Are all puppy and dog vaccinations necessary?

Not all are necessary. I strongly recommend certain ones. The core vaccines are absolutely required, which are DA2PP, distemper, adenovirus, parainfluenza, parvovirus, and rabies.

No, it depends on your pet’s lifestyle. Core vaccinations are those that are considered to be either required or highly recommended for every dog. Examples include rabies, distemper parvo, and leptospirosis vaccines. The kennel cough vaccine, in my opinion, should be a core vaccine. Sometimes we hold off on this vaccine if a dog is truly never boarded or taken to a grooming facility, but there is always a risk of exposure.

Yes, as veterinarians we consider vaccinations a necessary part of lifestyle. We have the education to know how to prevent disease. We are also the healthcare providers that see the diseases that these infections can create in animals. We deal with the potential outcomes which can be incredibly life-impacting for individuals, whether it be hospitalizations, ICU, the financial burden that it places on the pet parent. Some dogs that get really ill can have life-threatening illnesses. One example is parvovirus, which is easy for us to protect against through vaccination. If a dog gets exposed and has not been protected, especially if they're a young dog, they're likely to become quite ill with parvovirus. We do see parvo puppy deaths and they are incredibly preventable.