Puppy and kitten vaccination and deworming schedule in India

Puppies and kittens get their core vaccine series from about 6 to 8 weeks old, every 2 to 4 weeks until 16 weeks or older, then one more dose around 6 months; after that WSAVA's 2024 guideline allows core vaccines once every 3 years, though rabies and leptospirosis boosters are usually kept yearly in India ¹³⁴. Deworming runs on its own clock: from 2 weeks (puppies) or 3 weeks (kittens), every 2 weeks until weaning, then monthly to 6 months, and at least 4 times a year as adults ². Your vet sets the exact plan for your pet.

Puppy and kitten series: Starts at 6–8 weeks, repeated every 2–4 weeks until 16 weeks or older¹
Next dose: One more dose at or soon after 6 months, not the older wait till 12–16 months¹
Adult core booster: WSAVA: no more than once every 3 years after the 6-month dose; Indian clinics usually keep rabies and leptospirosis yearly¹³⁴
FeLV (cats): Mainly for kittens under 1 year and cats with outdoor or multi-cat exposure, not every cat¹
Deworming: Puppies from 2 weeks, kittens from 3 weeks: every 2 weeks until weaning, then monthly to 6 months; adults at least 4 times a year²

What "core vaccine" means

A core vaccine is one almost every dog or cat needs, because the disease is common or serious. A non-core vaccine is only needed by some pets, depending on where they live or how they're kept. The chart below follows WSAVA, the world small-animal vets' association, which published its latest guideline in 2024 ¹.

Dog vaccination chart, by age

Age	What's usually given	Why
6–8 weeks	First dose of the combination shot: distemper, adenovirus (hepatitis) and parvovirus ¹	These three are given together as the dog's core vaccine ¹
Every 2–4 weeks until 16 weeks or older	Repeat doses of the same combination shot ¹	The dose given at 16 weeks or later matters most, once the mother's antibodies have faded ¹
From 8 weeks	Leptospirosis, 2 doses 2–4 weeks apart, then yearly ¹	Core where leptospirosis is common; Mumbai's BMC licence asks for a leptospirosis certificate too ¹⁴
12 weeks, or by local rule	First rabies dose ¹	Rabies follows local law and the vaccine's own label first, before any guideline ¹
Around 6 months	One more dose of the combination shot ¹	Replaces the older advice to wait for a booster at 12–16 months ¹
About 1 year, then yearly in practice	Rabies booster ¹	Delhi's MCD and Mumbai's BMC licences run out when the rabies vaccination lapses, so most Indian clinics renew it every year ¹³⁴
After that, every 3 years (WSAVA)	Combination shot booster, no more than once every 3 years ¹	Many Indian clinics still give this yearly too, in the same visit as the rabies booster ¹

Cat vaccination chart, by age

Age	What's usually given	Why
6–8 weeks	First dose of the combination shot: feline panleukopenia, feline herpesvirus and feline calicivirus ¹	These three together are the cat's core vaccine ¹
Every 2–4 weeks until 16 weeks or older	Repeat doses of the same combination shot ¹	As with dogs, the dose at 16 weeks or later matters most ¹
12 weeks, or by local rule	First rabies dose ¹	Rabies follows local law and the vaccine's own label first, same as for dogs ¹
Around 6 months	One more dose of the combination shot ¹	Replaces the older advice to wait until 12–16 months ¹
After that, every 3 years (WSAVA), low-risk cats	Combination shot booster, no more than once every 3 years ¹	Cats that board, roam outdoors or live with many other cats may need the herpesvirus/calicivirus part yearly instead ¹
Mainly kittens and at-risk cats	Feline leukaemia (FeLV) vaccine ¹	WSAVA treats this as mainly needed by kittens under 1 year and cats with outdoor or multi-cat exposure, not every cat ¹

Deworming schedule, by age

Puppies: starting at 2 weeks old, every 2 weeks until 2 weeks after weaning, then once a month until 6 months old ².
Kittens: starting at 3 weeks old, every 2 weeks until 2 weeks after weaning, then once a month until 6 months old ².
Nursing mothers: dewormed at the same time as their litter's first treatment ².
Adult dogs and cats: at least 4 times a year; pets that go outdoors a lot, or households with young children, may need it monthly instead ².

Your vet sets the exact plan

This page shows the usual pattern from international veterinary guidelines, not a prescription. Your own vet decides the exact vaccines and timing for your pet, based on its health, breed, local disease risk and travel plans.

Get the printable chart (PDF)

One A4 page with this dog and cat schedule, the deworming rhythm, and boxes to tick off each date with your vet. Leave your Play Store Gmail and mobile number below and the download starts right away.

Not fully clear yet

Official sources disagree or leave gaps on these. Confirm before you rely on them.

WSAVA's guideline allows the distemper-adenovirus-parvovirus booster once every 3 years once a pet is fully vaccinated, but many Indian clinics keep giving it yearly, in the same visit as the yearly rabies booster. We found no Indian veterinary college guideline confirming how common this is; ask your vet which schedule they follow ¹.
ESCCAP's worm-control guideline is written for Europe. We found no separate Indian guideline with different ages or frequency, so this page follows ESCCAP as the closest official guidance ².

Last checked 5 Oct 2026. Facts checked against the official sources below by Thapki. Written with AI help from the sources below and checked against them line by line; the Thapki team reads and approves each page before it goes live.

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Sources

2024 guidelines for the vaccination of dogs and cats: canine and feline vaccination schedules (PDF) · World Small Animal Veterinary Association (WSAVA), Vaccination Guidelines Group · seen 5 Oct 2026
ESCCAP Guideline 01: Worm Control in Dogs and Cats, Second Edition (PDF) · European Scientific Counsel Companion Animal Parasites (ESCCAP) · seen 5 Oct 2026
Terms and conditions for registration of pet dog (PDF, from the portal), items 3 and 5 · Municipal Corporation of Delhi · seen 5 Oct 2026
Manual for application for dog license (PDF), step 11 · Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation · seen 5 Oct 2026