How to Keep Track of Dog Vaccinations, and What to Do When a Booster Is Overdue

It's October, and you're booking a boarding kennel for the holidays. The kennel asks for proof that your dog's rabies, distemper and kennel cough vaccines are current. The vaccine record in the kitchen drawer shows her last distemper-parvo combo shot, and the next-due date the vet wrote on it: this past August.

The clinic's reminder went to one person's email back in the summer. Everyone else assumed that person had booked it. Nobody forgot on purpose; the date just lived in one inbox.

The way to keep track of your dog's vaccinations is one reminder per vaccine, set to the next date your vet gives you, kept where everyone who takes the dog to the vet can see it, with a photo of each certificate saved alongside the record of that visit. If a booster is already overdue, call your vet: whether it takes one shot or a fresh start is your vet's call, and rabies rules depend on where you live. That's the whole system; the rest of this post explains each piece.

This post separates what the law sets (rabies, which varies by state, province and country) from what your vet decides (catch-up doses and intervals), then covers how a household keeps one schedule. For a lost certificate, or what a boarding kennel accepts as proof, see our guide to replacing a lost vaccination certificate.

This is a guide to keeping records, written by Memofu's developer, not a veterinarian or a lawyer. It is not veterinary or legal advice. Your vet decides what your dog needs and when, and your local government sets the rabies rules where you live. Signs to watch for after the shot are listed further down.

How do you keep track of your dog's vaccinations?

Keep one reminder per vaccine, set to the next due date your vet gives you, in one place everyone in the household can see. When a shot is done, note the date and who took the dog.

"Annual shots" sounds like one appointment, but the vaccines inside it may run on different clocks:

The American Animal Hospital Association (AAHA) says rabies vaccines for dogs come in 1-year and 3-year formulations, and that booster timing can be set by law. AAHA added leptospirosis to its recommended core vaccines for all dogs in a 2024 update, and says it needs a booster every year. VCA Animal Hospitals notes that vaccines often come in combinations given in one dose, and lists non-core vaccines such as Bordetella (kennel cough), Lyme disease and canine influenza for dogs at risk.

So one date for "the dog's shots" is the wrong unit. If one vaccine is due in March and another in August, a single reminder will be wrong for one of them.

For each vaccine, record four things: the date it was given, the vaccine's name, the clinic, and the next due date. The World Small Animal Veterinary Association (WSAVA) recommends that vaccination certificates include not just the date each vaccine was given, but also a field where the vet states how long the animal is expected to be protected. If your dog's certificate has a next-due date, copy that. If not, ask your vet before you leave.

Then put the dates where everyone who might take the dog to the vet will see them. A shared calendar, a note on the fridge or a vaccine reminder app all work. A date only one person knows doesn't.

Why do yearly boosters slip?

Because they come once a year, and the next date usually lives in one person's head, one inbox or one drawer.

Daily meals and monthly preventives become habit. A yearly booster never does. On top of that:

The reminder goes to one person. The clinic's postcard, email or text reaches whoever registered the dog. If that person has a busy month, nobody else hears about it.

Different clocks. Rabies may follow a 1-year or 3-year schedule under your local rules, while leptospirosis may be yearly. Remember "shots in the spring" and one of them drifts.

The person who takes the dog isn't the person who remembers. As in the opening scene, when everyone assumes someone else booked it, nobody does.

The certificate is in a drawer. Even a certificate with the next date printed on it isn't a reminder if nobody opens the drawer.

You moved or changed vets. The old clinic's reminders stop, and the new one may not have the history yet.

Monthly heartworm and flea and tick preventives slip for the same reasons on a shorter rhythm, and the fix is the same. See our guide to a missed heartworm or flea and tick dose.

What should you do if your dog missed a booster?

Call your vet, tell them which vaccine is overdue and when it was last given, and let them decide what comes next.

Have these ready before you call:

• The last vaccine record. The certificate or clinic printout, with vaccine names and dates.
• How your dog is doing now. Appetite, energy, medication and any recent illness.
• The rabies certificate. It shows when the last rabies shot was given. If you only have the tag, bring it: the national rabies compendium (more on it below) says tags and microchips identify a pet so its rabies vaccination can be verified.

The vet decides because the answer depends on the vaccine. WSAVA's 2024 vaccination guidelines say that even if a dog's last modified-live core vaccine was more than three years ago, a single dose should be sufficient, while acknowledging that many product leaflets advise restarting the series with two doses. For leptospirosis and non-core vaccines whose protection has lapsed, WSAVA recommends, as a precaution, starting again with two doses 2 to 4 weeks apart. And when a dog starts a vaccine that needs two starter doses, such as leptospirosis, WSAVA says the course has to start over if the second dose isn't given within 6 weeks of the first. AAHA's FAQ tells vets to consult the vaccine manufacturer's instructions for overdue vaccines. The clinic that gave the last shot knows which product it was.

