Complete guide to dog vaccines in the UK — what each protects against, when they're due, and the difference between core and non-core vaccines.
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● CORE — recommended for all dogs● NON-CORE — based on lifestyle
🐶 Primary Puppy Course
Distemper, Hepatitis, Parvovirus (DHPPi)
Core combined vaccine. Distemper and hepatitis are serious, often fatal. Parvovirus kills up to 80% of unvaccinated puppies that contract it. Highly contagious via faeces.
6–8 weeks, then 10–12 weeks
CORE
Leptospirosis (L2 or L4)
Bacterial disease spread via rat urine. Can cause fatal kidney and liver failure. L4 covers 4 strains vs L2's 2. Zoonotic — can infect humans.
10–12 weeks, then 14–16 weeks
CORE
Kennel Cough (Bordetella + Parainfluenza)
Highly contagious respiratory disease. Required by most kennels, groomers and dog walkers. Given as nasal drops or injection. Annual booster recommended.
From 3 weeks of age (nasal)
NON-CORE
🔄 Adult Boosters
Distemper & Hepatitis booster
After primary course, DH immunity typically lasts 3 years. Most practices now give triennially rather than annually.
Every 3 years
CORE
Parvovirus booster
Parvovirus titre testing can confirm ongoing immunity — some dogs maintain protection for 7+ years after vaccination.
Every 3 years (or titre test)
CORE
Leptospirosis booster
Annual booster required — immunity wanes after 12 months. Often the reason for annual vet visits.
Every 12 months
CORE
Kennel Cough booster
Annual booster maintains protection. Required for most boarding, grooming and doggy daycare facilities.
Every 12 months
NON-CORE
🌍 Travel & Lifestyle Vaccines
Rabies
Required for travel outside the UK. Mandatory for Pet Passport. Must be administered at least 21 days before travel.
Before international travel
NON-CORE
Babesiosis
Tick-borne disease. Currently rare in UK but increasing. Vaccine available in continental Europe. Risk if travelling to France, Belgium, Netherlands.
Travel to endemic areas
NON-CORE
Keep vaccination records organised. A pet health record book stores all vaccine dates, booster due dates and vet appointments in one place.
Parvovirus kills rapidly — unvaccinated dogs can die within days of exposure. Leptospirosis causes fatal organ failure and is transmissible to humans. Distemper causes neurological damage. These diseases still circulate in the UK — vaccination rates only need to drop slightly for outbreaks to occur. The WSAVA recommends core vaccination for all dogs worldwide.
Titre testing is an alternative to automatic boosters — a blood test measures antibody levels to confirm ongoing immunity. Some dogs maintain protective immunity to DHP for 5–7 years after their last booster. Titre testing is accepted by most UK kennels in place of booster certificates for DHP (but not leptospirosis, which requires annual vaccination).
Full protection requires 1–2 weeks after the second vaccine (usually around 12–14 weeks). Before this, avoid areas where unknown dogs toilet. However, socialisation before full vaccination has significant lifelong benefits — puppy classes with vaccinated dogs, carrying your puppy in public, and visiting homes of vaccinated dogs are generally safe and strongly recommended by vets. The risk of missed socialisation often outweighs the small vaccination risk.
Most dogs with previous vaccination history develop protective immunity within 24–72 hours of a booster. For dogs receiving a vaccine for the first time or after a long gap (lapsed vaccination), full immunity may take 2–4 weeks and a second dose may be required. Your vet will advise based on your dog's specific history.