Dog vaccinations: what UK dogs need and when

This guide is general information, not veterinary advice. If you're worried about your dog, speak to your vet.

Vaccines protect dogs against serious and sometimes fatal diseases (PDSA). Here's what UK vets and charities say about which jabs your dog needs, how often, and where the advice differs.

There's no legal requirement to vaccinate your dog in the UK, but vets recommend core vaccines for every dog. Rabies is the exception: it's a legal requirement if your dog travels in and out of the UK (PDSA).

What the vaccines protect against

Here's a quick look at each disease and the signs it can cause. Our full guides cover symptoms, spread and prevention in more detail.

Parvovirus: a highly contagious virus causing severe vomiting and diarrhoea, often foul-smelling and bloody (PDSA; Dogs Trust). See our parvovirus guide.
Distemper: a potentially fatal virus. Early signs include a fever, runny eyes and nose, poor appetite and coughing. As it progresses it can affect the nervous system, causing seizures, weak limbs and imbalance (Blue Cross). It spreads in saliva when an infected dog coughs or sneezes, and through urine (Blue Cross).
Infectious hepatitis (canine adenovirus): a virus that attacks the liver, kidneys, eyes and blood vessels. It spreads in bodily fluids and can survive in the environment for up to a year (PDSA). Dogs Trust says it can cause severe and fatal hepatitis (liver inflammation) (Dogs Trust).
Leptospirosis: a bacterial disease that damages organs such as the liver and kidneys (PDSA). Signs can include excessive thirst, fever, vomiting and muscle pain (Blue Cross). People can catch it too. See our leptospirosis guide.
Kennel cough: an airway infection that causes a hacking cough (PDSA). See our kennel cough guide.
Rabies: a severe and fatal viral disease that isn't present in the UK (Dogs Trust). The vaccine matters if your dog travels abroad (see below).

Lungworm isn't covered by a vaccine. It's prevented with prescription parasite treatment instead. See our lungworm guide (PDSA).

Core and non-core vaccines

The BSAVA (British Small Animal Veterinary Association) lists these as core vaccines for dogs in the UK, with the letters often used on vaccination records (BSAVA):

Canine distemper virus (D)
Canine adenovirus, or infectious canine hepatitis (H)
Canine parvovirus (P)
Leptospirosis (L)

PDSA agrees that all UK dogs should be vaccinated against these four (PDSA).

Non-core vaccines are for particular situations. The BSAVA lists (BSAVA):

Kennel cough (Bordetella bronchiseptica, with or without canine parainfluenza virus): to be considered before kennelling, or anywhere dogs mix, such as shows and training classes.
Rabies: a legal requirement for dogs travelling abroad and returning to the UK.
Canine herpes virus for breeding bitches, leishmaniasis before travel to areas where it's common, and Lyme disease for dogs at high risk of exposure.

Charities group kennel cough slightly differently. Dogs Trust lists it as an additional vaccination and suggests asking your vet whether your dog needs it (Dogs Trust). PDSA says it's usually a requirement if your dog goes to kennels or day care, has a dog walker, or goes to dog events and shows (PDSA). The RSPCA includes kennel cough and parainfluenza in its list of diseases that puppy vaccinations protect against (RSPCA).

The puppy course

Puppies need a primary course of usually two injections, and some need a third (PDSA). Charities give slightly different starting ages, from around 6 to 9 weeks. Our puppy vaccination timeline sets out each view, plus when your puppy can go out and start classes.

Boosters: how often?

Immunity fades over time, so adult dogs need boosters. Most sources agree that leptospirosis needs a yearly booster and that distemper, parvovirus and hepatitis last longer:

PDSA says adult dogs need a leptospirosis booster every year, and a distemper, parvovirus and hepatitis booster every three years (PDSA).
Dogs Trust says that after the first-year booster, dogs typically need a leptospirosis top-up every year and adenovirus, parvovirus and distemper top-ups every three years (Dogs Trust).
The BSAVA says that for most UK dog vaccines, the core distemper, parvovirus and hepatitis boosters are given at least every three years, while leptospirosis and kennel cough need annual boosters. It generally advises following each vaccine's data sheet (BSAVA).
Blue Cross puts it more simply: after the puppy course, dogs need a booster roughly every year for life (Blue Cross). Blue Cross also notes that the gap between parvovirus boosters can vary with the brand of vaccine (Blue Cross).

So you may well see your vet every year, even if not every vaccine is given every year. Your vet will tell you what's due (Dogs Trust).

How long does the kennel cough vaccine last?