You won't find a "how many weeks late is OK" rule here. It depends on the vaccine, the product, and your dog's age and health, and that's a decision for your vet. What AAHA does say is that when vaccines are overdue or unknown, the benefits of vaccinating outweigh the risks in most cases. Its rule of thumb for vets: "When in doubt, vaccinate." If you feel awkward about being late, call anyway.

If the last record is at a clinic you no longer use, your new vet can still help, and the old clinic can send a copy. See our guide to switching vets and transferring records.

What if your dog's rabies vaccine is overdue?

Call your vet soon, and check the rules where you live: in many places, rabies vaccination is set by state, provincial or national law.

The rules are local. AAHA notes that the timing of rabies boosters, the response to overdue booster doses and whether exemptions are allowed may all be set in laws or regulations, which can exist at the local, state and provincial levels. The ASPCA says each state has its own rabies vaccine laws: some areas require yearly vaccination, others every three years, and proof of rabies vaccination is mandatory in almost all states. The CDC tells veterinarians to vaccinate dogs, cats and ferrets according to local laws, and to check with local health officials.

Under the national compendium, an overdue booster counts once it's given, but state rules can differ. That compendium, from the National Association of State Public Health Veterinarians (NASPHV), says a previously vaccinated animal that is overdue should get a booster, and is considered currently vaccinated immediately afterward. (The current edition dates from 2016, and NASPHV says it is being revised.) The CDC's page for veterinarians says the same: an animal with any vaccination history counts as vaccinated right after a booster, even if it was overdue. How states handle it varies, though. As AAHA notes above, the response to an overdue booster can be set by law, and the FAQ for the 2020 feline guidelines from AAHA and the American Association of Feline Practitioners (AAFP) gives an example: most states consider a cat currently vaccinated right after the booster, but some require a cat that is overdue, even by one day, to get two rabies doses a year apart. Ask your vet what your state requires.

Paperwork matters if something happens. For an overdue dog or cat that is exposed to rabies, the NASPHV compendium's advice depends on whether the owner has appropriate documentation that it received a licensed rabies vaccine before. With documentation, it recommends immediate veterinary care, a booster and 45 days of observation under the owner's control. Without it, the compendium says the animal can be treated as unvaccinated, in consultation with local public health authorities. In a real exposure, follow your vet and local health officials. For record keeping, the lesson is simple: keep every rabies certificate, expired ones included.

Outside the US. RSPCA Australia says Australia is rabies-free, so a rabies vaccine is not necessary for dogs staying there; before taking a dog overseas, it says to ask your vet what the destination requires.

Does your dog need boosters every year or every three years?

The sources disagree. Settle the interval with your vet, based on your dog's life and the vaccines used; this post doesn't pick one.

AAHA and WSAVA. For distemper and parvovirus, AAHA says annual boosters are not necessary after the first-year booster. Where the law and a rabies vaccine's leaflet disagree, WSAVA says the law must be followed, and it notes that some core vaccine products may still carry a 1-year duration-of-immunity claim in some countries.

VCA Animal Hospitals. VCA says most adult dogs that completed their puppy series should be revaccinated "every one to three years based on a lifestyle risk assessment."

WSAVA adds that in adult dogs, decisions about revaccinating with some core vaccines can be informed by antibody (titer) testing, though it notes that in-clinic test kits vary in accuracy. Rabies is the exception: AAHA says antibody testing is not considered a substitute for rabies vaccination. Whether a kennel accepts a titer result is covered in the certificate guide linked above.

Every source ends at your vet. The Merck Veterinary Manual's pet owner edition puts it simply: "Your vet will tell you how often your dog needs booster shots." For record keeping, that means copying your vet's interval into the reminder, not choosing one yourself.

What if your cat's vaccines are overdue?

The same approach works: tell your vet when your cat was last vaccinated, and let them set the plan. Rabies rules can cover cats too; the CDC tells vets to vaccinate dogs, cats and ferrets according to local laws. The sources on overdue cats differ here too:

• AAHA and AAFP. Their 2020 feline guidelines recommend a risk assessment at least once a year. Their FAQ recommends that a cat even years overdue be revaccinated with a single dose, and that a cat more than two years overdue for an inactivated vaccine get an initial dose followed by a booster in 2 to 4 weeks. The FAQ's protocol for cats overdue on core vaccines also calls for two doses in some cases, such as inactivated vaccines or a shelter-like high-risk setting, and your vet will choose. For rabies, the FAQ says the rules depend on the state, as covered in the rabies section above.
• Cornell Feline Health Center. Cornell says adult cats that are overdue should receive boosters regardless of how long it has been since the last one. It also cites the AAFP panel's recommendation that cats kept indoors at all times still receive the core vaccines, rabies included.
• WSAVA. For cats with low-risk lifestyles, WSAVA recommends revaccination with the core vaccine no more often than every three years. For higher-risk cats, such as those that go into boarding catteries, it says more frequent boosters for feline herpesvirus and calicivirus, up to yearly, should be considered.

