clinical · vet
WSAVA 2024 vaccination guide adapted for Southeast Asian vet clinics
Published May 2, 2026 · 13 min read
WSAVA 2024 changed 3 things that matter for Southeast Asian clinics: boosting at 26 weeks instead of 12–16 months, Leptospira reclassified as regionally core, and FeLV now core for cats under 1 year. All three directly apply to SEA practice.
This article distills the WSAVA 2024 Guidelines into quick-reference tables, comparing them with actual vaccination practice in Thailand, Malaysia, and Vietnam — noting where to follow the international standard and where local law takes precedence.
Sources: WSAVA Vaccination Guidelines 2024, AAHA 2022, AAHA/AAFP 2020. SEA data from Thailand DLD, Malaysia DVS, Vietnam DAH, and peer-reviewed studies on PubMed.
3 key changes in WSAVA 2024
graph TD
A[WSAVA 2024<br/>3 key changes] --> B[Boost at ~26 weeks<br/>not 12-16 months]
A --> C[Lepto = Core<br/>in endemic regions]
A --> D[FeLV = Core<br/>cats under 1 year]
B --> E[Narrows window<br/>of susceptibility]
C --> F[SEA = endemic<br/>→ mandatory]
D --> G[Outdoor cats in SEA<br/>→ should vaccinate]
Dog vaccination schedule — puppy to adult
| Age (weeks) | Vaccine | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| 6–8 | Core combo (CDV/CAV/CPV/CPiV) — dose 1 | Do not start before 6 weeks |
| 10–12 | Core combo — dose 2 + Lepto dose 1 | Lepto = core in SEA (endemic) |
| 14–16 | Core combo — dose 3 + Lepto dose 2 + Rabies dose 1 | Rabies legally required |
| ~26 | Core booster + Rabies booster | NEW 2024 — don’t wait 12 months |
| Annual | Rabies (law) + Lepto (endemic) | Core CDV/CAV/CPV: can extend to 3 years |
Common dog vaccine brands in SEA
| Brand | Type | Available in | Reference price |
|---|---|---|---|
| Nobivac DHPPi (MSD) | 4-in-1 | TH, MY, VN | MY: RM40–75; VN: $7.20 |
| Vanguard Plus 5 (Zoetis) | 5-in-1 + Lepto | TH, MY, VN | VN: $7.20 |
| Recombitek C4/C6 (Boehringer) | 4/6-in-1 | TH, VN | VN: $6.80–7.60 |
| Nobivac Rabies (MSD) | Rabies only | TH, MY, VN | TH: $5.50–11; VN: $3.20 |
5-in-1 to 10-in-1 combos are standard in SEA. Pet owners refer to vaccines by combo number (“7-disease shot”), not by antigen name. This differs from WSAVA’s antigen-by-antigen approach.
Cat vaccination schedule — kitten to adult
| Age (weeks) | Vaccine | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| 6–8 | Core (FPV/FHV-1/FCV) — dose 1 | |
| 10–12 | Core — dose 2 + FeLV dose 1 | FeLV: test before vaccinating |
| 14–16 | Core — dose 3 + FeLV dose 2 + Rabies | |
| ~26 | Core booster | NEW 2024 |
| Annual | Rabies (law) + FeLV if outdoor/high-risk | Core: can extend to 3 years (indoor, low-risk) |
Feline injection safety — WSAVA 2024
| Rule | Details |
|---|---|
| Injection site | Distal limb (hind leg) — NEVER interscapular |
| Vaccine type | Prefer non-adjuvanted when available |
| 3-2-1 rule | Biopsy injection-site mass if: persists past 3 months, >2 cm, or growing after 1 month |
| Rationale | Prevents FISS (Feline Injection-Site Sarcoma) — rare but serious |
Rabies regulations — 3 SEA countries
Rabies non-vaccination fines — 3 country comparison
| Thailand | Malaysia | Vietnam | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Law | Rabies Act 1992 | Varies by state | Decree 05/2007 + 04/2020 |
| Mandatory? | Yes | Sarawak: Yes; Peninsula: rabies-free | Yes |
| First dose | >2 to ≤4 months | Per label | ≥12 weeks |
| Booster | Per certificate | Sarawak: annual | Annual |
| Fine | ≤200 baht (~$5.5) | Sarawak: up to RM2,500 (~$580) | 1–2M VND (~$40–82) |
| Free campaigns | Bangkok: free + microchip | DVS clinics: free | HCMC: 50% subsidy, Mar–May |
Malaysia is not uniform: Peninsula/Sabah/Labuan are rabies-free (WOAH 2025). Only Sarawak is an affected zone — stricter rules, heavier fines.
WSAVA says — SEA does
| Gap | WSAVA 2024 | SEA practice |
|---|---|---|
| Core booster | Every ≥3 years (MLV) | Annual still mainstream |
| 26-week booster | Strongly recommended | Not yet reflected in clinic guides |
| Leptospira | Regionally core | De facto core — bundled in combos |
| FeLV in cats | Core for <1yr | TH/MY: available; VN: unclear |
| Naming | By antigen (CDV/CAV/CPV) | By combo: “5-in-1”, “7-in-1” |
| Titer testing | Supported for CDV/CAV/CPV | Rabies titer = travel; core titer = niche |
Endemic diseases — more prevalent than in Western markets
| Disease | SEA prevalence | Vaccine? | Prevention |
|---|---|---|---|
| Leptospirosis | TH: MAT 12.1%, ELISA 44% | Yes — in combo | Annual vaccine |
| Heartworm | TH: up to 24% | No | Monthly ivermectin/milbemycin |
| Ehrlichiosis | TH: E. canis 30% (ticks) | No | Tick control (fipronil, isoxazolines) |
| Babesiosis | TH: 31.43% (ticks) | No | Tick control |
| CPV | VN: CPV-2c 96.54% | Yes — core combo | Complete puppy series |
| CDV | VN Mekong: 6.19% | Yes — core combo | Vaccine + leash laws |
In SEA, parasite prevention (heartworm + tick control) is as important as vaccination. This is the biggest difference from Western practice.
Vaccine pricing across SEA
Vaccine cost comparison across 3 SEA countries
Making it work in your clinic
Vaccination SOP isn’t complicated — remember 4 things:
- Follow rabies law — annual rabies is mandatory in all 3 countries
- Lepto = core in SEA — add to combo from puppy dose 2
- 26-week booster — newest change, narrows susceptibility window
- Cats: hind leg, non-adjuvanted — FISS is rare but preventable
Practice management software like VetGo can auto-schedule vaccine reminders — pet owners get notifications via LINE or WhatsApp, so you don’t have to track manually.
Primary sources: WSAVA Vaccination Guidelines 2024, AAHA 2022 Canine, AAHA/AAFP 2020 Feline. SEA data: Thailand DLD, Malaysia DVS (WOAH 2025), Vietnam DAH, PMC 7077098, PMC 6486976, PMC 9394127.