Whelping & Neonates
Puppy Deworming and Vaccination Schedule for Breeders (Birth to Go-Home)
Updated September 6, 2026 · 7 min read · By the BreedBloom team
Families and their vets judge a breeder on two documents: the weight chart and the deworming/vaccination record. This is the schedule most veterinary and breed-club guidance converges on, with the reasoning, so you can adapt it with your own vet.
Deworming
Roundworms and hookworms pass to puppies before birth and through milk, so the first treatment happens before you can see anything. The common protocol:
Age
Treatment
Notes
2 weeks
Pyrantel pamoate
Repeat every 2 weeks; dose by weight, weigh first
4 weeks
Pyrantel pamoate
Treat the dam at the same time
6 weeks
Pyrantel pamoate (or a broad-spectrum product per your vet)
Fecal float on the litter if any pup has soft stool
8 weeks
Pyrantel or broad-spectrum
Record the product and lot number in the go-home packet
Ongoing
Monthly heartworm/intestinal preventive
Starts at the family's first vet visit or per your vet
Not everything is a worm
Coccidia and giardia are not covered by pyrantel and are common in kennels. If stools are soft or mucousy, get a fecal test rather than repeating a dewormer that cannot touch them.
Core vaccinations
Maternal antibodies protect puppies for a variable window and also block vaccines from taking. Vaccinating in a series from 6–8 weeks every 3–4 weeks until 16 weeks catches each puppy as its maternal protection fades. The breeder typically gives the first one or two.
Age
Vaccine
Who usually gives it
6–8 weeks
DA2PP (distemper, adenovirus, parvovirus, parainfluenza)
Breeder or breeder's vet, with the vet exam
10–12 weeks
DA2PP booster
Family's vet
14–16 weeks
DA2PP booster (final in series)
Family's vet
12–16 weeks
Rabies
Family's vet, per local law
Optional
Leptospirosis, Bordetella, Lyme
Regional and lifestyle dependent
What to record
•
Product name, manufacturer, lot number, expiry, date given, who gave it.
•
Puppy weight on the day (dose accuracy and a growth data point).
•
Any reaction in the 24 hours after.
•
The next due dates, written on the record the family takes home.
Common mistakes
•
Vaccinating before 6 weeks: maternal antibodies neutralise it and the pup gains little.
•
Skipping the exam: the first vaccine visit should include a full exam with heart auscultation and a check for hernias, bite and testicles.
•
Treating puppies without weighing them: dewormer doses are per pound.
•
Losing the lot numbers: the family's vet may not accept a record without them.
BreedBloom creates the deworming and vaccination tasks for each litter from the whelp date, records products and lot numbers per puppy, and prints them into the go-home packet.
Frequently asked questions
When do you first deworm puppies?
At 2 weeks of age, typically with pyrantel pamoate, repeated every 2 weeks through 8 weeks, with the dam treated at the same time.
When should puppies get their first shot?
At 6–8 weeks with a DA2PP combination vaccine, then boosters every 3–4 weeks until 16 weeks.
Can a breeder give vaccines?
In many places a breeder can administer non-rabies vaccines, but a veterinarian-given vaccine with an exam is what most families and vets expect. Rabies must be given by a vet almost everywhere.
Run your program on BreedBloom
Dogs, litters, puppy weights, ENS/ESI tasks, waitlists, contracts and go-home packets in one connected record, with a family portal built in. Free for up to 3 dogs.
© 2026 BreedBloom. All rights reserved.
Privacy Policy
·
Terms of Service
Contact support@breedbloom.com