What Vaccines Does My Dog Need in California?
We get this question a lot — usually from someone who just moved to California, adopted a dog for the first time, or is switching vets and wondering if what they've been doing is actually right. The honest answer is that the list is shorter than most people expect, and a good chunk of what gets recommended at some clinics is more about habit than necessity.
Here's how we actually think about it at South Pasadena Animal Hospital in Alhambra — and what we talk through with clients at every wellness visit.
Two kinds of vaccines — and why the difference matters
Some vaccines every dog gets. Others depend entirely on the dog's life. The quick reference table below covers California's requirements and what we see most often in the SGV — but the narrative underneath it is where the real explanation lives.
| Vaccine | Type | Protects Against |
|---|---|---|
| Rabies | Required by Law | Rabies virus — fatal and transmissible to humans |
| DHPP | Core | Distemper, Hepatitis (adenovirus), Parainfluenza, Parvovirus |
| Bordetella | Lifestyle | Kennel cough — for dogs exposed to other dogs |
| Leptospirosis | Lifestyle | Bacterial infection from contaminated water/wildlife |
Rabies first — because it's the law
California requires rabies vaccination for all dogs 3 months and older. No wiggle room there. The first vaccine is typically valid for one year; after that you're on a 3-year booster cycle. We provide the documentation your dog needs for their municipal license — it's a short line item at most wellness visits but one that genuinely matters.
We don't frame rabies as optional because it isn't. It's fatal to dogs, transmissible to people, and required by law. It's also one of the cleanest, lowest-risk vaccines we give.
DHPP — one shot, four diseases
DHPP is the combination vaccine every dog gets, and it's been around long enough that we have excellent safety data on it. It covers distemper (which attacks the respiratory and nervous system), adenovirus (a liver and respiratory disease), parainfluenza (one of the bugs that contributes to kennel cough), and parvovirus — which is the one we worry about most in puppies. Parvo is nasty, moves fast, and kills unvaccinated dogs with some regularity. We start the puppy series around 6–8 weeks and run a shot every 3–4 weeks through 16 weeks. There's a booster at one year, then we go to every 1–3 years depending on the dog.
Bordetella — only if your dog actually mixes with other dogs
You know kennel cough when you hear it. That loud, honking, repeated cough that sounds like a goose — that's usually bordetella. It spreads fast anywhere dogs gather: daycares, boarding facilities, dog parks, grooming tables. If your dog does any of those things, we recommend this vaccine. If your dog mostly stays home and only sees the same handful of dogs on walks, the risk is low enough that we'll have that conversation and let you decide. We don't push it on every dog just to pad the invoice.
Leptospirosis — worth a real conversation for SGV dogs
This one surprises people. Leptospirosis is a bacterial infection that spreads through the urine of infected wildlife — rats, raccoons, opossums — all of which are regulars in the San Gabriel Valley. Dogs pick it up by sniffing, drinking from, or walking through contaminated puddles, standing water, or damp soil. We see it. When a dog comes in with acute kidney and liver damage and the owner can't figure out why, lepto is on the differential list. The vaccine is a 2-dose initial series, then annual. It's not for every dog — a condo dog who walks on sidewalks and has no yard contact with wildlife is a different conversation than a dog who runs the Arroyo Seco or digs in a backyard where raccoons visit at night. We talk through the actual risk, not just the template.
Your dog's schedule is yours — not a default
The puppy in Alhambra who's at Almansor Park before 8am every day and the 10-year-old apartment cat who barely leaves the building don't need the same piece of paper. At SPAH, we look at your dog's actual life — where they go, what they're exposed to, how old they are, what their bloodwork shows — and build a schedule from that. If you come in having done some homework and you want to challenge a recommendation, we're happy to walk through the reasoning. That's the kind of conversation we'd rather have than just run the standard protocol and hope you don't ask questions.
Questions about what your dog is due for? Book a wellness exam online or call us at (626) 441-1314. We're at 3116 W Main St in Alhambra.