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Vaccinations play an essential role in keeping your dog healthy. Whether you’ve just welcomed a new puppy or have an older dog, regular vaccinations protect them at every stage of life.
In this article we’ll cover why dog vaccinations are so important, the different vaccines available for your dog, and how often dog booster vaccines are recommended.
Dog vaccinations have been developed to protect pets against a number of serious and potentially life-threatening diseases.
Vaccinations work to prevent infection by exposing dogs to very small amounts of weakened or dead bacteria and viruses. Their immune system works to easily eliminate this harmless form of the infection.
If a dog is then exposed to the real thing, their immune system rapidly recognises the virus or bacteria and successfully fights it off.
In many areas, the diseases we vaccinate against are now relatively rarely seen due to widespread vaccination. However, they are still present in the UK and vets regularly see dogs suffering from these infections, which can be incredibly contagious and potentially fatal, even with intensive treatment.
This is why vets recommend all dogs are kept up-to-date with their core vaccinations.
All dogs in the UK should be vaccinated against canine parvovirus, canine distemper virus, infectious canine hepatitis (canine adenovirus) and leptospirosis.
Vaccinations against these diseases are referred to as the core vaccinations because they are recommended for all dogs from puppyhood onwards.
Canine parvovirus (CPV) is an incredibly infectious virus that causes severe vomiting and diarrhoea in dogs. This life-threatening disease remains relatively common in the UK, mainly affecting unvaccinated dogs and puppies.
The virus can survive for several months on contaminated surfaces, including grass.1 Parvovirus can therefore spread rapidly between unvaccinated dogs without requiring direct contact.
The canine parvovirus vaccine typically requires a booster vaccination every 3 years after an initial primary course. It is usually given as part of a combined ‘DHP’ or ‘DAP’ vaccine which protects against distemper, hepatitis / adenovirus and parvovirus.
Canine distemper (CDV) is less common than parvovirus in the UK. However, vaccination is still essential as distemper is a serious, often fatal disease.
Canine distemper affects various organs including the brain and nerves, guts, heart and immune system, causing a wide range of signs including respiratory, gut-related and neurological problems.
Like parvovirus, distemper is very contagious. However, distemper typically spreads via airborne droplets or shared food and water bowls, and only survives for a few hours on surfaces.
Canine distemper virus requires a booster vaccination every 3 years after an initial primary course. The vaccine is usually included as part of the combined ‘DHP’ or ‘DAP’ vaccination described above.
Canine infectious hepatitis is another life-threatening disease caused by a virus. The virus attacks not just the liver but also the kidneys, eyes and blood vessels, causing a range of signs.
Affected dogs can pass the infection on in their urine for more than six months, and the virus can survive in the environment for weeks to months.2
Effective protection requires a primary vaccination course followed by a booster vaccination every 3 years as part of the combined ‘DHP’ or ‘DAP’ vaccine.
Leptospirosis is an infection known as Weil’s disease in humans and often referred to as ‘lepto’ in dogs. It is a potentially fatal infection caused by bacteria that typically target the liver and/or kidneys.
These bacteria are shed in the urine of infected animals, including dogs, cattle, rats and wildlife. The bacteria are present across the UK and, in the right conditions, can survive for months in water or wet soil.
The canine leptospirosis vaccine is highly protective against the strains it contains. It may not fully prevent all infections, but it significantly reduces the likelihood of disease and the severity of symptoms if a dog is infected.
In the UK, some canine leptospirosis vaccines cover two strains (‘Lepto 2’) while others protect against four strains (‘Lepto 4’). ‘Cross-protection’ between strains is very limited, meaning the Lepto 2 vaccination will not provide substantial protection to the additional two strains in the Lepto 4 vaccination. Your vet can discuss the pros and cons of these vaccines with you.
After an initial primary course, a yearly booster vaccine is required for dogs to maintain effective immunity.
The kennel cough vaccination is an optional additional vaccine, a little like the flu jab in humans. Depending on the vaccine, it may offer protection against Bordetella bronchiseptica with or without canine parainfluenza virus.
Many different infections can contribute to respiratory diseases in dogs, so the kennel cough vaccine doesn’t guarantee a dog won’t develop kennel cough. Instead, it reduces their likelihood of getting it, and can reduce the risk of severe infection.
The vaccine is recommended for dogs that mix with many other dogs or have an underlying health issue that could make infection more serious for them. It is often required by kennels, doggy daycares, dog walkers and other businesses and events.
Most commonly, the kennel cough vaccination requires live, weakened strains to be administered intranasally (‘up the nose’). Immunity usually takes three weeks to develop and yearly boosters are needed for as long as immunity is required.
