{
  "meta": {
    "compiled": "2026-07-08",
    "primary_source": "2022 AAHA Canine Vaccination Guidelines (JAAHA 58:1-19), Table 2 updated 2024",
    "notes": "AAHA's own aaha.org pages returned HTTP 403 to direct fetch. The full guideline text and official Table 2 were fetched instead from AAHA-authorized mirror copies: the Merck Animal Health sponsor-hosted PDF of the full guidelines, and the HubSpot-hosted PDF of Table 2 that AAHA itself distributes and points readers to from aaha.org/canine-vaccinations. Both carry the AAHA copyright line."
  },
  "core": [
    {
      "id": "dap-dhpp",
      "vaccine": "DAP/DHPP (distemper, adenovirus, parvovirus, +/- parainfluenza)",
      "doses": [
        {
          "age_weeks_min": 6,
          "age_weeks_max": 8,
          "note": "Minimum age to begin the primary vaccination protocol is 6-8 weeks."
        },
        {
          "age_weeks_min": 8,
          "age_weeks_max": 16,
          "note": "Revaccinate at 2-4 week intervals through the series. At least 3 doses total are required between 6 and 16 weeks of age for puppies starting the series at 16 weeks of age or younger, 2-4 weeks apart. Puppies starting after 16 weeks of age need only 2 doses, 2-4 weeks apart."
        },
        {
          "age_weeks_min": 16,
          "age_weeks_max": 20,
          "note": "Final dose in the primary series must be given no earlier than 16 weeks of age; AAHA states 18-20 weeks may be preferred particularly in areas of high canine distemper virus (CDV) or canine parvovirus (CPV) risk."
        }
      ],
      "source_url": "https://www.merck-animal-health-usa.com/downloads/aaha-canine-vaccination-guidelines/"
    },
    {
      "id": "rabies",
      "vaccine": "Rabies",
      "doses": [
        {
          "age_weeks_min": 12,
          "age_weeks_max": null,
          "note": "Table 2 initial-vaccination guidance is simply 'As required by law.' All licensed rabies vaccines are labeled for puppies 3 months (12 weeks) of age and older; the exact legally required first-dose age is set by state/local law, not by AAHA. AAHA does not publish its own numeric first-dose age window."
        }
      ],
      "source_url": "https://www.merck-animal-health-usa.com/downloads/aaha-canine-vaccination-guidelines/"
    },
    {
      "id": "leptospirosis-killed-4-serovar",
      "vaccine": "Leptospirosis (killed, 4-serovar)",
      "doses": [
        {
          "age_weeks_min": 12,
          "age_weeks_max": 16,
          "note": "For dogs 16 weeks of age or younger: two doses, 2-4 weeks apart, starting at 12 weeks of age. The 12-week floor reflects a Task Force safety recommendation because adverse reactions of any type are more likely in smaller and younger dogs."
        },
        {
          "age_weeks_min": 16,
          "age_weeks_max": null,
          "note": "For dogs older than 16 weeks of age: two doses, 2-4 weeks apart, regardless of the dog's age."
        }
      ],
      "source_url": "https://24051120.fs1.hubspotusercontent-na1.net/hubfs/24051120/Guidelines%20PDFs/Canine%20Vaccination/CanineVaccineGL_OnlineTable2_updated.pdf",
      "classification_note": "The original 2022 published guideline text classified leptospirosis as noncore. The 2024-updated Table 2 (this source) moved leptospirosis into the core vaccines block for most dogs in North America. Dosing itself is unchanged between the 2022 and 2024 versions."
    }
  ],
  "noncore": [
    {
      "id": "borrelia-burgdorferi-lyme",
      "vaccine": "Borrelia burgdorferi (canine Lyme disease)",
      "doses": [
        {
          "age_weeks_min": null,
          "age_weeks_max": 16,
          "note": "For dogs 16 weeks of age or younger: two doses, 2-4 weeks apart. Table 2 does not state an explicit minimum starting age for this vaccine."
