New Puppy or Kitten? The UK Vaccination Schedule and Paperwork to Keep

The first few months of owning a puppy or kitten involve more appointments than most new owners expect, and missing one can mean starting the whole course again. Here is the typical schedule in the UK, plus the documents worth keeping from the very first vet visit.

Puppy Vaccination Schedule

• First vaccination: usually given at 6 to 8 weeks old, covering the core diseases such as distemper, parvovirus, and infectious hepatitis
• Second vaccination: given 2 to 4 weeks later, typically at 10 to 12 weeks, sometimes with a third dose at 14 to 16 weeks depending on the vaccine brand and your vet's protocol
• First booster: at 6 or 12 months, depending on the practice
• Ongoing boosters: leptospirosis and kennel cough are usually boosted annually, while core vaccines like distemper and parvovirus are often only needed every three years

Most vets recommend waiting a week or two after the second vaccination before letting your puppy walk on public ground where unvaccinated dogs may have been, since full immunity takes time to build.

Kitten Vaccination Schedule

• First vaccination: from 6 to 8 weeks old
• Second vaccination: 3 to 4 weeks later, typically around 12 weeks
• Possible third dose: around 15 weeks for full protection, depending on the kitten and vaccine used
• First booster: 12 months after the primary course, then annually or every three years depending on the specific vaccine

Every vet's exact protocol varies slightly by vaccine brand, so treat these as typical ranges and follow whatever schedule your own vet gives you in writing.

The Paperwork Worth Keeping

Every visit should come with a vaccination record, either a physical vaccination card or a printed summary, showing what was given and the date. Keep these from the very first visit, because:

• Boarding kennels and catteries will not take your pet without proof of an up to date vaccination course
• Pet insurance can be affected if there is a gap in your vaccination records when you make a claim
• Some puppy training classes and dog walkers require proof before your pet can attend
• A missed booster can mean a vet insists on restarting the whole primary course from scratch, rather than just catching up

Microchipping

By law, all dogs in the UK must be microchipped by 8 weeks old, and the details must be kept up to date on an approved database whenever you move house or change your phone number. Cats in England must also be microchipped by the time they are 20 weeks old. Keep the confirmation slip or certificate from whoever chipped your pet, since it is what you need to update your details later.

Keeping Every Date in One Place

Between the primary course, the first booster, insurance renewals, and annual top ups, a first year pet owner is juggling more dates than they realise. Orlo reads vet records and vaccination certificates and reminds you 6 weeks, 2 weeks, and 3 days before the next one is due, so a booster never lapses simply because a year went by faster than expected.