Side effects of the kennel cough vaccine often include mild discharge from the eyes and nose and a mild sneeze or cough for a few days. Severe side effects are rare.
Vaccinated dogs can shed the weakened strain of bacteria from the vaccine for up to six weeks, which may affect immunocompromised humans. If this applies, it’s recommended to speak to your doctor before your dog gets the vaccination.
The rabies vaccine for dogs is typically only recommended for dogs travelling abroad. Rabies is not currently present anywhere in the UK, but it is a legal requirement for dogs and cats to be vaccinated before travelling abroad.
The vaccination must be given at least 21 days before an animal health certificate is issued for travel, and it is recommended to give it on a different day to your dog’s booster vaccinations.
Dogs typically require a rabies booster every three years, although for some rabies vaccines an initial booster is required one year after the primary course. It’s important to double check your pet’s rabies vaccination is up-to-date well in advance of travel.
A common question owners ask is ‘does my dog really need yearly vaccinations?’ Yearly boosters for dogs may seem stressful, but they are important.
While immunity to distemper, hepatitis and parvovirus lasts for three years, canine leptospirosis vaccinations don’t offer the same level of long-lasting immunity. Studies have been unable to demonstrate reliable immunity more than a year after vaccination.
It’s therefore essential that your dog has a yearly leptospirosis vaccination.
After three years, immunity to distemper, hepatitis and parvovirus also becomes unreliable and dogs are at higher risk of infection. Parvovirus in particular is seen in dogs that are not up-to-date with their vaccinations.
Skipping your dog’s booster vaccinations could leave them at risk of severe infection, so it’s not recommended to allow their vaccinations to lapse. Dog vaccinations are so effective it’s easy to imagine they’re unnecessary, as relatively few dogs seem to get these diseases in the UK. However, we know that unvaccinated dogs are at significantly higher risk of severe disease.
Before their yearly boosters, puppies (and older dogs whose vaccinations have lapsed) need a primary course of their core vaccinations.
This usually consists of two to three injections spaced several weeks apart. The exact vaccination schedule depends on the specific vaccines used by your vet. If your puppy had their first vaccination elsewhere it’s important to check in advance that the vaccines are compatible.
A typical vaccination schedule might look like this:
Some puppies may require a third vaccination, depending on their level of risk and the timings of their first two vaccines.
It’s important to remember that immunity takes time to develop, so puppies aren’t fully protected until several weeks later. For specific timings, it’s best to speak to your vet.
If your dog’s vaccines are more than a few months overdue, your vet may recommend ‘restarting’ their vaccinations with two doses several weeks apart to ensure a good level of immunity.
Older dogs are still at risk of all the diseases above, so it’s important they receive yearly booster vaccinations to keep them healthy.
There is no reliable evidence that immunity accumulates over time, so allowing older dogs’ vaccinations to lapse can leave them at risk of severe infections. Underlying health issues may also make them more susceptible to infection and leave them less likely to respond to treatment.
Dogs on specific medications such as chemotherapy may not be able to have their usual vaccines, but your vet can advise you if this is the case.
Titre testing involves taking a blood sample to check for evidence of immunity to specific diseases. It may be required to check dogs’ rabies vaccination status before travel to some non-EU countries.
For distemper, hepatitis and parvovirus titre tests can reliably measure antibody levels, and these have been shown to correlate well with immunity.3,4 Titre testing can allow the frequency of vaccinations to be reduced, avoiding over-vaccination. Your vet may also recommend titre testing if your dog has had a severe reaction to a previous vaccination.
Unfortunately, titre testing cannot reliably assess immunity to leptospirosis as antibody levels do not directly correlate with immunity (instead, immune cells are important - but these cannot be easily measured).3,4 Studies have shown that leptospirosis immunity typically lasts for around one year, so yearly boosters are strongly recommended.
Significant side effects from dog vaccinations are rare. Mild side effects such as low energy, a low-grade fever or a reduced appetite should pass within 24-48 hours. Some dogs may also develop a small swelling over the injection site which should resolve within a couple of weeks.
As with any medication, serious side effects are possible. However, these are very rare. If you are concerned that your pet may be showing signs of a vaccine reaction, you should contact your vet as soon as possible for advice.
It’s also important to remember that puppies’ vaccinations are given during a period of rapid growth, high stress and changes in diet and environment as puppies transition to their new homes. It's not uncommon for puppies to become unwell in this period, but it isn’t always due to their vaccinations. Your vet will be able to advise you further if you suspect a possible vaccine reaction.
Remember - the risk of side effects may be concerning, but it’s much lower than the risk of being unvaccinated.
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