Vaccination schedule / United Kingdom
Puppy vaccination schedule in United Kingdom
British practice treats four diseases as the ones every dog should be covered for: distemper, hepatitis, parvovirus and leptospirosis. Rabies is not part of the routine schedule, it is only needed for travel. The primary course is typically two injections, which is where UK practice diverges most from the WSAVA international guideline.
The typical schedule: DHP plus leptospirosis
| Dose | Typical age | Vaccines | Type | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| First puppy vaccination | 6 to 8 weeks | DHP or DHPPi, Leptospirosis (L2 or L4) | Core | PDSA: puppies should ideally start at around 6 to 8 weeks old. The common Nobivac products are licensed from 6 weeks. |
| Second puppy vaccination | 10 to 12 weeks | DHP or DHPPi, Leptospirosis (second dose) | Core | PDSA: two injections, 2 to 4 weeks apart. The product datasheets specify the second dose from 10 weeks of age. This completes the primary course under typical UK practice. |
| Third vaccination, some puppies | 16 weeks | DHP | Core | PDSA: some puppies, but not all, need a third injection. WSAVA advises a final core dose at 16 weeks or older for every puppy, because maternal antibody can still be blocking the earlier doses. This is the main UK versus WSAVA disagreement. Worth raising with your vet. |
| First adult booster | 12 months | DHP, Leptospirosis | Core | PDSA: protection from the puppy course lasts one year. After this, leptospirosis is boosted annually and DHP typically every three years. RSPCA UK describes a booster at 6 or 12 months, and WSAVA advises at or after 26 weeks, so there are three answers in circulation for the same booster. |
| Kennel cough | 8 weeks | Bordetella bronchiseptica, canine parainfluenza | Non core | Given as nasal drops, not an injection. PDSA recommends it for dogs that mix frequently with others. Nearly every British boarding kennel requires it. Annual revaccination. The minimum age is on the product datasheet, ask your vet. |
| Rabies, only if travelling | 12 weeks | Rabies | Rabies | Not part of the routine UK schedule. For travel, GOV.UK requires proof the pet is at least 12 weeks old, and the microchip must be implanted before or at the same time as the vaccination or it has to be done again. You must then wait at least 21 full days after the first vaccination before travelling. |
- Leptospirosis is treated as core in the UK and boosted every year, unlike DHP. L4 covers four serogroups: Canicola, Icterohaemorrhagiae, Australis and Grippotyphosa. L2 covers two.
- Parainfluenza sits inside both the injectable DHPPi and the intranasal kennel cough vaccine, and needs annual revaccination either way.
- PDSA says a puppy is fully protected 2 to 4 weeks after their final injection.
- If you are taking a dog abroad you also need an animal health certificate from a vet, and dogs entering Great Britain need tapeworm treatment no less than 24 hours and no more than 5 days before arrival.
This is general guidance, your vet sets the actual schedule. Local disease risk, the products your clinic stocks and your puppy’s own history all change the plan. Take this page to your vet as a starting point, not as an instruction.
Common questions
Do dogs in the UK need a rabies vaccination?
Not for life in the UK. Rabies is not part of the routine British schedule, it is only required for taking a pet abroad. For travel the pet must be microchipped first, must be at least 12 weeks old at vaccination, and you have to wait at least 21 full days after the first vaccination before travelling.
What is the difference between the L2 and L4 leptospirosis vaccines?
L2 covers two Leptospira serogroups and L4 covers four: Canicola, Icterohaemorrhagiae, Australis and Grippotyphosa. Both need two doses to start and an annual booster after that. When L4 was introduced there was press coverage questioning its safety, and the British Veterinary Association's response called that coverage scaremongering, said vaccinations save lives, and asked owners to make an informed choice with their own vet.
Does a UK puppy need a third vaccination at 16 weeks?
It depends who you ask, which is unusual for a vaccine question. Typical UK practice finishes the primary course with a second dose from 10 weeks, and PDSA says some puppies but not all need a third. WSAVA advises that every puppy gets a final core dose at 16 weeks or older, because a minority still have maternal antibody blocking the vaccine at 10 weeks. If your puppy is going into a high parvovirus area, it is worth asking your vet about a 16 week dose.
Other countries
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Sources
- PDSA, vaccinating your dog: https://www.pdsa.org.uk/pet-help-and-advice/looking-after-your-pet/puppies-dogs/vaccinating-your-dog
- RSPCA UK, dog vaccinations: https://www.rspca.org.uk/adviceandwelfare/pets/dogs/health/vaccinations
- British Veterinary Association statement on the Nobivac L4 vaccine: https://www.bva.co.uk/news-and-blog/news-article/bva-statement-on-nobivac-l4-vaccine/
- MSD Animal Health UK, Nobivac DHP product information: https://www.msd-animal-health-hub.co.uk/Products/Nobivac-DHP
- MSD Animal Health UK, Nobivac L4 product information: https://www.msd-animal-health-hub.co.uk/Products/Nobivac-L4
- GOV.UK, getting your pet microchipped and vaccinated for travel: https://www.gov.uk/taking-your-pet-abroad/getting-your-pet-microchipped-and-vaccinated
Last reviewed 2026-09-05. If a date here does not match what your clinic tells you, your clinic is right.