No set rule on vaccinating dogs

Is there any limit on how many vaccines a dog can get at the same time? I take my two terriers to the same hospital where there are four doctors. They are all great but that there is a slight difference in the way that they vaccinate my dogs.

Some years, when the dogs are due for their distemper and rabies shots, the dogs end up needing five vaccines when they also get Lyme, leptospirosis and Bordetella.

Some doctors will only vaccinate for no more than three things at one time and then have me bring the dogs back for the other two vaccines. One doctor says that they can give all five vaccines at the same time but the dog might be tired and they will only do so for my 40-pound dog. The other dog is 20 pounds and the vet prefers to split up the vaccines for the lighter dog.

Does this sound right? Is there a science to this or is it somewhat arbitrary? I also have a neighbor who just got a dog and their breeder told them not to vaccinate for leptospirosis and not to vaccinate for Bordetella until 9 months of age. Does that make sense?

Like many veterinarians, I am often frustrated by breeders misinforming buyers about vaccines, times to spay and more.

Tell your neighbors to speak with their veterinarian about what vaccines make sense for their dog based on risks of exposure. If you are in an area where leptospirosis is a risk then vaccinating for it makes a lot of sense. Bordetella vaccine is often initially given when puppies are between 2-3 months of age, so 9 months sounds way off.

How many vaccines to give at once? This topic is difficult because there is wide variability on how different veterinarians administer vaccinations. Sometimes one is trying to make things easier for the client and spare the dog another trip in for more vaccines.

I typically will administer up to three vaccines at the same time unless the dog is a larger dog in which case I will give more. I do so based on years of experience and seeing what works. Sometimes smaller dogs may be overwhelmed by a lot of vaccines, leaving them lethargic and wiped out for a day or two. I always ask my clients if their dog was unusually wiped out or had a bad reaction to multiple vaccines and then base future vaccine schedules on that.

This might include breaking them up even more or administering some diphenhydramine (Benadryl) to counteract negative side effects. In summary, there is no right or wrong here per se. Work with your veterinarians and do what makes sense based on each dog and what your vets say.