Puppies and kittens are a different case. They're partway through a first series, not due for a booster, so "we missed the second shot" is a different conversation. See our guide to the first vet visit for a new puppy or kitten.

What to do at the next vaccine appointment

Before you leave the clinic, take five minutes to set up next year for whoever ends up taking the dog.

1. Photograph the certificate. The rabies certificate and the vaccine record, close enough to read the vaccine labels and dates. It doubles as your backup if the paper goes missing.
2. Ask for each next date. If it's on the certificate, use it. If not, ask "When is each of these due next?" Don't set the interval yourself.
3. Update the shared reminders before you leave. One per vaccine (rabies, the combination shot, and leptospirosis or kennel cough if your dog gets them), each set for the day you want to call and book, not the last possible day. Note who took the dog: a record that says it's done is what stops "I thought you booked it."
4. After a late shot, move the next date. Set it to the date your vet gives you, not the old one.
5. Keep a yearly checkup on the calendar. Even if some vaccines move to a three-year schedule, the Merck Veterinary Manual's pet owner edition says adult dogs should see a vet at least once a year for a full checkup, and senior dogs twice a year or more.

Here's what to watch for after the shot.

Where Memofu fits

Memofu has care reminders a household shares, vaccines included. Here's exactly what they do today.

• Vaccine reminders repeat. "Rabies vaccine" and "Core vaccines" are separate choices, and both start as Yearly. You can change the interval to match what your vet says, such as every 2 or 3 years. A leptospirosis or kennel cough booster can go under "Something else": name it, set its Type to "Vaccine" so it also shows in the health link, and set Repeat to the interval your vet gives you (it starts at Never).
• Owners and co-owners are notified on the day. There's no advance notice, so set the date to the day you want to call and book. Viewers don't get reminders. If notifications are off on someone's phone, the reminder only shows in the app.
• It records who marked it done. Each reminder shows when it was last done and by whom, and "Past care" lists every completion. Anything past its date is grouped under "Overdue" in the app.
• After a late shot, change the date yourself. A repeating reminder doesn't restart from the day you mark it done, so open it and set the next date your vet gives you. Only owners and co-owners can add or change reminders.
• Vet visits can hold the certificate photo. A visit records the date, clinic, reason and what the vet said, with up to 10 photos. If you add the next appointment, a reminder goes out 7 days before, the day before and on the day.
• The health link is free. A boarding kennel, sitter or new vet opens it in any browser, with no app or account, and it stops working after a day, a week or a month. Its "Vaccines & preventives" section comes from your vaccine and prevention reminders: up to five not yet marked done, soonest first (a passed due date shows "Not marked done"), and the 20 most recently marked done within the last three years. Monthly preventives count toward those 20, so with two of them a vaccine from close to a year ago can drop off. Open the link yourself before you send it. Vet visits appear only as the date, reason and clinic.
• The health link is not a certificate. It shows what owners and co-owners recorded in the app, and never includes photos. Where proof is required, show the certificate, or a photo of it where the facility accepts one.

Every health record, including the full history, is free on every plan; the vet-ready PDF summary is Premium. A full export is free on every plan too, for good. There are no ads, no data sales and no public feed. You can see what Memofu does on our features page and what is and isn't paid on our pricing page.

A paper calendar works too. Ask your vet for each next date, keep rabies separate from the other vaccines, and put the dates where everyone can see them. Keep those three and any tool will do.

One last reminder: this is a guide to keeping records, not veterinary or legal advice. If your dog vomits or struggles to breathe after a shot, reach for your vet's phone number, not the calendar.

Sources

• 2022 AAHA Canine Vaccination Guidelines (American Animal Hospital Association, updated 2024)
• Canine Vaccination Guidelines: FAQs (American Animal Hospital Association)
• Key Vaccination: Rabies (American Animal Hospital Association)
• Key Vaccination: Canine Distemper Virus (CDV) (American Animal Hospital Association)
• Key Vaccination: Canine Parvovirus (CPV) (American Animal Hospital Association)
• Key Vaccination: Leptospirosis (American Animal Hospital Association)
• 2020 AAHA/AAFP Feline Vaccination Guidelines and Frequently Asked Questions (American Animal Hospital Association and American Association of Feline Practitioners)
• 2024 guidelines for the vaccination of dogs and cats (World Small Animal Veterinary Association)
• Compendium of Animal Rabies Prevention and Control, 2016 (National Association of State Public Health Veterinarians; the current edition, being revised, per NASPHV's compendia page)
• Information for Veterinarians: Rabies (Centers for Disease Control and Prevention)
• Vaccinations for Your Pet (ASPCA)
• Vaccines for Dogs (VCA Animal Hospitals)
• Routine Health Care of Dogs (Merck Veterinary Manual, Pet Owner Version)
• Feline Vaccines: Benefits and Risks (Cornell Feline Health Center)
• What vaccinations should my dog receive? (RSPCA Australia, 2026)