Rabies has been eliminated in the United Kingdom but there are still several illnesses and diseases that your puppy or dog can catch.
Vaccines provide immunisation but they need to be administered within a certain time frame to ensure your pet builds a successful immunity.
Puppy vaccinations not only protect your pet but also other animals that your pet comes into contact with.
You should avoid taking your pet outside to a public place until it has received all the primary vaccinations. Also, avoid introducing your pet to other potentially unvaccinated animals until it has been fully vaccinated itself.
On this page we’ll provide a puppy vaccination schedule and publish a researched price guide, this is perfect if you’re budgeting for your first pet.
A rather cute Miniature Schnauzer.
How Do Puppy Vaccinations Work?
A small minute amount of safe deactivated microorganisms that in their live state would cause an illness or disease are given by injection or nasal drops to the pet.
Your pet’s natural defences then kick in and produce antibodies which remain in the body and provide long-term immunity.
Booster vaccines should be given periodically to ensure enough antibodies remain in the system.
What is a Typical Vaccination Schedule?
The first vaccination is administered by injection and protects the puppy against the most common illnesses, including:
- Parvovirus
- Distemper
- Parainfluenza
- Canine Hepatitis
- Leptospirosis.
This injection should be administered at around 6 – 8 weeks of age.
The second puppy vaccination is usually given between 3 to 4 weeks after the first.
Booster vaccines are normally given every 2 – 3 years throughout your dog’s life.
Additional Vaccines
While rabies has been eliminated in the UK, you’ll need to vaccinate your pet before taking it abroad.
Rabies vaccinations are part of the process if you want to apply for a pet passport. Note: Pet Passports aren’t valid in EU countries since Brexit.
Kennel Cough is an infection that spreads from dog to dog and is commonly found in pets that are kept in communal kennels.
You can protect your pet against this cough by instructing a vet to immunise it via a nasal droplet.
Not every dog will require this vaccine, it’s up to you to decide if your pet is at risk, so consider:
- if your pet will be kennelled regularly
- if it will be in contact with lots of other dogs frequently, perhaps you’ll be using a professional dog walker etc.
- if your pet will be taken to show trials and competitions etc.
Is the Kennel Cough Included in the Vaccine?
In most cases no. The Kennel Cough vaccine is not a primary vaccine so is only administered when needed, for example just prior to the dog staying in a kennel. It can be included with the primary vaccines if the dog will be spending a lot of time with other dogs and you don’t know their vaccination status.
Coronavirus is an illness that can cause great distress to any pet dog but while an immunisation is available, it isn’t considered a “core” vaccine.
You should ask your vet about Coronavirus and whether they feel it should be included in your puppy’s vaccination schedule.
This article contains a ton of information about Coronavirus.
Average Puppy Vaccination Cost
Below is our price guide for puppy vaccinations in the UK.
We last updated these figures in April 2022 and they’re sourced from 11 veterinary practices in various locations in the United Kingdom:
| Project: | Price: |
|---|---|
| 1st and 2nd Vaccination | £70 |
| Kennel Cough Vaccine | £40 |
| Dog Annual Booster | £50 |
| Puppy Health Check (recommended for newly homed puppies) | £28 |
| Dog Pet Passport (inc microchip, rabies jab and document) | £150 - £250 |
| Microchip (standalone) | £21 |
Don’t forget that the prices above are an average cost, how much you’ll pay will depend on your location.
Neutering, worming and flea treatment costs are not included above.
How Soon After Vaccination Can a Dog/Puppy be Taken Outside to Socialise?
As a general rule of thumb, your puppy will be immune to most of the diseases within 24 hours after the second injection and should be fully immune 2 weeks after it.
The reason for the delay is Leptospirosis, the immunisation for this disease takes between 7 and 14 days, depending on the type of vaccine used.
You can take your dog out sooner but you should avoid areas where lots of other dogs are walked and definitely steer clear of dog faeces which potentially contain diseases.
Further Reading
These websites contain reliable information and are an excellent resource:
Puppy vaccination Vs socialisation by Stan Rawlinson
This guide was written by Danny Woodley and was last updated in April 2022.
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