Vaccinations
What shots does my pet need?
Pick your pet to see which shots they need, when the first one is due, and how often it repeats after that.
The first year
A puppy needs several rounds of shots, not just one. Babies get protection from their mom at birth, and it blocks vaccines from working until it fades. Nobody can tell exactly when that happens, so the shot is repeated every few weeks until it is safe to stop.
How the first year looks
- 16 weeks oldFirst visit. The series starts.
- 29 weeks oldSecond round.
- 312 weeks oldThird round. Rabies can start now.
- 416 weeks oldLast round. This is the one that counts.
- 51 year oldBooster, then every 1 to 3 years.
Ages are approximate. Your veterinarian sets the exact dates.
After the first year
Once the first-year series is done, the schedule gets simple. Most shots are yearly or every three years, and your veterinarian will tell you which ones your pet still needs.
These are recommendations published by veterinary organisations (AAHA, AAFP and WSAVA). "Recommended for every pet" is what veterinarians call a core vaccine. Your veterinarian may still adjust any of it for your pet.
Recommended for every dog
DAP (Distemper, Adenovirus-2, Parvovirus)
Most people call it the distemper combo shot
Distemper attacks the nerves, lungs and gut and often kills. Parvo causes severe bloody diarrhoea and kills puppies fast. Hepatitis attacks the liver. All three spread easily and all three are preventable.
- 1At 6 to 8 weeks oldFirst shot
- 2Every 2 to 4 weeks after thatAnother shot. The last one must come AFTER 16 weeks, not at 16 weeks.
- 31 year laterBooster shot
- 4Every 3 years after thatOne shot
Adopted an adult pet, or have no records? Tap here
Starting late is normal and safe. The schedule is shorter:
- 1Whenever you startOne shot is usually enough for a grown dog
- 2Every 3 years after thatOne shot
Exact schedule wording
Series: Begin at 6 to 8 weeks of age, then revaccinate at 2 to 4 week intervals until the puppy is OLDER than 16 weeks; 18 to 20 weeks may be preferred in areas of high distemper risk. Dogs presented as adults with unknown or incomplete history: WSAVA 2024 states a single dose of MLV core vaccine is very likely sufficient to immunise a pet dog over 26 weeks of age, with a second dose 2 to 4 weeks later considered prudent only in high-risk situations such as an outbreak.
Booster: A single dose within 1 year after the last dose of the initial series.
Ongoing: Every 3 years thereafter.
Who needs it: Core for all dogs regardless of lifestyle.
Rabies
Most people call it the rabies shot
Rabies attacks the brain, is always fatal once symptoms start, and can pass to people. This is the one shot the law usually requires.
- 1At 12 weeks oldFirst shot
- 21 year laterBooster shot
- 3Every 1 to 3 years after thatOne shot. Your state sets the rule.
Exact schedule wording
Series: A single dose; licensed products are labeled for puppies 12 weeks (3 months) of age and older.
Booster: A single dose 1 year after the initial vaccination.
Ongoing: Every 1 or 3 years per product label and local or state law.
Who needs it: Core for all dogs and legally mandated in most jurisdictions; follow local law.
Leptospira (4-serovar)
Most people call it the lepto shot
Lepto is a bacteria dogs pick up from puddles, wet soil and wildlife urine, including in city parks and back yards. It damages the kidneys and liver, and it can pass to people.
- 1At 12 weeks oldFirst shot
- 22 to 4 weeks laterSecond shot
- 31 year laterBooster shot
- 4Every year after thatOne shot
Adopted an adult pet, or have no records? Tap here
Starting late is normal and safe. The schedule is shorter:
- 1Whenever you startFirst shot
- 22 to 4 weeks laterSecond shot
- 31 year laterBooster shot
- 4Every year after thatOne shot
Exact schedule wording
Series: 2 doses, 2 to 4 weeks apart, starting at 12 weeks of age (dogs 16 weeks or younger). Dogs over 16 weeks: 2 doses, 2 to 4 weeks apart.
Booster: A single dose within 1 year after the last dose of the initial series.
Ongoing: Annually.
Who needs it: Reclassified to core in the 2024 update for most dogs 12 weeks and older that go outside, in rural, suburban, and urban settings.
Source: AAHA 2024 update: Leptospirosis vaccine reclassified as core for most dogs.
Recommended only if your veterinarian says your dog is at risk
Borrelia burgdorferi (Lyme disease)
Most people call it the lyme shot
Lyme is carried by ticks and causes fever, sore joints and limping, and sometimes kidney damage. It matters most in wooded and tick-heavy areas.
- 1From about 8 to 9 weeks oldFirst shot
- 22 to 4 weeks laterSecond shot
- 31 year laterBooster shot
- 4Every year after thatOne shot
Exact schedule wording
Series: 2 doses, 2 to 4 weeks apart (first dose typically from about 8 to 9 weeks per product label).
Booster: A single dose within 1 year after the last dose of the initial series.
Ongoing: Annually.
Who needs it: Risk of Ixodes tick exposure based on lifestyle, geography, and Lyme-endemic areas.
Bordetella bronchiseptica with parainfluenza (intranasal)
Most people call it the kennel cough shot
Kennel cough is a harsh honking cough that spreads wherever dogs mix. Rarely dangerous for a healthy adult dog, but most boarding kennels and daycares require the shot.
- 1Before boarding or daycareOne dose, usually up the nose
- 2Every year after thatOne dose
Exact schedule wording
Series: A single intranasal dose for dogs at risk of exposure.
Booster: Per label.
Ongoing: Annually.
Who needs it: Boarding, daycare, grooming, shows, and other communal exposure (kennel cough complex).
Canine influenza virus (H3N8 and H3N2)
Most people call it the dog flu shot
Dog flu spreads in kennels, daycares and shows, causing coughing and fever. Outbreaks come and go by region, so ask your veterinarian if it is around.
