[Wylie's Mom]

Basic vaccine schedule is as follows (via Dr. Dodds):

9-10 weeks old - Distemper + Parvo
14-16 weeks old - same as above
20 weeks or older (or as required by your State Law): Rabies

Another Vaccine Schedule via WSAVA / VGG

8-9 weeks old - Distemper + Parvo
11-12 weeks old - same as above
14-16 weeks old - same as above
12 weeks or older - rabies

1 Year Boosters:

at 1 year: Distemper + Parvo booster
at 1 year (at least 3wks apart from above shot): Rabies Booster (3 yr vaccine)

Following that, do vaccines every 3 years -or- "perform vaccine antibody titers for distemper and parvovirus every three years thereafter, or more often, if desired. Vaccinate for rabies virus according to the law, except where circumstances indicate that a written waiver needs to be obtained from the primary care veterinarian. In that case, a rabies antibody titer can also be performed to accompany the waiver request."


***NOTE: The scientific reason for giving the *last* round of the parvo/distemper shot series at age 14-16 weeks is that this is when the maternal antibodies stop interfering with the vaccine. Studies have demonstrated that if that last dose is at 14-16 weeks of age, at least 98% of puppies will get immunized, regardless of breed.

A series is necessary because we do not know at what point the maternal antibodies are low enough not to block the puppy’s immune response. Research shows that less than 50 percent of puppies will respond at six weeks; 75 percent at nine weeks; 90 percent at 12 weeks; and by 14 to16 weeks, close to 100 percent will respond.