Two Easy Ways to Start Earning Rewards!
Become a member today!
Members-only pricing and offers, personalized care notifications, Vital Care points back on every purchase and more!
Already a member? Sign in
Become a credit card member today!
Earn 2X Pals Rewards points at Petco
when you use Petco Pay!
APPLY NOW
Learn More About Petco Pay Benefits

My puppy had her vaccinations twice. Will it cause her harm?

Updated on September 23rd, 2025

Will it hurt my puppy if she had her 12 week vaccinations twice?

3 Answers

Most Helpful Answer

Answered By Sabina Snyder, Specialty Surgery Technician

Veterinary Technician

Published on January 22nd, 2015

In general, it will not harm a puppy to have vaccinations twice unless it is a vaccine that the animal has a reaction to. Of course, we don't recommend that you get the vaccines off schedule, but most vaccines are tested so that if they are given at a higher than usual dose, it will not be harmful to the animal. Your pet may be more lethargic, painful at the injection site, etc etc, but in terms of serious side effects, you should be OK as long as there are no actual adverse side effects or reactions to the vaccine itself.

10Pet Parents found this answer helpful

Related Answers from Veterinarians

Answered By Destini R. Holloway, DVM
Veterinarian
Published on December 10th, 2016
Your pet should be fine. Double vaccination does not cause any harm in most cases and you should just watch out for the normal vaccine reaction symptoms that can be cause by just one vaccination which include: vomiting, diarrhea, lack of appetite, facial swelling and lethargy. If you do see these symptoms then call your vet for standard vaccine allergy treatment. However Stat should be fine if she had these vaccines before with no issues bc the double vaccination itself won't harm her.
1Pet Parents found this answer helpful
Answered By Angel Alvarado, LVT
Licensed Veterinary Technician
Published on October 20th, 2017
It can be dangerous if Lucky is exposed to unvaccinated dogs or dogs of unknown vaccine status. You should schedule the 2nd and 3rd rounds of vaccines as soon as you can. Keep him indoors or away from unknown/unvaccinated dogs until about 2 weeks after he is fully vaccinated.
1Pet Parents found this answer helpful

Smart Picks for Smart Questions

Related Questions

My dog got rabies vaccine twice in 2 weeks. Any side effects?

There are [no ill effects](https://www.petcoach.co/article/can-vaccines-harm-my-pet) that I am aware associated with getting [rabies](https://www.petcoach.co/dog/condition/rabies/) vaccinations close together. Just the usual possible side effects of any vaccination are possible. These may include, lethargy, fever, pain at the site of injection or a swelling at the site of injection. As long as she seems healthy, I wouldn't worry about it too much.

Updated on September 23rd, 2025

Health & Wellness

Lost my dog's vaccine papers. Is re-vaccination safe for her?

No, vaccinations are quite safe to give in close proximity to each other even if you are giving them early. This is done quite often on dogs that we have no vaccination history of and they need them. We will administer them anyway. I hope this helps! Please let me know if you have any other questions or concerns and I would be more than happy to help you further.

Updated on September 23rd, 2025

Health & Wellness

Is it safe if my puppy received vaccines earlier than her actual age?

Hi there. No, that's not a problem at all. After the first set, the timing of vaccines is based on when the last boosters were given, not on the specific age of the pup. So this won't hurt anything at all.

Updated on September 23rd, 2025

Will it hurt my dog to get another parvo vaccine if he's had one?

Hi there and good question. No, it will not hurt Jax if he gets another parvovirus vaccine if he has already had one. Parvovirus vaccines in adult canines are typically given every 1-3 years. If he had one 3 years ago, then it is time for a booster. If he already had one this year, another vaccine will not harm him unless he is allergic to the vaccine. Hope this helps!

Updated on September 23rd, 2025

My puppy had at-home shots. Is it safe to re-vaccinate her at the vet?

It's a good idea to have the vet give the core vaccines if the vaccine history is unknown. There are plenty of things that can go wrong with the handling and administration of vaccines, so it's best to have it done by a professional; and it won't be harmful to have it done again. I hope that helps and all is well with Aspen.

Updated on September 23rd, 2025

Health & Wellness

Are multiple vaccines safe for my small dog? What are the risks?

For small dogs, I generally do recommend to separate vaccines by a few weeks. This will decrease the chances of a vaccine reaction. You can also give the pups diphenhydramine prior to the vaccines to further decrease reaction rates. Definitely discuss these options with your veterinarian. Possible side effects of vaccines are vomiting, diarrhea, facial swelling, lethargy and collapse. If your pups exhibit any of these afterwards, be sure to have them seen immediately. The vast majority of pets are fine with vaccines however and reactions are rare. Most vets vaccinate based up risks associated with life style and the diseases found in your area. I recommend to have a conversation about risk factors for your pups but I suspect they are present if your vet is recommending these vaccines. Clear communication however is always best. I hope this is helpful and please feel free to post any additional questions.

Updated on September 23rd, 2025

Health & Wellness

Can puppies safely receive multiple vaccinations for the same illness?

Hello. Yes, all of these vaccines protect against at least distemper, & while it would be a waste of money to give all 3 at the same time, it should not harm the puppies. It sounds like this pet store owner needs some serious education on the proper vaccinating of puppies. Thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach.

Updated on September 23rd, 2025

Have A Vet Question?

Book an appointment with the pros – our expert vets are here to help.

Share