        },
        {
          "age_weeks_min": 16,
          "age_weeks_max": null,
          "note": "For dogs older than 16 weeks of age: two doses, 2-4 weeks apart, regardless of the dog's age."
        }
      ],
      "lifestyle_factors": "Recommended for dogs that live within or travel to regions with emerging or endemic Lyme disease. Primary vector in the northeastern, mid-Atlantic, and north-central US and eastern Canada is Ixodes scapularis (black-legged/deer tick); on the Pacific coast it is Ixodes pacificus. For dogs traveling to an endemic area, both initial doses should be completed 2-4 weeks before travel.",
      "source_url": "https://www.merck-animal-health-usa.com/downloads/aaha-canine-vaccination-guidelines/"
    },
    {
      "id": "bordetella-cpiv-combo-intranasal",
      "vaccine": "Bordetella bronchiseptica & canine parainfluenza virus (combination, intranasal)",
      "doses": [
        {
          "age_weeks_min": null,
          "age_weeks_max": null,
          "note": "A single intranasal (IN) dose is indicated for dogs at risk of exposure. Table 2 does not specify an age floor for this product."
        }
      ],
      "lifestyle_factors": "Indicated for dogs at risk of exposure, e.g., boarding, daycare, dog parks, grooming, training classes, and dog shows.",
      "source_url": "https://24051120.fs1.hubspotusercontent-na1.net/hubfs/24051120/Guidelines%20PDFs/Canine%20Vaccination/CanineVaccineGL_OnlineTable2_updated.pdf"
    },
    {
      "id": "bordetella-only",
      "vaccine": "Bordetella bronchiseptica only (parenteral, intranasal, or oral)",
      "doses": [
        {
          "age_weeks_min": null,
          "age_weeks_max": null,
          "note": "Parenteral (SQ): two doses, 2-4 weeks apart. Intranasal: a single dose administered intranasally. Oral: a single dose administered into the buccal pouch."
        }
      ],
      "lifestyle_factors": "Dogs at risk of Bordetella exposure who cannot be vaccinated intranasally, or as a booster route option.",
      "source_url": "https://24051120.fs1.hubspotusercontent-na1.net/hubfs/24051120/Guidelines%20PDFs/Canine%20Vaccination/CanineVaccineGL_OnlineTable2_updated.pdf"
    },
    {
      "id": "canine-influenza-h3n8-h3n2",
      "vaccine": "Canine influenza virus (H3N8/H3N2)",
      "doses": [
        {
          "age_weeks_min": null,
          "age_weeks_max": null,
          "note": "Two doses, 2-4 weeks apart. Table 2 does not specify an age floor for this vaccine."
        }
      ],
      "lifestyle_factors": "Routine use in all dogs is not recommended. Warranted based on individual risk assessment, especially for dogs boarded or commingled at dog daycare, dog parks, dog shows, agility events, and for dogs who travel, together with monitoring of current local CIV circulation.",
      "source_url": "https://www.merck-animal-health-usa.com/downloads/aaha-canine-vaccination-guidelines/"
    },
    {
      "id": "western-diamondback-rattlesnake-toxoid",
      "vaccine": "Western diamondback rattlesnake (Crotalus atrox) toxoid",
      "doses": [
        {
          "age_weeks_min": null,
          "age_weeks_max": null,
          "note": "Dosing requirements and frequency of administration vary among dogs depending on body weight and exposure risk. No fixed schedule published."
