Can You Give Your Dog Vaccines at Home?

With vet prices rising, many owners wonder whether they can buy vaccines and give them at home. The answer depends on the vaccine, and for rabies it depends on the law.

Which vaccines can you give at home?

Why rabies vaccines must be given by a vet

State rabies laws, summarized in Michigan State University's state law table, generally specify who may administer the vaccine: a licensed veterinarian in most states, with some allowing supervised technicians or certified vaccinators. The rule exists so that the vaccine is stored and given correctly and the vaccination is officially documented.

The consequences are real. Veterinary infection-control expert Dr. Scott Weese notes that animals vaccinated outside these rules are considered unvaccinated. In one case he described in Oklahoma, farm stores selling rabies vaccine had to post notices that animals given it by owners would not be considered vaccinated. If an unvaccinated (or officially unvaccinated) dog bites someone or is exposed to a rabid animal, it can face a four-month strict quarantine or euthanasia under the national rabies compendium, instead of a booster and 45 days of observation.

Risks of giving other vaccines at home

• Storage. Vaccines must be kept refrigerated within a set temperature range from the factory to the needle. A vaccine left in a warm car may not work.
• Technique. Injection site, route (under the skin, into the muscle, into the nose) and dose must match the label.
• Timing. Puppies need doses every 2 to 4 weeks until at least 16 weeks; giving them too far apart, or stopping early, leaves gaps.
• Reactions. Allergic reactions are rare but can be serious and need immediate treatment.
• No exam. A vaccine visit is also when a vet listens to the heart, checks weight and spots problems early.
• No records accepted. Boarding kennels, groomers and daycares usually require vaccine records from a veterinary clinic.

Cheaper alternatives to doing it yourself

• Low-cost vaccine clinics at shelters, pet stores and farm stores, staffed by licensed vets. See low-cost vaccine clinics.
• Free vaccine events, such as those run by shelters with Petco Love.
• Wellness plans that spread vaccine and exam costs over monthly payments.
• Following the 3-year schedule for DAPP and rabies in adult dogs, which avoids unnecessary boosters.

Can I give my cat vaccines at home?

The same rules apply: rabies must generally be given by a veterinarian to count, while some FVRCP products are sold over the counter. Cats are more prone to injection-site problems than dogs, so vaccine site and product matter even more. See which cat vaccines are necessary.

Find veterinarians or shelters with vaccine clinics near you.

Sources

1. Worms & Germs Blog (Ontario Veterinary College): Psst... wanna vaccinate your dog?
2. Michigan State University Animal Legal & Historical Center: Table of state rabies vaccination laws
3. dvm360: New rabies recommendations for dogs and cats (2016 Compendium)
4. AAHA: 2022 Canine Vaccination Guidelines, core and noncore vaccines