Most puppies need a distemper-parvo vaccine every 2 to 4 weeks from about 6 to 8 weeks of age until they are older than 16 weeks, then a booster about a year later. North Carolina law requires a rabies vaccine once a puppy is over four months old. Petfolk Veterinary & Urgent Care - Ballantyne is a vet clinic on Ballantyne Commons Parkway in Charlotte, North Carolina, that gives puppy vaccines as part of a first-year plan with exams, parasite control and prevention.
Started shots with a breeder or rescue? Bring the records, and the vet usually continues the series rather than restarting it. Call (980) 300-6982 or book online.
What happens at each puppy vaccine visit?
Each visit at Petfolk Ballantyne starts with an exam of the heart, lungs, eyes, ears, teeth, joints and skin, then the vaccines due that day. Fear-free handling is standard at every Petfolk clinic, so expect treats and a calm pace. The American Animal Hospital Association canine vaccination guidelines are the basis for the schedule.
About 6 to 8 weeks. First DHPP shot (distemper, hepatitis or adenovirus, parainfluenza and parvovirus). The vet often checks a stool sample for worms; see deworming at Petfolk Ballantyne.
Every 2 to 4 weeks after. More DHPP boosters. Leptospirosis, a bacterial infection spread in animal urine, is often added as two doses. Bordetella (kennel cough) or canine influenza join the plan for daycare, boarding, groomers or classes.
After 16 weeks. The final DHPP booster, plus rabies once your puppy is old enough. You leave with a rabies certificate and tag.
About 1 year. Boosters for distemper-parvo and rabies, plus any lifestyle vaccines.
A wellness exam starts at $99 or is included with PetfolkCare, and vaccines are added to that. You'll get an estimate before any test or treatment. The final bill can differ if the plan changes during the visit. Mild sleepiness or a sore spot for a day after shots is normal.
How Ballantyne puppies move through the series
Puppies who started their vaccines at Petfolk Ballantyne typically got their first distemper-parvo shot at about 12 weeks old. From October 2025 to September 2026, 88% of them came back for at least a second booster, and 87% also got rabies at Petfolk.
Across Petfolk's Charlotte-area clinics, the typical first core vaccine came at about 11 weeks, and 78% of puppies returned for a second core dose. A puppy who starts at 12 weeks still needs boosters until past 16 weeks, so book the next visit before you leave.
What does North Carolina require for a puppy's rabies shot?
A puppy can get its first rabies vaccine at three months old, and the shot is required once the puppy is over four months old (G.S. 130A-185). The first booster is due one year later. After that, timing follows the vaccine label, one or three years (10A NCAC 41G .0101). The rabies vaccine page covers tags and certificates.
Dogs four months and older in Charlotte and unincorporated Mecklenburg County also need a pet license from Charlotte Animal Care & Control, which asks for proof of a current rabies vaccine.
Where can a puppy go around Ballantyne before the series is done?
Until the Petfolk Ballantyne vet says the series is complete, skip ground that many unknown dogs use. Parvo spreads through stool and survives in soil.
Mecklenburg County dog parks require proof of rabies (tag number), DHLPP and Bordetella, so a puppy can't use them until those are done.
At county parks such as McKee Road Park, dogs must stay on a leash. Use it to steer clear of spots where other dogs have left stool.
Invite healthy, vaccinated adult dogs you know to visit at home, and choose puppy classes that ask for proof of vaccines.
Canine influenza hit Charlotte-area daycares and kennels hard in fall 2022, according to WBTV, and Petfolk Ballantyne offers the flu vaccine.
What if my puppy seems sick around vaccine time?
If your puppy seems unwell on vaccine day, call Petfolk Ballantyne at (980) 300-6982 before you come in. Go to a 24-hour emergency hospital for facial swelling, hives, repeated vomiting or trouble breathing after a vaccine. Go there too for vomiting and bloody diarrhea in a puppy that isn't fully vaccinated, which can be parvovirus. Petfolk Ballantyne does not provide overnight care.
Booking the first visit
Choosing a vet in Ballantyne for your puppy's shots? The team will build the schedule with you. Petfolk Veterinary & Urgent Care - Ballantyne is at 5335 Ballantyne Commons Pkwy, Suite 150, Charlotte, NC 28277. Call (980) 300-6982 or book online.
Book a visit at Petfolk Veterinary & Urgent Care - Ballantyne, or see all veterinary services in Ballantyne.
New puppy vaccine questions
First puppy visits on Ballantyne Commons Parkway