Vet says my dog needs boosters after overdue shots. Is it necessary?

That;s a great question! Foggy may need a booster in a month for a couple of his vaccines, but will probably not need a whole new series like he did as a puppy. There are other vaccines that may be good for a year, despite him being overdue. I recommend contacting your veterinarian to book Foggy's vaccination appointment as soon as possible, as certain vaccines (like rabies) can be required by law.

Puppies need a series of DA2PP (also called DHPP, combo boosters or Distemper/Parvo) vaccinations every 2-4 weeks until they reach at least 16 weeks of age (but up to 18-20 weeks in some cases). Lepto is an optional vaccination that does need to be boostered once. Bordatella is an optional vaccination as well. What your veterinarian is recommending appears to be the appropriate boosters of the vaccines that Toffee previously received. I am attaching a link to the American Animal Hospital Association's vaccine guideline below which explains boostering vaccines in puppies and also includes a Lifestyle-Based Vaccine Calculator to help you determine which diseases Toffee may be at risk for so you can discuss those with your veterinarian to make the best decision for Toffee. https://www.aaha.org/guidelines/canine_vaccination_guidelines/practice_vaccination.aspx Good luck! I hope that was helpful and answered your question. Thanks for using PetCoach.

Yes, a third booster is required within the appropriate time line (2-4 weeks). Vaccines must be given in certain time frames to ensure they are effective. Vaccines given too late will not be effective. It's better to play it safe than risk disease. One gentle reminder, the vast majority of veterinarian are not out to make money. As a profession, we are not rich. We make recommendations based upon the best health of the pet. I hope this helps.

The first annual booster vaccine is very important to maximise long term protection and it is likely a course of 2 vaccines may be required to reinforce immunity. This depends in part on what she had already and the local disease risk in your area, your vet can advise further at your check up

It depends on what vaccines they have had. Rabies and Distemper do not likely need to be bolstered. Leptospirosis or Lyme likely need to be. It depends on the type of Bordetella vaccine being used if it will need a vaccine. Yes, absolutely get the dogs caught back up on vaccines and I recommend to have them on a flea and heartworm prevention (pick Interceptor or Heartgard as they have the best protect against intestinal worms) too as stuff like that (no heartworms but intestinal worms) are often found at dog parks. I hope this is helpful and please feel free to post any additional questions.

It is not too late for vaccines. Schedule an appointment with your veterinarian. Discuss your dog's lifestyle. Together, you can determine which vaccine protocol is best for your dog. At the very least your dog should get a rabies vaccine and a distemper/parvovirus combo vaccine. He may require boosters 4 weeks after the initial vaccines. Consider a heartworm test and fecal as well. Monthly preventatives are also strongly recommended.

Your crew is adorable! Thanks for including a picture. The answer to which vaccinations your dogs need and how frequently depends on their ages and individual risk factors. I am attaching a link to the American Animal Hospital Association's vaccine guideline below. https://www.aaha.org/guidelines/canine_vaccination_guidelines/practice_vaccination.aspx In general, they recommend that all dogs receive DAPP and Rabies vaccinations. Those vaccines are considered Core vaccinations. Any other vaccinations are considered Non-Core and are only recommended for dogs that are at risk of contracting those diseases. The above website also includes a Lifestyle-Based Vaccine Calculator to help you determine which diseases your dogs may be at risk for, but be sure to discuss that with your veterinarian to make the best decision. DAPP vaccinations are generally given every 3 years in adult dogs. The Rabies vaccination is given every 1-3 years depending on your local requirements. The non-core vaccinations do not appear to last as long, so those vaccination need to be given more frequently, but it sounds like your dogs are not likely at risk for those diseases. Good luck! I hope that was helpful and answered your question. Thanks for using PetCoach.