AAHA Protocol for Vaccinations

Vaccination stimulates a dog's immune system, allowing it to develop immunity to disease-causing viruses or bacteria. Controversy often surrounds vaccination decisions for dogs, due to concerns about adverse reactions and duration of immunity. A vaccine schedule should be developed on an individual basis for each dog, taking lifestyle, diet, health, exposure risk, age, breed and genetics into account, to provide maximum immunity with minimum vaccination.

  1. History

    • Until the early 2000s, most veterinarians advocated vaccinating dogs for all major diseases every year, with the exception of rabies in states that allowed a three-year revaccination interval. In 2003, the American Animal Hospital Association released their "2003 Canine Vaccine Guidelines, Recommendations and Supporting Literature." The document provided clear guidance regarding which vaccines to give, when to give them and how often to repeat them. The Task Force reconvened in 2005 to review the guidelines as well as research on duration of immunity, and in 2006 published the "2006 AAHA Canine Vaccine Guidelines, Revised" which incorporated new information and expanded on the 2003 document. Both the 2003 and 2006 guidelines classify vaccines as "core," "non-core," or "not recommended" and promote vaccination schedules developed for each dog on an individual basis.

    Core Vaccines

    • The guidelines define core vaccines as those universally recommended for all dogs; core vaccines include parvovirus, distemper, adenovirus-2 and rabies. For all core vaccines except rabies, the AAHA recommends all puppies receive at least three vaccinations between 6 and 16 weeks of age, with a 3- to 4-week interval between and the final vaccination given at 14 to 16 weeks of age. Recommended revaccination occurs one year after the final puppy shot and then every three years or longer. Puppies should receive rabies vaccination one time as early as 3 months of age, again one year later, and then according to the vaccine label or as allowed by state or local law.

    Non-Core Vaccines

    • The AAHA guidelines consider some vaccines to be non-core, or optional, based on the individual dog's lifestyle, environment and risk of exposure. Vaccination schedules for non-care vaccines vary depending on the specific vaccine. Non-core vaccines include parainfluenza, distemper-measles, bordatella (kennel cough), Borrella (Lyme disease) and leptospira.

    Not Recommended Vaccines

    • A handful of vaccinations fall under the "not recommended" category, either because the vaccine does not protect against infection, the disease is not significant, or other vaccines more effectively provide immunity. Vaccines the AAHA does not recommend include killed parvovirus, adenovirus-1, killed or topical adenovirus-2, coronavirus and giardia. In addition, the AAHA takes no position on the rattlesnake or periodontal disease vaccines, due to a lack of information on their effectiveness.

    Vaccination of Shelter Dogs

    • The 2006 Guidelines added a new section concerning vaccination of shelter dogs. Dogs in a shelter environment often have an unknown vaccination history and are in poor health. The shelter environment itself poses a high risk for contagion. The AAHA recommends vaccinating dogs for parvovirus, distemper, adenovirus-2, parainfluenza and bordatella immediately upon shelter entry, with revaccination two weeks later. Shelter dogs should receive rabies vaccination prior to release from the shelter, not upon admission. Vaccinations for Lyme, leptospirosis, and the standard "not recommended" vaccines also fall under the "not recommended" category for shelter dogs.