How US Owners Vaccinate Their Dogs: What 47,444 Owners Reported
Almost all owners in a large US study said they vaccinated as their vet advised. Uptake of non-core vaccines varied widely, and income and education mattered.
Written by thecanineledger
If you’re unsure whether your dog is up to date, ask your vet to check its records. Don’t skip a booster without talking to your vet first.
Our note: This advice is ours. The paper says owners who don’t follow vaccine advice should be educated, but gives no owner instructions.
In a US study, 44,935 of 47,444 owners said their dog was “vaccinated against various diseases as recommended by their veterinarian” (Ekakoro et al., American Journal of Veterinary Research 2025). That is almost 95%.
While that sounds reassuring, the owners were volunteers, and the authors say they may be more likely than most to look after their dog’s health.
→ Core and Non-Core Vaccines: What the 2024 WSAVA Guidelines Say
1. The study
The owners. People enrolling in the Dog Aging Project, a large US study of pet dogs, answered an online survey from 2019 to 2023.
The follow-up. In 2023, 13,906 owners also said how often their dog got each vaccine.
Funding. The Dog Aging Project is funded by a US government ageing research grant. The authors have nothing to disclose.
2. Who didn’t follow the vet’s advice
Rabies only. 2.7% vaccinated against rabies alone.
Puppy shots only. 2.3% vaccinated as a puppy but not as an adult.
Not at all. Only 110 owners, 0.2%, said they didn’t vaccinate.
Income and education. Owners with a degree, and owners with higher incomes, were more likely to vaccinate as advised than not at all. The comparison groups were small, so the ranges around these estimates are wide.
3. How often each vaccine was given
| Vaccine | Given every year | Never given |
|---|---|---|
| Leptospirosis | 55% | 9% |
| Kennel cough | 53% | 8% |
| Distemper combination | 50% | 0.5% |
| Canine influenza | 29% | 32% |
| Lyme disease | 25% | 40% |
| Rabies | 22% | 0.4% |
Less than yearly. 70% of dogs got rabies less often than every year, which fits vaccines licensed for longer protection.
Lapsed. About one in five dogs had a distemper combination vaccine in the past but not since.
Our note: Some vaccines are licensed to last three years. The paper says boosters depend on the vaccine.
Our note: The paper says leptospirosis became a core vaccine in the US in 2024.
→ Vaccine Reactions: How Common, and Which Dogs Are at Higher Risk
4. What the study can’t tell you
Volunteers. The authors say people who join the project may be more likely to vaccinate, which would push the figures up.
Online and wealthier. The survey was online, and the owners mostly had higher incomes.
Memory. Owners reported from memory, not from vet records.
Our note: The authors suggest the true rate across all US dogs is probably lower, but don’t estimate it.
5. What we could not verify
| Commonly said | What we found |
|---|---|
| “Most owners skip vaccines” | Not in this group. Almost all said they followed their vet’s advice. |
| “Every dog gets every vaccine every year” | No. Many dogs got rabies less than yearly, and many never had a Lyme or influenza vaccine. |
| “These figures apply to all US dogs” | Not shown. The owners were volunteers with higher incomes. |
Sources
- Ekakoro JE, Ruple A, Dog Aging Project Consortium, Renter D, Cernicchiaro N. Self-reported dog vaccination practices in pet owners enrolled in the Dog Aging Project in the United States found most dogs were vaccinated according to veterinarians’ recommendations. Am J Vet Res 2025. ⚠️ survey, owner reports for 47,444 US dogs, follow-up for 13,906. US government-funded
Always confirm with your vet before acting on anything on this page.