Want to Give Your Dog Vaccinations at Home? Read This First!

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Wondering about giving your dog vaccination shots at home?

Quite honestly, for most folks, we say no. Immunization is not for squeamish owners or those without sufficient knowledge.

Can I Vaccinate My Dog?With that being said, administering vaccines doesn’t necessarily have to be difficult or intimidating.

Giving your dog shots does require research and a can-do attitude.

Dogs Can Be Given Most Types of Vaccinations at Home (if you know what you’re doing)

But, there is a catch…

Your dog requires a Rabies vaccination and this shot must be done by a licensed veterinarian. It is the law in nearly all states.

We know that going to a clinic is super stressful for lots of pets. The good news is most other inoculations are possible in the comfort of your home.

Do it yourself and you’ll save at least $1,000 over the course of a dog’s lifetime!

But again, a veterinarian is required for at least 1 vaccine (sometimes yearly).

Which Shots are a Must?

Besides Rabies, have your dog vaccinated for:

  • Distemper
  • Adenovirus (Type 1 and 2)
  • Parainfluenza
  • Parvovirus

Other shots will mostly depend on where you live and the associated risks.

An all-in-one vaccination kit can protect against core diseases. A Canine Spectra® combination is highly recommended.

FYI: Securing individual vaccines usually is not cost effective or practical.

How Often is Debatable

Core vaccines are given to puppy dogs 3 times over the course of several weeks starting from 10 to 12 weeks of age.

Doing this is crucial!

Follow-up booster shots are typically done a year later. After that, a yearly frequency is now considered unnecessary.

Over-vaccinating is commonplace.

You can probably get away with doing most boosters every 5 years or so. Geography, breed, age and your dog’s medical history are all factors.


Pro Tip: Document your dog’s vaccinations. Keep good records!


Additional Vaccinations

Many owners also immunize their dogs against:

  • Hepatitis
  • different kinds of Leptospira
  • Coronavirus
  • Lyme disease
  • Bordetella (tracheobronchitis or kennel cough).

Speak with your vet about which vaccinations make sense.

Is your dog outdoors all the time?

It could be a factor. Extensive inoculations may be in order but, again, there are many considerations.

Our Vaccine Viewpoint

Cleaning your dog’s teeth and ears is routine, but vaccines are a bigger responsibility to take on.

Go in for vaccinations if you’re unsure. Leave it to a professional.

Sometimes full immunization can only be achieved with expert help.

Again, consider that less common vaccines are difficult to get.

Look into Canine Spectra® products. Their kits have 5-way protection all the way up to comprehensive boosters for 10 diseases.

Watch this video for how to safely carry out a vaccination on your dog!

Shots Have Side Effects

You need to know that additional dangers exist when home vaccinating.

Thankfully, Anaphylactic reactions are rare.

Nevertheless, dogs have died from this complication without the benefit of life-saving measures.

A possibility of an allergic reaction is just one reason why owners choose not to take on this vital task.

The Bottom Line

Giving your dog vaccinations is certainly possible.

A vet is only required for Rabies shots. Other immunizations can be done at home every 5 years or so.

Do extensive research before administering any vaccines or boosters.

When in doubt, get a professional’s assistance for your dog.

What Do You Think? Have Your Say Below…

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24 thoughts on “Want to Give Your Dog Vaccinations at Home? Read This First!”

  1. Vaccinations are more like insurance – they rarely protect from anything. I’ve had over 12 dogs in the last 20 years all of which were unvaccinated – and all had perfect health. Those vaccination are just in case they get some disease – but most dogs do not.

    I would say that over 98% of the dogs never get any of those diseases that those vaccinations protect from. It’s more likely that you get into a car accident and use your car insurance , than your dog getting protected by any vaccination. It’s very small chance, so you can skip it.

    I have 8 dogs now – none are vaccinated. Again, all are perfectly healthy for many years now.

  2. If we keep consuming highly-processed foods, unclean and pesticide-laden water, GMOs, plus get vaccinated with all these toxic vaccines, we will destroy our immune system. This is the reason why Monsanto/Bayer is busy poisoning our food and water supply. They are having a hard time fulfilling their genocidal agenda by using only one mode of attack. That is how strong our immune system is. One food activist tested a banana and found fifteen poisonous chemicals on it. And here we are thinking a banana is a healthy food.

