Before Four Weeks: Updated Vaccination Recommendations for Neonatal Puppies and Kittens

Presented by Kate Hurley, DVM, and Sandra Newbury, DVM.

September 30, 2025
11:00 AM - 12:30 PM PT

We know that the single best way to protect neonatal and juvenile animals from infectious disease is to care for them in an environment where exposure to disease is low, but those environments can be hard to find! Despite efforts to find low‑risk housing options for these vulnerable animals, underage puppies and kittens still sometimes end up being housed in animal shelters or other environments where exposure risk is real. Previous recommendations have been to wait until 4 weeks of age to begin vaccination, potentially missing opportunities to provide protection as early as possible.

In this webinar, we'll explore updated recommendations for early vaccination of neonatal and juvenile puppies and kittens in environments that present meaningful risk. We'll cover the science, the supporting literature, and most importantly, how to apply these new guidelines in a shelter setting.

By the end of this session, participants will be able to:

• Describe the immunological basis for vaccine protocols in neonatal animals
• Summarize the literature supporting early vaccination in high‑risk environments
• Identify scenarios where early vaccination is recommended due to disease risk
• Apply updated vaccine protocols in animal shelters
• Adapt vaccination strategies for use in other high‑exposure settings

This webinar has been approved for 1.5 hours of continuing education credit in jurisdictions that recognize RACE approval, as well as 1.5 Certified Animal Welfare Administrator (CAWA) continuing education credit by The Association for Animal Welfare Advancement (AAWA) and National Animal Care and Control Association (NACA).

Can't make it live? Register to receive the recording and resources after the event, accessible through the UC Davis Koret Shelter Medicine Program Shelter Learniverse, #ThanksToMaddie!

Register Now!