Puppies and kittens get vaccines every 2 to 4 weeks from about 6 to 8 weeks old until 16 weeks or later. A booster follows within a year (at 6 months for kittens), and adult core vaccines are then usually repeated every three years. Rabies follows local law, and the leptospirosis vaccine for dogs is yearly.
The details below follow the guidelines widely used by US vets: the AAHA canine vaccination guidelines and the AAHA/AAFP feline guidelines. They're a map of what to expect, not a plan for your pet. Your vet sets the actual schedule after examining your animal and asking how it lives, and local law has the final word on rabies.
Core and non-core vaccines#
Core vaccines are the ones every dog or cat should have unless there's a medical reason not to. Non-core vaccines depend on risk: where you live, whether your dog goes to daycare or boarding, whether your cat goes outside. The AVMA's vaccination brochure for owners gives the usual examples, such as Lyme for dogs in tick country and Bordetella and canine influenza for dogs who board or go to daycare.
Dog vaccination schedule#
| Vaccine |
Puppy series |
After the series |
| Distemper, adenovirus, parvovirus (combination shot) |
Start at 6 to 8 weeks, repeat every 2 to 4 weeks until older than 16 weeks |
One booster within a year of the series, then every 3 years |
| Leptospirosis |
First dose at 12 weeks or older, as part of an initial series |
Every year |
| Rabies |
At the age your local law sets |
As required by law and the vaccine's label (1 or 3 years) |
| Bordetella, canine influenza, Lyme |
Only if your dog's lifestyle or region calls for them |
On the schedule your vet sets for the product |
The timing comes from the 2022 AAHA canine vaccination guidelines, which say annual boosters of the core combination aren't necessary once the first-year booster is done; every three years is enough. Leptospirosis is different. It's a bacterial vaccine that needs a booster every year, and while the 2022 guidelines technically list it as non-core, they say it should be strongly considered for most dogs in North America. It isn't just a farm-dog disease anymore: small dogs in cities and suburbs catch it too, through rodents and other wildlife. Ask your vet whether it's in your dog's plan.
Why so many puppy shots? Antibodies from the mother's milk protect a young puppy but also block the vaccine from working, and nobody can tell exactly when they fade for a given puppy. Repeating the shot every few weeks until past 16 weeks covers that unknown gap. It's also why a puppy isn't fully protected until the series is done, so ask your vet which places are safe for socializing in the meantime.
Cat vaccination schedule#
| Vaccine |
Kitten series |
After the series |
| Panleukopenia, herpesvirus, calicivirus (FVRCP combination) |
Starting no earlier than 6 weeks, every 3 to 4 weeks until 16 to 20 weeks |
Booster at 6 months of age, then every 3 years |
| Feline leukemia (FeLV) |
2 doses 3 to 4 weeks apart, from as early as 8 weeks |
Core for cats under 1 year. After that, depends on whether your cat meets other cats |
| Rabies |
Per the vaccine label and local law |
Per the vaccine label and local law |
That's from the 2020 AAHA/AAFP feline vaccination guidelines. The 6-month booster is the newer part. It used to be given at a year, but the guidelines moved it earlier to close the window where a kitten whose maternal antibodies blocked the last kitten shot could be unprotected.
FeLV is core for every kitten because you can't know at 8 weeks whether a cat will end up going outdoors or living with an infected cat. For adults, the guidelines recommend yearly FeLV boosters for cats with regular exposure and every 2 to 3 years for lower-risk adults. A strictly indoor adult in a single-cat home may not need it at all; that's the conversation to have with your vet.
Cats have one vaccine risk worth knowing about. Rarely, a lump at an injection site can develop into a tumor called an injection-site sarcoma. The guidelines recommend giving shots low on the legs, so that if a tumor does form it can be removed completely, and they use a "3-2-1" rule for lumps afterward: get it checked if it's still there 3 months later, is bigger than 2 cm, or is still growing a month after the injection. Ask your vet to note in the record which vaccine went where.
Does an indoor pet need vaccines?#
Yes, the core ones. Indoor cats still need FVRCP. The panleukopenia virus survives a long time in the environment and can come in on shoes and clothing. Indoor pets escape, need boarding when you travel, and meet new animals. And the AVMA points out that many local and state laws require vaccinations even for indoor-only pets.
What indoor living does change is the non-core list. An indoor cat who never meets other cats has a different FeLV risk than one who roams.
Rabies is a legal requirement, not just a medical one#
Rabies vaccination rules are set by states and local governments, and they vary: which animals, at what age, and whether the booster is every year or every three years. Your vet will follow local law and the label of the specific vaccine. Keep the rabies certificate, not just the tag; the tag alone usually isn't accepted as proof.
Antibody titer tests (a blood test for antibodies) can help your vet judge whether your pet is still protected against some diseases, though the AVMA is clear they don't replace a vaccination program. Rabies is the firm exception: the AAHA guidelines say serologic testing isn't considered a substitute for rabies vaccination, and the law asks for the vaccine. Some places allow a medical exemption from a vet for a pet who can't safely be vaccinated, through a formal process.
If you're traveling abroad with a pet, start early. Some countries require a microchip before the rabies shot, a specific waiting period, and sometimes a blood test, and missing one step can mean quarantine. Check the destination country's official requirements months ahead.
If your pet is bitten by a wild animal or another animal of unknown vaccination status, call your vet and local animal control or public health office the same day.
What if a booster is late or records are missing?#
Don't panic, and don't assume the whole series has to start over. Whether an overdue adult needs a single catch-up shot or a restarted series depends on the vaccine and how long it's been, and a puppy or kitten who missed part of the series may need extra doses depending on age. Call the clinic rather than guessing.
For a rescue or rehomed pet with no records, try the shelter, the breeder, the previous clinic, or your local licensing office before the first appointment. If nothing turns up, your vet will build a catch-up plan.
Vaccine side effects: what's normal and what isn't#
The AVMA brochure lists the common mild reactions: tenderness or swelling at the injection site, tiredness, a mild fever and less appetite, usually starting within hours and gone within 24 hours. Call your vet if they last longer than a day or two, or if a small lump at the injection site is still there after three weeks, is growing, or seems painful.
Go to a vet immediately for:
- swelling or puffiness around the face, nose, eyes or neck
- hives (red, itchy bumps all over)
- persistent vomiting or diarrhea
- persistent, severe coughing or trouble breathing
- fainting or collapse
These allergic reactions are rare but can be life-threatening, and they can show up anywhere from a few minutes to hours after the shot. If your pet has reacted before, tell the clinic before the next round. A past reaction doesn't automatically mean no more vaccines. The vet may change the product or split the shots across visits, and the AVMA suggests waiting 30 to 60 minutes at the clinic afterward if you're worried about a reaction. Don't give your pet human pain medicine for soreness after a shot. Several common ones are toxic to cats and dogs.
Keep a record you control#
Keep your own copy of each pet's record: vaccine name, date, the clinic, the next due date, the rabies certificate and the microchip number. Clinic reminders get lost when you move or change vets, and boarding kennels and groomers ask for proof.
Due dates line up neatly with the annual vet checkup, which is when most adult boosters get done anyway. If you also want a nudge between visits, a ChoreLists.com reminder for each due date works well. Vaccines don't protect against fleas, ticks or heartworm, so review those separately with the flea and tick prevention schedule.