        }
      ],
      "lifestyle_factors": "Dogs in rattlesnake-endemic areas with envenomation risk. AAHA notes there are no published data documenting vaccine efficacy in dogs, and reports of adverse reactions, including anaphylaxis, in vaccinated dogs that were later envenomated.",
      "source_url": "https://www.merck-animal-health-usa.com/downloads/aaha-canine-vaccination-guidelines/"
    }
  ],
  "boosters": [
    {
      "id": "dap-dhpp-booster",
      "applies_to_ids": ["dap-dhpp"],
      "vaccine": "DAP/DHPP (distemper, adenovirus, parvovirus, +/- parainfluenza)",
      "pattern": "A single dose within 1 year following the last dose in the initial vaccination series, then subsequent boosters at intervals of 3 years. Annual boosters are not necessary.",
      "source_url": "https://24051120.fs1.hubspotusercontent-na1.net/hubfs/24051120/Guidelines%20PDFs/Canine%20Vaccination/CanineVaccineGL_OnlineTable2_updated.pdf"
    },
    {
      "id": "rabies-booster",
      "applies_to_ids": ["rabies"],
      "vaccine": "Rabies",
      "pattern": "A booster dose is recommended 1 year following the initial vaccination, regardless of vaccine formulation or age at initial vaccination (to immunize any animal that failed to respond to the initial dose). After that, revaccination interval follows the labeled duration of immunity of the product used (1-year or 3-year formulations are both licensed) and applicable state/local law; Table 2 lists ongoing rabies revaccination simply as 'As required by law.'",
      "source_url": "https://www.merck-animal-health-usa.com/downloads/aaha-canine-vaccination-guidelines/"
    },
    {
      "id": "leptospirosis-booster",
      "applies_to_ids": ["leptospirosis-killed-4-serovar"],
      "vaccine": "Leptospirosis",
      "pattern": "A single dose within 1 year following the last dose in the initial vaccination series, then subsequent boosters annually.",
      "source_url": "https://24051120.fs1.hubspotusercontent-na1.net/hubfs/24051120/Guidelines%20PDFs/Canine%20Vaccination/CanineVaccineGL_OnlineTable2_updated.pdf"
    },
    {
      "id": "lyme-borrelia-burgdorferi-booster",
      "applies_to_ids": ["borrelia-burgdorferi-lyme"],
      "vaccine": "Lyme (Borrelia burgdorferi)",
      "pattern": "A single dose within 1 year following the last dose in the initial vaccination series, then subsequent boosters annually.",
      "source_url": "https://24051120.fs1.hubspotusercontent-na1.net/hubfs/24051120/Guidelines%20PDFs/Canine%20Vaccination/CanineVaccineGL_OnlineTable2_updated.pdf"
    },
    {
      "id": "bordetella-cpiv-all-routes-booster",
      "applies_to_ids": [
        "bordetella-cpiv-combo-intranasal",
        "bordetella-only"
      ],
      "vaccine": "Bordetella bronchiseptica / canine parainfluenza (all routes)",
      "pattern": "Subsequent boosters administered annually. For dogs at high ongoing respiratory-disease risk (e.g., frequent boarding), AAHA notes it may be advantageous to booster intranasal combination vaccines more frequently than annually.",
      "source_url": "https://www.merck-animal-health-usa.com/downloads/aaha-canine-vaccination-guidelines/"
    },
    {
      "id": "canine-influenza-h3n8-h3n2-booster",
      "applies_to_ids": ["canine-influenza-h3n8-h3n2"],
      "vaccine": "Canine influenza (H3N8/H3N2)",
      "pattern": "A single dose within 1 year following the last dose in the initial vaccination series, then subsequent boosters annually.",
      "source_url": "https://24051120.fs1.hubspotusercontent-na1.net/hubfs/24051120/Guidelines%20PDFs/Canine%20Vaccination/CanineVaccineGL_OnlineTable2_updated.pdf"
    },
    {
      "id": "overdue-unknown-vaccination-history",
      "vaccine": "Overdue or unknown vaccination history (any core or noncore vaccine)",
      "pattern": "The benefits of vaccination far outweigh the risks in dogs with unknown immune status or vaccination history. Consult specific vaccine manufacturers for instructions on overdue vaccinations. AAHA's stated rule of thumb: 'When in doubt, vaccinate.' For rabies specifically in this scenario: 'Follow local laws and consult the state veterinarian as needed.'",
