Testing?

Titer testing is a blood test carried out by your vet to determine whether your dog’s immune system still possesses adequate levels of antibodies to protect your dog from the diseases he or she has been vaccinated against.

When a vaccine is administered, the body’s immune system creates a sort of “memory” of the virus or bacteria, so that when the real disease is encountered the immune system can mount a rapid and effective response, thereby preventing illness.

Titer testing checks the levels of antibodies in your dog’s blood, which reflects the current ability of their immune system to fight off the disease or diseases they are vaccinated against.

A titer test can therefore guide you and your veterinarian as to whether your pet is still protected from their previous vaccines, or whether they now need a booster.

Do Vaccines Carry Side Effects?

All human and pet vaccines carry some risk of side effects, although for most shots the risk of serious side effects is very low. The most common side effects of core dog vaccines are short-term lethargy, inappetence, and soreness at the injection site. Whilst more serious side effects are certainly possible, they rarely occur.

Generally speaking, the benefits of vaccinating your dog are likely to greatly outweigh any risk associated with the vaccine itself.

Do Puppies Need Different Vaccines Than Adult Dogs?

Puppies don’t need different vaccines than adult dogs, but they do need to follow a fairly strict vaccination protocol to build an adequate initial level of disease protection. Your vet can advise on the best vaccine schedule for your pet, but rough guidelines for primary puppy vaccine protocols are listed below.

DHP

Puppies can receive their first DHP vaccine from 6 weeks of age, although 8 weeks of age is recommended. A second vaccination will need to be given 2-4 weeks later. Sometimes, a third vaccination is also recommended (at 16 weeks of age), particularly for puppies who received the first vaccination at only 6 weeks of age.

Leptospirosis

Your puppy can have their first lepto vaccine from 6 weeks of age, although again, 8 weeks is often recommended. A second vaccinate will be needed 2-4 weeks later, depending on the vaccine brand and whether an L2 or L4 vaccine is used.

Rabies

If your puppy needs a rabies vaccination, then this can be given from 12 weeks of age. A second vaccination will need to be administered within 12 months. After this, boosters may be required annually or every 3 years depending on your local guidelines, or the laws of the country you are planning to visit with your dog.

Do Elderly Dogs Need Boosters?

In order to stay protected against leptospirosis, parainfluenza and/or Bordetella, elderly and adult dogs require annual vaccinations. This is because the immune system can’t seem to “remember” these diseases for a very long time, meaning annual boosters are absolutely necessary to keep your dog safe.

Annual vaccines against leptospirosis are particularly important, since research suggests protection against this potentially deadly disease can be particularly short-lived. Unfortunately, even if you follow the lepto vaccination schedule perfectly, there is still be a chance of your dog contracting the disease…but these risks can be minimised through timely, regular vaccinations [2].

As mentioned under ‘Do Dogs Really Need Vaccinations Every Year?’, immunity against distemper, hepatitis and parvovirus lasts considerably longer than one year for most dogs.

That said, all individuals (including elderly dogs) should absolutely receive vaccinations against these diseases every 3 years if their immunity is not being monitoring regularly through titer testing.

Final Thoughts on What Shot Does My Dog Need

In conclusion, understanding the difference between core and non-core vaccines is vital for pet parents seeking to protect their dogs from preventable diseases. Consulting with a veterinarian is crucial in determining the appropriate vaccination plan for your furry friend, as they can assess the specific needs and risks associated with your dog’s circumstances.

By staying informed and proactive about vaccinations, we can ensure the well-being and longevity of our beloved canine companions.

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Reference List:

[1] Dall’Ara et al. Prevalence of Serum Antibody Titers against Core Vaccine Antigens in Italian Dogs. Life. (2023)

[2] Martin et al. Vaccine Associated Leptospira Antibodies in Client‐Owned Dogs. Journal of Veterinary Internal Medicine. (2014)