How to Vaccinate Dogs With No Known Vaccination History

Keeping your dog's vaccinations current is important in preventing him from catching certain diseases. You may not always know your dog's vaccination history, however, because you found him as a stray, or you adopted him from a local animal rescue agency. Unless the dog is microchipped or is otherwise identifiable, it may be impossible to find out the dog's vaccination history. It is safe to vaccinate a dog even if he has already been vaccinated, and in the case of dogs with unknown histories, it is absolutely necessary to keep him safe.

Difficulty: Moderately Easy

Instructions

1. Find a vet if you don't already have one. Visit the American Veterinary Medical Association's member directory for referrals (see Resources).

2. Make an appointment for your dog's first round of "core vaccinations." These vaccinations will fend off diseases that could be potentially fatal to a dog, are common and are highly contagious, including adenovirus-2 (hepatitis), distemper, parvovirus and rabies.

3. Schedule your dog's second round of vaccinations for adenovirus-2 (or hepatitis), distemper and parvovirus. Schedule a second rabies shot 1 year later. These booster shots will help boost your dog's immunity to these diseases. After these initial rounds of vaccinations, your dog should continue to get these essential vaccinations every 3 years.

4. Discuss noncore vaccinations with your dog's vet. These vaccinations are for diseases that are specific to your region, such as Lyme disease and leptospirosis, or diseases that your dog will be exposed to under certain circumstances, such as bordetella (kennel cough) if your dog will come into close contact with other dogs. These vaccinations may not be needed at all.

Tips & Warnings

• Don't ask for a vaccination from the group of noncore vaccinations if your dog doesn't need it. He could suffer from a bad reaction to the vaccination needlessly. You can buy and administer many dog vaccinations yourself, but most states require that only licensed veterinarians administer rabies vaccinations, especially for purposes of dog licensing.
• Until your dog has received his full round of vaccinations, you should limit his exposure to other dogs. His vaccinations won't kick in immediately, or he may already be sick and may infect other dogs he comes into contact with.

Resources

• UC Davis: Canine Vaccination Guidelines
• Veterinary Medical Association's member directory

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