What Shots Does My Dog Need Every Year?

Vaccinating dogs helps prevent them from contracting diseases and viruses from direct contact with infected dogs, through contaminated feces, from drinking contaminated water or from insect bites. Dogs should be examined by a veterinarian prior to being vaccinated to ensure they receive the proper regimen of shots. Annual rabies vaccination is required by law. Shots and vaccines do not provide full protection for two weeks. While encouraging pet owners to make sure their dogs are up to date on vaccinations, animal specialists and veterinarians may recommend that some vaccinations are only needed every two or three years.

  1. Rabies

    • Dogs, cats and other outdoor pets should receive an annual vaccination against rabies. This disease attacks the central nervous system and is always fatal to animals. People who are bitten by any animal infected with rabies also need to get rabies shots.

    Lyme Disease

    • The brown deer tick, which carries Lyme Disease, is more prevalent in heavily wooded areas.

      Dogs living in heavily wooded areas and areas with a large brown deer tick population should be vaccinated annually against Lyme disease. Checking animals regularly for ticks and properly removing ticks will help prevent Lyme disease.

    DHLPPC

    • The combination vaccine, DHLPPC, helps protect dogs from several infections and diseases

      This is a combination vaccine that helps prevent dogs from contracting distemper, hepatitis or adenovirus, leptospirosis, parainfluenza, parvovirus and the coronavirus. This vaccine also helps protect dogs from some of the agents that cause bordetella.

    Distemper

    • Dogs owners who choose not to give their dogs the DHLPPC vaccine should still have pets vaccinated against distemper. Almost always fatal to puppies, distemper can kill adult dogs as well. Distemper is also highly contagious and found worldwide.

    Giardia

    • An intestinal parasite that is usually passed through the feces of infected animals, giardia may infect dogs and humans alike when they drink contaminated water. After the initial vaccine, dogs need a booster shot two weeks later and then an annual vaccination.

    Bordetella (Kennel Cough)

    • Dogs that are temporarily housed at a kennel run the risk of contracting bordetella, commonly known as kennel cough.

      Bordetella is a bacterial, infectious upper respiratory inflammation. Dogs risk exposure from infected animals in kennels or grooming salons. Human handlers can spread bordetella through food and water bowls. Humidity and stress can be contributing factors. Veterinarians recommend an intranasal vaccine containing both parainfluenza and bordetella, and then annual re-vaccination.