    I hope to live long enough to see these tyrants responsible for so much human and animal suffering hang in the rafters. If you think the CDC, FDA, EPA, USDA, and the rest of the alphabet agencies are after your welfare and your pet’s welfare, you are sadly wrong. None of us can afford to be ignorant these days. Many of our healthcare practitioners are just as ignorant or afraid to buck the system for fear of losing their license. You will have to stand up for your pets and yourself.

  3. Vaccines are overrated and I believe they can be very detrimental. I have a 10 year old Maltese. She is between 5-6 pounds. I had let her shots lapse because she is rarely around other dogs and doesn’t roam. But because may places won’t groom pets if they are not up on their shots, I reluctantly took her in.

    I was asked by the attending vet if I knew about the heart murmur. On a scale of 1-6 she is a 4-5. How does my dog develop a significant murmur and now congestive heart failure in 4 weeks? The only thing that changed in her life was the vaccines.

    Of course now everything has changed for my baby. To those reading this, if you are going to vaccinate, spread them out. It is also not necessary to give them every year.

  4. What about the immune system/cognitive/health issues caused by vaccines. These are the roots of most allergic reactions, skin problems and low immune function.

    Most dogs don’t need the vaccines pushed by greedy vets. They need very few, if any. Turn your energy into researching the dangerous ingredients of vaccines and how they can adversely effect the health of animals and people.

    Don’t expect your vet to tell you the truth though, they make a lot of money off of vaccines. Independently research how vaccines have caused devastating health problems.

  5. You should only give your dog vaccines if you are a licensed vet or licensed tech. Otherwise you do not really know how to or what is involved. You do not know the physiology of dogs or cats and you can not diagnose any symptoms or side effects that may occur.

    We spend thousands of dollars each year on cell phones, data plans, television, internet, entertainment, etc. but can’t bring ourselves to pay 1/10th of that each year or less to have a doctor give our dogs the needed healthcare. That’s sad.

  6. I took my mini Dachshund in for vaccinations when he turned 5 years old. The vet pulled a pre-loaded syringe from the fridge and I said, “don’t you dose according to weight?” The vet told me, “an immune system is an immune system” and my eyes opened at that moment! He hasn’t had another vaccine since and I make his food myself. He is almost 12 now and doing wonderfully.

    No more hot spots, paw chewing or odd neurological quirks. He used to be laying quietly and suddenly jump up frantically like something bit him. He was also hypersensitive to the fan I use in the summer. He couldn’t lay where it would blow on him. All that has changed and he is happy and healthy.

    I think they over vaccinate animals and if I were to get a puppy today he would get the Parvo vaccination only and I would administer it myself.

  7. I do my dog’s vaccinations on my own. Same with examinations. I used to be a veterinary technician and I can tell you that all those fees are a racket.

    You’re paying for the vet’s overhead fees to run a business. Unless your pet is seriously sick (vomiting, not eating, etc.), exams and vaccines can easily be done at home.

    The only vaccine I have to take my dog in to get is Rabies as it’s required by state law that it be administered by a licensed veterinarian. For vaccination records, I keep a spreadsheet of my dog’s vaccinations and dates.

    I also keep a pet record where I paste the vaccine label next to the entry. This is no different than what you would get at a vet’s office.

  8. I live in Wisconsin. Can I give my hounds their rabies shots and be legal?

  9. When I board my dog it is required that they have had the vaccine in the last six months or they cannot be admitted. I am not sure that it prevents kennel cough but it does help the spread if all dogs are vaccinated.

    I am happy there is that requirement and I won’t board my dog where it is not required. Your vet can usually just fax their vaccination record right to the kennel. It’s well worth the money.

  10. Paying a veterinarian to administer vaccinations is almost as bad as hiring an electrician to change light bulbs. When I first took my puppy to the vet she charged us $30 for a penicillin dose that cost pennies. What a racket!

  11. I have a Lab suffering from hot spots for several years. One vet said if they didn’t go away, they might recommend putting her down. The vet prescribed a topical spray called Genesis, which is no longer available. It cleared up the spot, but my dog kept getting them in multiple locations over the years. I have come to understand hot spots are an allergic reaction.

