"Does my dog really need a jab every single year?" is one of the most common questions we hear from owners once the puppy course is out of the way. The honest answer is: it depends on the vaccine, and it's worth understanding why before you just book the appointment on autopilot.

Why annual boosters became standard practice

Early vaccine research couldn't say exactly how long protection lasted, so manufacturers licensed most vaccines for one year as a conservative default. Annual boosters became the norm not because immunity necessarily disappears after 12 months, but because that was the safely tested window.

What's changed: multi-year vaccines and titre testing

Some core vaccines are now licensed for three years rather than one, and a growing number of UK practices offer titre testing — a blood test that measures whether your dog still has protective antibody levels before automatically re-vaccinating. It costs more than a standard booster, but can mean fewer unnecessary injections for dogs that don't need them yet.

What to actually ask your vet

Rather than assuming every dog needs the same schedule, ask your practice which specific vaccine your dog was given, what duration it's licensed for, and whether titre testing is offered as an alternative to routine annual boosters. Leptospirosis protection in particular is still generally recommended yearly, since immunity to it tends to fade faster than to the core viral diseases.

See our full puppy and dog vaccination schedule guide for the standard UK timeline, or compare vaccination prices near you.