- 1Before group settingsFirst shot
- 22 to 4 weeks laterSecond shot
- 31 year laterBooster shot
- 4Every year after thatOne shot
Exact schedule wording
Series: 2 doses, 2 to 4 weeks apart.
Booster: A single dose within 1 year after the last dose of the initial series.
Ongoing: Annually.
Who needs it: Exposure risk in communal settings and regional outbreaks.
The first year
A kitten needs several rounds of shots, not just one. Babies get protection from their mom at birth, and it blocks vaccines from working until it fades. Nobody can tell exactly when that happens, so the shot is repeated every few weeks until it is safe to stop.
How the first year looks
- 16 weeks oldFirst visit. The series starts.
- 29 weeks oldSecond round.
- 312 weeks oldThird round. Rabies can start now.
- 416 weeks oldLast round. This is the one that counts.
- 51 year oldBooster, then every 1 to 3 years.
Ages are approximate. Your veterinarian sets the exact dates.
After the first year
Once the first-year series is done, the schedule gets simple. Most shots are yearly or every three years, and your veterinarian will tell you which ones your pet still needs.
These are recommendations published by veterinary organisations (AAHA, AAFP and WSAVA). "Recommended for every pet" is what veterinarians call a core vaccine. Your veterinarian may still adjust any of it for your pet.
Recommended for every cat
FVRCP (Panleukopenia, Herpesvirus-1, Calicivirus)
Most people call it the distemper combo shot
Panleukopenia, usually called feline distemper, wipes out the white blood cells and kills kittens quickly. The other two cause the sneezing, runny eyes and mouth ulcers that never quite go away once a cat has them.
- 1From 6 weeks oldFirst shot
- 2Every 3 to 4 weeks after thatAnother shot, until they are 16 to 20 weeks old
- 3At 6 months oldBooster shot. If the kitten series finished late, about 1 year after it instead.
- 4Every 3 years after thatOne shot
Adopted an adult pet, or have no records? Tap here
Starting late is normal and safe. The schedule is shorter:
- 1Whenever you startFirst shot
- 23 to 4 weeks laterSecond shot. Grown cats need both.
- 3Every 3 years after thatOne shot
Exact schedule wording
Series: Begin no earlier than 6 weeks of age, then every 3 to 4 weeks until 16 to 20 weeks of age (final dose at 16 to 20 weeks). Adult or unknown history: 2 doses, 3 to 4 weeks apart.
Booster: A single dose at 6 months of age is preferred (to close the maternal-antibody gap), otherwise about 1 year after the kitten series.
Ongoing: Every 3 years for low-risk cats when given by injection (SQ). The intranasal (IN) form is revaccinated ANNUALLY, per the AAHA/AAFP feline vaccine table. Most pet cats receive the injectable.
Who needs it: Core for all cats; panleukopenia is highly contagious and life-threatening.
Rabies
Most people call it the rabies shot
Rabies attacks the brain, is always fatal once symptoms start, and can pass to people. This is the one shot the law usually requires.
- 1At 12 weeks oldFirst shot
- 21 year laterBooster shot
- 3Every 1 to 3 years after thatOne shot. Your state sets the rule.
Exact schedule wording
Series: A single dose per product label and local or state law (commonly from 12 weeks of age).
Booster: A single dose 1 year after the initial dose.
Ongoing: Every 1 or 3 years per the product used and local law.
Who needs it: Core; zoonotic and fatal, and often legally mandated.
FeLV (Feline leukemia virus)
Most people call it the feline leukemia shot
FeLV spreads between cats through grooming, shared bowls and bites. It weakens the immune system and causes cancer, and there is no cure, so prevention is the whole game.
- 1From 8 weeks oldBlood test first, then the first shot
- 23 to 4 weeks laterSecond shot
- 31 year laterBooster shot
- 4After thatOnly if your cat goes outside or lives with other cats
Exact schedule wording
Series: Test FeLV status first. 2 doses, 3 to 4 weeks apart, beginning as early as 8 weeks of age.
Booster: A single dose 12 months after the initial series.
Ongoing: Adults: risk-based (annually for ongoing exposure; every 2 to 3 years for periodic exposure where licensed).
Who needs it: Core for all cats under 1 year because of age-related susceptibility; lifestyle-based (outdoor access, contact with FeLV-positive or unknown cats) for adults.
Recommended only if your veterinarian says your cat is at risk
Chlamydia felis
Most people call it the chlamydia shot
Causes sore, weepy, swollen eyes, mostly in homes and shelters with a lot of cats. Not something most single-cat households need.
- 1Only if your veterinarian advises itFollow the schedule they give you
- 2Every year after thatOne shot, while the risk lasts
Exact schedule wording
Series: Per product label (initial series then annual where used).
Booster: Per label, typically annual.
Ongoing: Annually where risk persists.
Who needs it: Confirmed C. felis in multi-cat environments; not for routine low-risk pet cats.
Bordetella bronchiseptica
Most people call it the kennel cough shot
Mostly a problem in shelters and catteries where a lot of cats live close together. Rarely needed for a house cat.
- 1Only if your veterinarian advises itFollow the schedule they give you
- 2Every year after thatOne shot, while the risk lasts
Exact schedule wording
Series: Per product label (intranasal or parenteral).
Booster: Per label.
Ongoing: Annually where risk persists.
Who needs it: Reserved for control programs in high-density or shelter or cattery settings; not routine for pet cats.
Everything here is a recommendation from published veterinary guidelines, not a rule and not medical advice for your pet. Your veterinarian knows your pet, your region and your circumstances, and their advice comes first. Rabies is the exception people ask about: that one is set by state law, not by a guideline.