Dog & Cat Vaccination Schedule: Puppy & Kitten Shot Timeline Tracker

How puppy and kitten vaccines actually work

Newborns receive antibodies from mother's milk (colostrum) during the first 24-48 hours of life. Those maternal antibodies decline at an individual rate — usually between 6 and 16 weeks. The decline is what makes vaccine scheduling tricky: give the shot too early and maternal antibodies destroy the vaccine before the immune system can respond. Give it too late and there is an open window where the puppy or kitten is unprotected.

The solution is a series of doses at 3-4 week intervals, starting at 6-8 weeks and continuing until 16-20 weeks. At least one dose will land after maternal antibodies have dropped, and that dose is the one that actually establishes immunity. This is why the final puppy shot at 16+ weeks matters more than the earlier ones, and why cutting the series short is risky.

Dog vaccination schedule (AAHA-aligned)

Core vaccines — every dog

• DAPP #1 at 6-8 weeks (distemper, adenovirus, parvo, parainfluenza).
• DAPP #2 at 10-12 weeks.
• DAPP #3 at 14-16 weeks. Some vets add a fourth at 18-20 weeks for breeds with strong maternal antibody persistence (Rottweilers, Dobermans).
• Rabies at 12-16 weeks. Certificate required for most boarding, travel, and by law in 49 US states.
• 1-year booster for DAPP + Rabies at 12-16 months.
• 3-year boosters for DAPP + Rabies thereafter (some states still require annual rabies).

Non-core (risk-based) vaccines for dogs

• Leptospirosis — bacterial; transmitted through contaminated water, wildlife, and rodent urine. Zoonotic (humans can catch it). Recommended if the dog has yard access with wildlife, swims in natural water, or lives in flood-prone areas.
• Bordetella — kennel cough. Required for daycare, boarding, group training. Oral or intranasal formulations generally preferred over injection.
• Lyme — essential in endemic regions: Northeast, upper Midwest, mid-Atlantic. Pair with year-round tick prevention.
• Canine Influenza (H3N2 + H3N8) — primarily for dogs in shelter, show, or daycare settings.

Cat vaccination schedule (AAFP-aligned)

Core vaccines — every cat, indoor or outdoor

• FVRCP #1 at 6-8 weeks (rhinotracheitis, calicivirus, panleukopenia).
• FVRCP #2 at 10-12 weeks.
• FVRCP #3 at 14-16 weeks.
• Rabies at 12-16 weeks. Required by law for cats in most US jurisdictions.
• 1-year booster for FVRCP + Rabies at 12-16 months.
• 3-year boosters thereafter, product-dependent.

Non-core for cats

• FeLV (feline leukemia) — AAFP recommends for ALL kittens through the first adult booster. Outdoor cats and multi-cat households should continue annually through life. FeLV is transmitted cat-to-cat and is a leading cause of infectious death in cats.

A typical indoor cat gets FVRCP, Rabies, and FeLV as a kitten. An adult indoor-only cat may drop FeLV after the booster. Your vet will tailor this based on household exposure.

What to bring to every vet visit

Your printed vaccination record (download the PDF from above), the current medication list, and any questions written down. The record matters because pet owners switch vets more often than they realize — a move, a practice closure, or a specialty referral. Walking in with a complete record saves 15 minutes of vet time and prevents accidental double-dosing.

Common mistakes with vaccination timing

Mistake 1: Ending the puppy series at 12 weeks because the series "looks done." The 16-week dose is the critical one. Ending early leaves the pup underprotected until the 1-year booster, right through the highest-risk socialization window.

Mistake 2: Skipping non-core vaccines because they seem optional. Leptospirosis in many suburbs, Lyme in endemic areas, and Bordetella before boarding are functionally required. A $60 vaccine prevents a $2,000 hospitalization.

Mistake 3: Losing the rabies certificate. You need the paper original for boarding, travel, and bite incidents. Photograph it and save to cloud storage. If lost, request a duplicate from your vet — most charge $5-$15.

Mistake 4: Over-vaccinating an adult cat. Some vaccines now have a 3-year duration — annual revaccination increases injection-site sarcoma risk in cats. Ask your vet about duration and schedule accordingly.

Cost of the full vaccination series

Puppy series through 16 weeks at a private vet: $200-$450 total for core shots. At a low-cost vaccine clinic: $80-$160. Rabies alone is usually $15-$35. Kitten series is similar. Adult boosters run $40-$120 per visit depending on what is due. See the puppy first-year cost calculator and kitten first-year cost calculator to budget vaccinations into the larger first-year picture. For ongoing care, the vet visit cost calculator helps plan annual spend across wellness and preventive care.

Titer testing as an alternative

Titer tests measure actual antibody levels. For DAPP and FVRCP, titers can substitute for some adult boosters if levels are adequate. The test costs $60-$150 and may save $30-$80 on the booster — the math only works if you care about minimizing vaccine exposure rather than cost. For rabies, titers are generally NOT accepted for legal or international travel purposes.

How to use this tracker

Pick species, enter the pet's name, and check off each shot as it is given. The date defaults to today but you can backdate it. Your progress saves in your browser automatically. At annual vet visits, print the PDF and hand it to the vet tech — they will copy the data into their system and you will have a clean, organized record for as long as the pet lives.