Happy Pride Month!

Puppy Vaccines & Preventive Care

Puppy Vaccines & Preventive Care

Puppies need a few core vaccines on a schedule to protect them during their most vulnerable months. We'll help you choose what your puppy needs based on age, lifestyle, and risk in the Portland metro area.

Puppy getting vaccinated

Recommended Puppy Vaccine Schedule

  • 8 weeks: DAPP
  • 12 weeks: DAPP + Leptospirosis (Dose 1)
  • 16 weeks: DAPP + Rabies + Leptospirosis (Dose 2) (timing may vary)
  • 1 Year: Booster visit
  • Ongoing: Core vaccines every 1-3 years depending on vaccine and lifestyle

Your puppy's exact schedule may vary slightly based on age at their first visit and previous records.

Core Vaccines

  • Protects against distemper, adenovirus/hepatitis, parainfluenza, and parvovirus
  • Typical schedule: 8, 12, and 16 weeks
  • Booster at 1 year, then typically every 3 years
  • Recommended for dogs who interact with other dogs (daycare, grooming, boarding, parks)
  • Usually one dose during puppy series
  • Boosters typically yearly (some facilities require every 6 months)
  • Spread through wildlife/rodent urine
  • Can cause serious kidney/liver disease
  • Zoonotic (can affect humans)
  • Start at 12 weeks, second dose 3–4 weeks later
  • Boosters yearly
  • First dose typically around 16 weeks
  • Booster at 1 year, then every 3 years
  • Lifestyle Vaccines

  • Recommended for dogs who go to daycare, parks, grooming, or boarding
  • Two-dose initial series, 3–4 weeks apart
  • Annual boosters recommended
  • We carry this vaccine but do not recommend it for most dogs
  • Instead, we recommend consistent flea, tick, and heartworm prevention
  • Puppy parasite prevention

    Flea, Tick, Heartworm & Deworming Prevention

    • Fleas are present year-round in the Portland area
    • Year-round prevention is recommended for most dogs
    • Heartworm risk is increasing over time
    • Intestinal parasites are common in puppies
    • Fecal testing is recommended when adopting a new puppy or if GI signs are present