Canine Vaccinations

A Summary of Which Vaccines are Needed by Your Dog and Which are Not


Recommendations by the American Animal Hospital Association (AAHA) Canine Vaccination Task Force -- updated vaccination guidelines for 2011: The three non-rabies core vaccines (distemper, parvo and adenovirus) are now recommended every 3 years instead of annually. The task force acknowledges that distemper and parvo vaccines provide immunity for at least 5 years and the adenovirus vaccine for at least 7 years.

Canine Vaccines are divided into two classes.

'Core' vaccines for dogs are those that should be given to every dog. The AVMA Council's Report on Cat and Dog Vaccines has recommended that the core vaccines for dogs include distemper, canine adenovirus-2 (hepatitis and respiratory disease), canine parvovirus-2 and rabies.

'Noncore' vaccines are recommended only for certain dogs. Whether to vaccinate with noncore vaccines depends upon a number of things including the age, breed, and health status of the dog, the potential exposure of the dog to an animal that has the disease, the type of vaccine and how common the disease is in the geographical area where the dog lives or may visit. Noncore vaccines include leptospirosis, coronavirus, canine parainfluenza and Bordetella bronchiseptica (both are causes of 'kennel cough'), and Borrelia burgdorferi (causes Lyme Disease). Consult with your veterinarian to select the proper vaccines for your dog or puppy.

Dog Owners' Guide to Vaccination: Shield against canine diseases