Sources differ here. PDSA says the kennel cough vaccine lasts 12 months (PDSA), and the Royal Veterinary College says it's designed to last about 12 months (Royal Veterinary College). Blue Cross's kennel cough page also says about 12 months for the nasal vaccine (Blue Cross), but its vaccinations page says the nasal kennel cough vaccine is only protective for six months (Blue Cross). Ask your vet about the product they use.

If you've missed a booster

Book in as soon as you can and speak to your vet. If it's been too long, they may advise restarting the first vaccination course (PDSA). PDSA says a dog who has missed a booster might still have protection for 2 to 3 months after it was due, but will then be at risk again (PDSA). If you don't know whether your dog has ever been vaccinated, Blue Cross says dogs can be vaccinated at any age with a primary course of two injections four weeks apart (Blue Cross).

Rabies and travelling abroad

Rabies vaccination isn't essential for dogs living in the UK, but you may need it to take your dog abroad. Speak to your vet well in advance (Dogs Trust). PDSA suggests talking to your vet at least four months before you travel, so the paperwork is in place (PDSA).

Your dog must be microchipped before, or at the same time as, their rabies vaccination. If not, they'll need vaccinating again (GOV.UK).
Your vet needs proof your dog is at least 12 weeks old before giving the rabies vaccine (GOV.UK).
You must wait at least 21 full days after the first vaccination (or the last of the first course) before travelling. The exact wait depends on the vaccine (GOV.UK).
Rabies boosters are given every one to three years, depending on the vaccine (PDSA).
Coming back into Great Britain has its own rules, and some dogs need a tapeworm treatment no less than 24 hours and no more than 5 days before arrival (GOV.UK).

Rules change, so always check the latest GOV.UK guidance before you book.

Titre testing

A titre test is a blood test that checks how much immunity your dog still has against diseases they've been vaccinated for (PDSA). Views on how useful it is are cautious:

PDSA says your vet may suggest a titre test if you're worried about over-vaccinating, or if your dog has had a reaction to a booster before. If the results show protection, you may decide to leave some vaccines out that year (PDSA).
PDSA also says titre testing isn't a permanent alternative to boosters. A test shows protection on the day, not for the year ahead, so protection could in theory run out part way through the year (PDSA).
The BSAVA says pre-booster titre tests may be suggested as an alternative to boosters, but that acting on the results isn't always straightforward (BSAVA).
Both say there's no antibody test that can replace the leptospirosis vaccine, so your dog will still need their yearly lepto booster (PDSA; BSAVA).

Titre tests are available for parvovirus, hepatitis and distemper (PDSA). Talk it through with your vet if you're interested.

Side effects

Side effects are rare, and most dogs have none (PDSA). If they do happen, they're usually mild:

A high temperature, low energy and a reduced appetite, which usually pass within 24 to 48 hours (PDSA).
Being quieter or sleepier than usual, which Blue Cross says usually lasts around 24 hours (Blue Cross).
A swelling where the injection went in, which should go down within three to four weeks (Blue Cross).

Serious reactions are very rare (Blue Cross; PDSA). Speak to your vet if you're worried about how your dog has reacted.

Day care, boarding and cost

Reputable boarding kennels usually ask for proof that vaccinations are up to date (PDSA), and many will only accept dogs who've had the kennel cough vaccine (Dogs Trust). Keep your dog's vaccination card somewhere safe. Looking for care? See our day care and boarding pages.

Prices vary between vet practices, so call your practice for current costs (PDSA). Many practices offer monthly care plans, and charities such as PDSA and Blue Cross may be able to help if you're struggling, depending on your circumstances and where you live (Dogs Trust).

Battersea notes that cases of these diseases in UK dogs appear to be increasing as vaccination rates have fallen. It cites a 2023 PDSA report in which 51% of vets had seen an increase in parvovirus and 35% an increase in leptospirosis over the previous two years (Battersea).

Finding a vet in Liverpool

Your vet is the best person to plan your dog's vaccinations around their age, health and lifestyle (PDSA). Browse our Liverpool vets directory to find a practice near you.

Out-of-hours emergencies in Liverpool: Medivet 24 Hour Alder, 410 Eaton Road, West Derby, L12 3HG, says it is open 24 hours a day, 365 days a year. Call 0151 220 4668 (Medivet, checked 18 Oct 2026). Vets Now Liverpool, based in the PDSA Pet Hospital on Woolfall Heath Avenue, Huyton, L36 3YD, opens from 6pm on weeknights, from noon on Saturdays, and all day on Sundays and bank holidays. Call 0151 271 5727 (Vets Now, checked 18 Oct 2026). Always ring before you set off, and ask your own vet which service covers their out-of-hours calls.

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