Table 2.

WSAVA Guidelines on Canine Vaccination for the Shelter Environment

Recommended Vaccines in Various Combinations (also refer to Table 1)	Initial Vaccine Series for Puppies (<16 weeks of age)	Initial Vaccine Series for Adults (>16 weeks of age)	Comments
CDV + CAV‐2 + CPV‐2 (MLV) with or without CPiV	Administer one dose prior to or immediately on admission. Repeat at 2 week intervals until 16 weeks of age if animal is still in the facility.	Administer one dose prior to or immediately on admission. Repeat in 2 weeks.	Ideally puppies should be vaccinated beginning at 6 weeks of age. Nursing history is not always available. In the face of an outbreak, vaccination as early as 4 weeks (for distemper or parvovirus) may be indicated.
rCDV + CAV‐2 + CPV‐2 (rCDV + MLV) with or without CPiV
Combination product is administered SQ or IM according to manufacturer’s recommendations.	Note: Where CDV and/or parvovirus infection rates are high, the CDV vaccine may be administered as early as 4 weeks of age but not earlier.		MDA, if present, can interfere with immunization.
Bordetella bronchiseptica (avirulent live bacterin) + CPiV (MLV)	Administer a single dose as early as 3 weeks of age. For best results, if administered prior to 6 weeks of age, an additional dose should be given after 6 weeks of age.	Two doses 2–4 weeks apart are recommended.	Intranasal (avirulent live) vaccine is preferred to parenteral vaccine in puppies because it can safely be administered to puppies younger than 6 weeks. Additionally a single dose may be protective.
For intranasal use only. Parenteral administration MUST BE avoided.
Bordetella bronchiseptica (available as killed bacterin or antigen extract; for parenteral administration only)	Administer one dose at time of admission. Administer a second dose 2–4 weeks later.	Two doses 2–4 weeks apart are recommended.	Topical vaccination in adult dogs or puppies older than 16 weeks has the advantage of providing non‐specific immunity immediately after vaccination whereas parenteral does not.
			Canine respiratory disease complex (kennel cough) is not a vaccine‐preventable disease and the vaccine should only be used to help manage the disease.
Canine influenza virus (CIV; available as killed parenteral vaccine)	Administer first dose not earlier than 6 weeks of age, followed in 2–4 weeks by the second dose.	Administer two doses 2–4 weeks apart.	Annual revaccination is recommended for animals in long‐stay shelters.
			For influenza vaccines in general immunity is serotype‐specific.
			This product is only available in the USA.
Rabies	If at all, a single dose, or two doses 2–4 weeks apart in a highly endemic area, should be administered at the time of discharge from the facility.	If at all, a single dose should be administered at the time of discharge from the facility.	The administration of rabies vaccine will be determined by whether the shelter is in a country in which the disease is endemic, and by local statute.