Dog Vaccinations 2025: Vet-Approved Guide to Protection 💉🐶

By Dr. Duncan Houston BVSc

Vaccinations are an essential part of keeping your dog healthy. Dog vaccines contain small amounts of modified or killed viruses, bacteria, or other disease-causing organisms, known as antigens. These stimulate your dog’s immune system to produce a protective response without causing the disease itself. Later, if your dog encounters the actual pathogen, their immune system can recognize and fight it more effectively.

🐾 Core Vaccines: Essential Protection

Certain vaccines are considered core, meaning they are recommended for all dogs regardless of lifestyle:

1. Canine Parvovirus (CPV)

• What it affects: Gastrointestinal tract

• Symptoms: Severe vomiting, diarrhoea, dehydration, lethargy

• Why vaccinate: Puppies and unvaccinated dogs are highly susceptible. Vaccination reduces the risk and severity.

2. Canine Distemper Virus (CDV)

• What it affects: Respiratory, gastrointestinal, and nervous systems

• Symptoms: Fever, nasal discharge, coughing, vomiting, diarrhoea, seizures, paralysis

• Why vaccinate: Distemper is often fatal, and there is no specific treatment. Vaccination is critical.

3. Canine Adenovirus-2 (CAV-2)

• What it affects: Respiratory system (CAV-2) and liver (CAV-1)

• Symptoms: Fever, abdominal pain, vomiting, jaundice, respiratory illness

• Why vaccinate: Protects against both canine hepatitis (CAV-1) and respiratory disease (CAV-2/kennel cough).

4. Rabies 🦇

• What it affects: Central nervous system, fatal once symptoms appear

• Symptoms: Behavioural changes, aggression, paralysis, difficulty swallowing

• Why vaccinate: Essential for your dog’s health, legally required in many countries, and protects humans from this zoonotic disease.

🐾 Non-Core Vaccines: Based on Lifestyle & Risk

These vaccines are given depending on your dog’s environment, lifestyle, or regional disease risk:

1. Bordetella bronchiseptica (Kennel Cough)

• Symptoms: Dry cough, nasal discharge, fever

• Who needs it: Dogs that frequently visit boarding facilities, dog parks, or groomers

2. Canine Influenza Virus (CIV)

• Symptoms: Coughing, sneezing, nasal discharge, pneumonia in severe cases

• Who needs it: Dogs at high exposure risk, like those in boarding or dog shows

3. Leptospirosis 🌿

• Symptoms: Kidney and liver damage, flu-like symptoms, jaundice

• Who needs it: Dogs exposed to contaminated water or wildlife

4. Lyme Disease (Certain Countries) 🦠

• Symptoms: Joint pain, swelling, fever, and kidney damage

• Who needs it: Dogs in areas with high tick prevalence

🛡️ Why Vaccinations Are Important

1. Protect your dog’s health: Prevent severe, potentially fatal diseases.

2. Protect public health: Some diseases, like rabies, can spread to humans.

3. Herd immunity: Vaccinating many dogs reduces the risk of outbreaks, protecting those who can’t be vaccinated.

4. Legal compliance: Rabies vaccination is mandatory in many countries.

5. Cost-effective: Prevention through vaccination is often cheaper than treating the disease.

✅ Final Tips

• Consult your veterinarian to determine the best vaccination schedule for your dog based on age, lifestyle, and risk factors.

• Keep a record of vaccinations and schedule booster shots as recommended.

• Monitor your dog for mild post-vaccination reactions like sleepiness or slight swelling, and contact your vet if any severe reactions occur.