    Since my dog’s environment remained the same I figured it was the dog food. I tried over 15 types of dog food, mostly the grain-free kind and natural brands. I also found a homeopathic vet that prescribed cell salts and homeopathic liquids.

    The hot spots diminished in occurrence but they came and went. When I started to make my own dog food at home, the hot spots completely disappeared. Our dog went from 98 pounds (overweight) to an acceptable weight of 71.

    She is 8 years old and has developed 3 mast cell tumors on her belly. I had them removed, successfully. She currently tests negative for cancer. On a side note, she had her last rabies shot in 2012, and she experienced a terribly high fever and acted sick for a couple days.

    I believe the vaccination lowered her immunity which started the ball rolling into allergic responses leading to skin issues and mast cell tumors.

    Just as they are finding with people, our pets are being over vaccinated. Vaccines have been found to have mercury and other substances that are toxic. Be aware and be concerned. Changing my pet’s diet was critical, and she is all the better for it.

    Take control, read and research, and by all means don’t let anyone scare you into thinking you have to buy pet food. And by the way, consider your own diet as a pathway to well-being. It’s worth the effort.

  12. Some vets will give you the IV to administer at home which is great. But nowadays there are so many greedy ones who are only in it for the money. Most will want you to pay the office visit and for the stay of the animal.

  13. I have been vaccinating my dogs for years with no problems. Rarities like anaphylactic shock are just that, rare, no different then stepping off a curb and getting run over by a car. My dog is a lot calmer taking a shot from me then a stranger she doesn’t know well or hasn’t learned to trust.

    1. I have been doing the same. When I have them spayed or neutered, they see a vet. I recently tried to rescue another from a different shelter and was told I need shot records from a vet in order to save a dog from either being put down or live in a jail cell. I’m trying to find a way around this. I have rescued dogs for many years and never had a problem before.

    2. Do you also do rabies at home? I’d like to do my own. Thank you!

      1. Call your state’s Health Services. Some states have special classes where you can do this at home.

    3. Mary Jane says:

      Where do you get your vaccine supply? Did you administer the 3-year rabies vaccine as well?

      1. I get my shots from Tractor Supply. In North Carolina it is the law that a vet has to do the rabies shot. Shots are cheap, about $9 for the 5-way and $11 for the 7-way. They also have a vet come once a month to give rabies shots at cost of the shot. Call your Tractor Supply and ask, it never hurts and saves hundreds of dollars.

  14. I would much rather give my own dogs their vaccines. I do not want to take my babies to the vet and stress them out with weird people, strange dogs and other animals. Not to mention they might pick up a nasty bug. Also, the cost is so outrageous.

  15. I vaccinate my own dogs and have done so for the last 25 years. I administer everything but Rabies, since the law requires a vet. In both Florida and Alaska, you can purchase the ‘5 in one’ and ‘7 in one’ and a couple other single vaccines in most feed stores. It’s easy and I would say anyone who wants to do it can do so.

  16. I will probably will not trust any vets again. We just brought our puppy through Parvo. The vet wanted $3,500 or to put him down. We took him home and gave him an IV, water and an emergency Parvo tea recipe and it worked.

    He was constantly vomiting and squirting diarrhea. His sister died and we were heartbroken but we knew we had to take other measures to save her brother.

    Today he is eating, walking and not getting sick. We have ordered Parvaid and Vibactra Plus which cures it unlike what the vet gives you. We have our family member back and he is on the road to recovery.

    1. I have a 2 month old puppy and 2 grown dogs. Parvo is everywhere here in Arizona. I am doing research on shots that I can do here. Can I ask you how you saved your little boy? You gave him an IV? Where did you get the supplies? I just want to be ready just in case. Thanks.

      1. My aunt also has brought a pup through Parvo. With advice from a local vet, she administered Pepto Bismol and Pedialyte much like you would for a child with a stomach virus. I don’t know the amounts but the Pepto helped with the symptoms while the Pedialyte kept ensured hydration. The puppy survived and is now a healthy adult.

      2. I just saved my 4 month old puppy from Parvo by feeding him Pedialyte, fresh turkey and turkey broth from Thanksgiving dinner. Rest, prayer and lots of love. Within a week he’s like a brand new puppy. Saved me over $3,000.

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