Module 2: Preventive health care and health surveillance
Vaccination Best Practices
Association of Shelter Veterinarians
ASV Guidelines Statement on Vaccination:
“Vaccines are vital lifesaving tools that must be used as part of a preventive shelter healthcare program. Vaccination protocols used for individual pets in homes are not adequate in most population settings. Strategies must be specifically tailored for shelters because of the higher likelihood of exposure to infectious disease, the likelihood that many animals entering the shelter are not immune and the potentially life-threatening consequences of infection. Some vaccines prevent infection whereas others lessen the severity of clinical signs.”
Review the 2022 AAHA Guidelines for vaccination of shelter dogs and the 2020 AAHA/AAFP Guidelines for vaccination of shelter cats.
Key Takeaways for Vaccination of Shelter Dogs
- Modified-live CDV + CAV2 + CPV + CpiV (DAPP) vaccine
- CDV = canine distemper virus; CAV2 = canine adenovirus type 2; CPV = canine parvovirus; CPiV = canine parainfluenza virus
- Administered by the subcutaneous (SQ) route
- Puppies <5 months old: DAPP at intake and every 2-3 weeks from 4 weeks to 20 weeks of age
- Adults ≥5 months old: DAPP at intake and 2-3 weeks later
- Modified-live Bordetella bronchiseptica + CPiV vaccine
- Administered intranasally
- Vaccines including modified-live CPiV are more effective than vaccines containing Bordetella only
- Dogs ≥3 weeks of age: single dose at intake
- Killed rabies vaccine
- Administered SQ
- ≥3 months of age before release from the shelter
- Must follow local rabies vaccination laws
Key Takeaways for Vaccination of Shelter Cats
- Modified-live FHV + FCV + FPV (FVRCP) vaccine
- FHV = feline herpesvirus; FCV = feline calicivirus; FPV = feline parvovirus or panleukopenia virus
- Administered by the subcutaneous (SQ) route in the distal right foreleg
- Kittens <5 months old: FVRCP at intake and every 2 weeks from 4 weeks to 16-20 weeks of age
- Adults ≥5 months old: FVRCP at intake and 2 weeks later
- Killed or recombinant FeLV vaccine
- FeLV = feline leukemia virus
- Administered SQ in distal left foreleg to cats ≥8 weeks old
- Requires two doses 3-4 weeks apart
- Recommended for kittens and group-housed cats only
- Killed rabies vaccine
- Administered SQ once in distal right hindleg
- ≥3 months of age before release from the shelter
- Must follow local rabies vaccine laws and vaccine label instructions
The following tables of shelter vaccination best practices created by the ASPCA are handy quick-reference resources useful for staff training.
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