Vaccines protect dogs from infections that are common in India and often fatal, and some of them protect your family too. The World Small Animal Veterinary Association (WSAVA), whose guidelines vets around the world follow, divides them into core vaccines that every dog should have, and optional ones that depend on how a dog lives.
The core vaccines
Rabies
Rabies is almost always fatal once signs appear, in dogs and in people. WSAVA treats rabies vaccination as essential wherever the disease is present, as it is across India, even for dogs that rarely go out. One bite from an infected stray at the gate is enough.
Canine distemper
Distemper attacks the lungs, the gut and the nervous system. Many dogs with severe disease die, and survivors can be left with seizures or twitching for life.
Canine parvovirus
Parvo destroys the lining of the gut and is most dangerous to puppies. The virus survives for months in the environment. More on parvovirus.
Infectious canine hepatitis
Caused by canine adenovirus type 1, it damages the liver, kidneys and eyes. The vaccine uses a closely related virus, adenovirus type 2, which protects against hepatitis and against one of the causes of kennel cough.
Leptospirosis
Leptospirosis is a bacterial infection spread in the urine of infected animals, especially rats, and in the water and mud they contaminate. It damages the kidneys and liver, and it spreads to people. Outbreaks in India follow heavy rain and flooding. WSAVA's 2024 guidelines made leptospirosis a core vaccine wherever the disease is common, which includes Assam. Its protection lasts about a year, so it needs a yearly booster.
Vaccines that depend on lifestyle
- Kennel cough (Bordetella and parainfluenza): worth having if your dog boards, goes to day care or meets many other dogs. Parainfluenza is usually already part of the combined DHPPi vaccine.
- Canine coronavirus: WSAVA lists this vaccine as not recommended. The infection is usually mild.
What the letters on the card mean
Most dogs in India get combined vaccines:
- DHPPi: distemper, hepatitis (adenovirus), parvovirus and parainfluenza
- L: leptospirosis, as in DHPPi-L
- R: rabies, when it is combined in the same shot, as in DHPPi-RL
Why puppies need several doses, and adults need boosters
A mother's antibodies protect her puppies for their first weeks, but they also block vaccines. Because no one can tell when they fade in a particular puppy, the vaccine is repeated every few weeks until the puppy is 16 weeks or older, then boosted at 26 weeks.
After that, WSAVA advises that the distemper, parvovirus and hepatitis parts protect for at least three years, but leptospirosis needs a yearly dose. The combined vaccines used in India bundle them, so most dogs here are vaccinated every year. Rabies is also boosted every year. The vaccination schedule sets out each date.
After a vaccine
A sore spot, a quiet day or a slight temperature is common and passes within a day or two. Call a vet straight away if your dog's face swells, it develops hives, vomits repeatedly, struggles to breathe or collapses. These allergic reactions are rare, but they need prompt treatment.
Only healthy dogs should be vaccinated, so tell the vet about any recent illness before a dose is given.
Sources
General information, not a diagnosis. If your pet seems unwell, contact a vet.
