DHPP vaccine for dogs: what each letter means

What does DHPP vaccine stand for?

DHPP stands for distemper, hepatitis, parvovirus and parainfluenza. Here's how WSAVA sorts them:

So why "A2"? The Merck Veterinary Manual explains that a live, weakened canine adenovirus type 2 vaccine gives adequate protection against the type 1 virus that causes hepatitis. DA2PP and DHPP describe the same protection with different labels. If you see an L tacked on (DHLPP), the shot includes leptospirosis, a separate vaccine your vet recommends based on the risk where you live.

The diseases the DHPP vaccine protects against

Each of the four is a virus that spreads between dogs, and three of them can be life-threatening.

Distemper

Merck describes canine distemper as a highly infectious viral disease of dogs, found worldwide. It spreads mainly through droplets from infected animals and causes respiratory signs like nasal discharge and pneumonia, gut signs like diarrhea, and often nervous system problems later on. Merck notes that vaccination is generally effective.

Infectious canine hepatitis (adenovirus)

This one's caused by canine adenovirus type 1. It damages the liver and the lining of blood vessels and can affect the kidneys, spleen and lungs. Merck notes that dogs who recover can keep shedding the virus in their urine for six months or more.

Parvovirus

Parvovirus is a highly contagious disease of the gut. Merck lists loss of appetite, lethargy, vomiting and diarrhea, often bloody, as its signs, and says it spreads through contact with infected feces and can survive a long time in the environment. Young dogs from 6 weeks to 6 months old, and dogs who are unvaccinated or not fully vaccinated, are most at risk.

A puppy with vomiting, bloody diarrhea or sudden lethargy needs a vet the same day. If your clinic is closed, go to an emergency animal hospital.

Parainfluenza

Parainfluenza is a contagious respiratory virus that spreads wherever dogs gather. WSAVA classes respiratory vaccines as non-core for pet dogs in typical homes, but core for dogs housed in shelters. If your dog boards, goes to daycare or greets every dog on the block, your vet may suggest it.

How many DHPP shots does a puppy need?

A puppy needs several DHPP doses, because antibodies from their mother can block the vaccine early in life, and how long that lasts varies from puppy to puppy. WSAVA's 2024 guidelines recommend several core doses every 2 to 4 weeks, with the last one at 16 weeks of age or older.

Then comes one more, at or after 26 weeks. WSAVA moved it earlier than the old 12 to 16 month booster to protect the few puppies whose mother's antibodies blocked the 16 week dose. Your vet may also offer a blood test from 20 weeks to confirm your puppy has responded.

Exact dates are your vet's call and can differ a little between clinics. Bring the breeder's or shelter's record to the first visit, because the doses your puppy already had count toward the series. Our dog and cat vaccine schedule for Canada shows how DHPP fits alongside rabies and the rest.

How often do adult dogs need a DHPP booster?

Often less than once a year for the core parts. WSAVA says core vaccines shouldn't be given more often than necessary in adult dogs, because the immunity from most modern modified live core vaccines lasts many years. After the puppy series, your vet spaces core boosters based on the product used and your dog's history, so the interval on your record may well be longer than a year. Non-core vaccines like parainfluenza generally give about a year of protection, so those may still be yearly.

Don't skip the visit in an off year, though. WSAVA encourages vets to treat the yearly appointment as a full health check, not just a vaccine stop.

Your vet's record, not a generic rule, decides when your dog's next DHPP booster is due.

Keeping track of your dog's DHPP vaccine

Kennels, daycares and groomers often ask for proof of distemper and parvo vaccines, usually on the day you show up. The free PetGrid app keeps every vaccine in your pet's health records, can send reminders before the next one is due, and makes a vaccine card you can share. Only have a paper record? AI record reading suggests the vaccines it finds for you to confirm.

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En bref

The DHPP vaccine covers distemper, adenovirus hepatitis, parvovirus and parainfluenza, four letters that are easy to mix up on a record. Puppies need a series ending at 16 weeks or later and a booster at or after 26 weeks. Adults get core boosters only as often as your vet's plan calls for.

The PetGrid app is free for pet owners and keeps your dog's vaccine dates and reminders together, with any vet. Our questions for pet owners cover more.