      "source_url": "https://24051120.fs1.hubspotusercontent-na1.net/hubfs/24051120/Guidelines%20PDFs/Canine%20Vaccination/CanineVaccineGL_OnlineTable2_updated.pdf"
    }
  ],
  "caveats": [
    {
      "caveat": "Rabies vaccination is legally mandated in many jurisdictions, and age at initial vaccination, timing of booster doses, vaccine formulation, response to overdue booster doses, and whether exemptions are permitted may all be stipulated by local, state, or provincial law. Veterinarians serving clients across multiple jurisdictions should generally apply the requirements of the jurisdiction where the animal resides.",
      "source_url": "https://www.merck-animal-health-usa.com/downloads/aaha-canine-vaccination-guidelines/"
    },
    {
      "caveat": "Legal exemptions from rabies vaccination requirements are only available in certain jurisdictions; possible exemptions should be discussed with the owner in the context of the animal's health and lifestyle (risk of exposure), and the discussion should be documented in the medical record.",
      "source_url": "https://www.merck-animal-health-usa.com/downloads/aaha-canine-vaccination-guidelines/"
    },
    {
      "caveat": "In jurisdictions where rabies vaccination is not legally mandated, AAHA still recommends it as a core vaccine, used per the Compendium of Animal Rabies Prevention and Control.",
      "source_url": "https://www.merck-animal-health-usa.com/downloads/aaha-canine-vaccination-guidelines/"
    },
    {
      "caveat": "All AAHA schedules are general, discretionary recommendations, not universally prescriptive ones. Veterinarians have the discretion to administer vaccines off-label when scientific data, local circumstances, or evolving standards of care support that decision; informed client consent remains important in those situations.",
      "source_url": "https://www.merck-animal-health-usa.com/downloads/aaha-canine-vaccination-guidelines/"
    },
    {
      "caveat": "This document is intended as a guideline only, not an AAHA standard of care, and should not be construed as dictating an exclusive protocol, course of treatment, or procedure; variations in practice may be warranted based on the needs of the individual patient, resources, and limitations unique to each practice setting.",
      "source_url": "https://www.merck-animal-health-usa.com/downloads/aaha-canine-vaccination-guidelines/"
    },
    {
      "caveat": "Core vaccines are defined as those recommended for all dogs irrespective of lifestyle, unless there is a specific medical reason not to vaccinate. Noncore vaccines are recommended for some dogs based on lifestyle, geographic location, and risk of exposure; in regions where a noncore pathogen (e.g., leptospirosis, Lyme disease) is endemic, a traditionally noncore vaccine may be treated as core by local veterinary practices.",
      "source_url": "https://www.merck-animal-health-usa.com/downloads/aaha-canine-vaccination-guidelines/"
    },
    {
      "caveat": "Leptospirosis vaccine classification changed between guideline versions: noncore in the original 2022 published text, reclassified to core for most North American dogs in the 2024-updated Table 2. The dosing schedule itself did not change.",
      "source_url": "https://24051120.fs1.hubspotusercontent-na1.net/hubfs/24051120/Guidelines%20PDFs/Canine%20Vaccination/CanineVaccineGL_OnlineTable2_updated.pdf"
    },
    {
      "caveat": "Lower-confidence, via WebSearch summary rather than a direct successful page fetch: AVMA-linked reporting indicates only 39 US states mandate rabies vaccination for dogs by state law, 11 states have no statewide legal requirement, and where state law applies, local jurisdictions (counties/cities) may impose stricter, but not more lenient, requirements than the state. Re-verify with a direct AVMA source before using for state-specific product copy.",
      "source_url": "https://www.avma.org/advocacy/stateandlocal/pages/rabies-vaccination.aspx"
    }
  ]
}