Vaccination

• Rabies: Protects against rabies virus, a fatal disease transmissible to humans. Legally required in most areas. Administered as a single or combo vaccine; adult dogs need revaccination per local law and vaccine type (typically 1–3 years).

• Distemper/Parvovirus/Adenovirus (DA2PP or DHPP): These combination vaccines protect against canine distemper, parvovirus (severe, often fatal intestinal disease), and adenovirus (hepatitis). Core for all dogs; initial puppy series followed by boosters.

• Leptospirosis (often included separately or as part of a combo): Protects against bacterial Leptospira species that can cause severe kidney and liver disease and can infect humans. Recommended where exposure risk exists (wet environments, wildlife contact).

Cat

• Rabies: Protects against rabies virus; legally required in many places. Administered as a single or combo vaccine; revaccination schedule varies by vaccine type and law.

• FVRCP (Feline Viral Rhinotracheitis/Calicivirus/Panleukopenia): Combination vaccine protecting against feline herpesvirus (rhinotracheitis), calicivirus (upper respiratory disease), and panleukopenia (feline distemper—severe, often fatal). Core for all cats; given as a kitten series with boosters.

  Why they recommend core vaccines

  • Prevent highly contagious, common, or severe diseases: Core vaccines protect against illnesses that are widespread, easily transmitted, or associated with high morbidity and mortality. Examples: canine distemper, parvovirus, rabies; feline panleukopenia, feline herpesvirus, calicivirus, and rabies.

  • Protect public health: Some core diseases (notably rabies) are zoonotic and pose a serious risk to humans. Vaccination reduces human exposure and is often legally required.

  • Decrease disease incidence and outbreaks: High vaccination coverage lowers the overall presence of disease in the pet population, reducing outbreaks and protecting unvaccinated or immunocompromised animals through herd protection.

  • Improve clinical outcomes: Vaccinated animals that do contract disease are generally less severely affected, with lower rates of complications and death.

  • Cost-effective prevention: Vaccination is typically far less expensive and safer than diagnosing and treating the diseases vaccines prevent.

  • Meet legal and community requirements: Rabies vaccination is mandated in many jurisdictions; other community or boarding/kenneling requirements often require proof of core vaccines.

  • Evidence-based standards of care: Organizations like AAHA and AVMA base recommendations on epidemiology, vaccine efficacy, duration of immunity studies, and risk-benefit analyses. Following these standards supports high-quality preventive care.

  • Protect vulnerable populations: Puppies and kittens, senior pets, and immunocompromised

Non-core vaccines for dogs and cats are immunizations recommended only when an individual pet’s risk of exposure justifies the vaccine. They are not necessary for all animals and are chosen based on factors such as lifestyle, geographic location, travel, boarding, hunting or exposure to wildlife, and household risk (other animals or immunocompromised people).

Dogs

• Bordetella (kennel cough): Protects against a bacterial/viral respiratory complex common in boarding, daycare, grooming, and dog-show environments. Available as intranasal, oral, or injectable formulations. Often required by kennels.

• Lyme disease (Borrelia burgdorferi): Recommended for dogs in regions where ticks carrying Lyme are prevalent, or for dogs with high tick exposure. Typically given as a two-dose initial series, then periodic boosters.

• Canine influenza virus (CIV): Recommended for dogs at risk of exposure in high-density dog populations, kennels, or during local outbreaks. Two-dose series with periodic boosters depending on risk.

Cats

• Feline leukemia virus (FeLV): Recommended for kittens and for adult cats at risk (outdoor cats or those in contact with FeLV-positive cats). Not necessary for strictly indoor, single-cat households with no exposure risk.

After your pet receives vaccinations, brief monitoring helps detect and address any immediate reactions and ensures their comfort. Here’s what to expect and what to do:

What we watch for (first 15–30 minutes)

• Mild, common signs: temporary lethargy, decreased appetite, mild fever, soreness at the injection site.

• Moderate signs: persistent vomiting, diarrhea, significant swelling at the injection site, or small lumps that grow quickly.

• Severe (rare) signs of an allergic reaction: facial swelling (particularly around the eyes or muzzle), hives, difficulty breathing, repeated vomiting, collapse, or severe weakness.

At-home monitoring (first 24–48 hours)

• Keep your pet calm and limit vigorous activity for 24 hours.

• Check the injection site daily for warmth, redness, or increasing swelling. Small, firm bumps may occur and often resolve over a few days.

• Offer food and water normally; if your pet refuses food for more than 24 hours, contact us.

• Note any unusual behavior, breathing changes, vomiting, diarrhea, or signs of pain.

When to contact us or seek emergency care

• Any breathing difficulty, facial swelling, collapse, repeated vomiting, or severe diarrhea.

• Rapidly enlarging lump at the injection site or signs of severe pain.

• Symptoms that worsen or do not improve within 24–48 hours.

Immediate steps if you suspect a serious reaction

• Call the clinic or your emergency veterinary provider right away and describe symptoms, time since vaccination, and the vaccine given.

• If directed, bring your pet in immediately.

Why monitoring matters

• Most reactions are mild and resolve on their own, but prompt recognition of uncommon severe reactions allows for timely treatment and better outcomes. If you have questions or concerns after your

UC Davis and the American Veterinary Medical Association (AVMA) recommend vaccination protocols for dogs and cats that balance core protection, individualized risk assessment, and minimizing overvaccination.

Dogs

• Distemper, Adenovirus (hepatitis), Parvovirus (often combined as DA2P/DA2PP). Puppies begin a series at 6–8 weeks, repeated every 3–4 weeks until at least 16 weeks;

• Rabies - A dose of rabies vaccine is typically given at 12–16 weeks per local law. The vaccine is usually given with the last Distemper/Parvo vaccine at 16 weeks of age or older.

• Timing and boosters: After the initial puppy series and a 1-year booster, Rabies and Distemper/Parvo vaccines are generally given every 3 years (or per product label and local regulations).

• Other vaccines - Bordetella, Leptospirosis, Lyme, and Canine Influenza are given based on lifestyle, geographic risk, and exposure; these may require initial series and more frequent boosters (often annually).

• Individualization: UC Davis and AVMA emphasize tailoring protocols to the dog’s age, breed, health status, environment, and exposure risk; titer testing may be used to assess immunity for some core agents.

Cats

• Core vaccines: Feline Panleukopenia (FPV), Feline Herpesvirus-1 (FHV-1), Feline Calicivirus (FCV) and Rabies. Kittens start series at ~6–8 weeks, repeated every 3–4 weeks until at least 16 weeks; rabies timing follows product and local law.

• Timing and boosters: After the initial series and a 1-year booster, core vaccines are typically administered every 1 or 3 years for FPV/FHV/FCV depending on vaccine product and patient risk; rabies per local law/product (1- or 3-year).

• Noncore vaccines: Feline Leukemia Virus (FeLV) is recommended for kittens and for cats with outdoor access or exposure risk; other vaccines (e.g., Chlamydia) are given based on specific risk factors. FeLV often requires an initial two-dose series and annual revaccination for at-risk cats.

• Individualization: Protocols should be adjusted by age, indoor/outdoor status, health, and exposure risks.

General principles from UC Davis and AVMA

• Focus on core vaccines for population and individual protection; use noncore vaccines selectively based on risk assessment.

• Use evidence-based schedules and vaccine labels; avoid routine unnecessary annual core revaccination when scientific evidence supports longer intervals.

• Consider titer testing to document immunity where appropriate, especially for core viral diseases.

• Document informed consent and discuss benefits, risks