The 5-in-1 vaccine, also known as the DHPP vaccine, is a combination vaccine that is considered a core vaccine for dogs, which means all dogs should receive it regardless of their lifestyle. The vaccine protects against five serious diseases that are caused by viruses with no known cure: canine distemper virus (D), two types of adenovirus (A, A2, or H), parainfluenza (P), and parvovirus (P) . The vaccine is typically given in a single shot known as the DHPP vaccine, 5-in-1 vaccine for dogs, or 5-way puppy shot. The number of shots a dog needs will depend on their age, but they will only need to receive one of the 5-in-one puppy shots per vet visit. The vaccine is highly recommended for all dogs in North America and is given to puppies in a series of injections starting at about 6 weeks of age and given every 2 to 4 weeks until the puppy is at least 16 weeks old. The vaccine offers many advantages over single-pathogen vaccines, including that it saves time and money, minimizes the pets discomfort, and can even include noncore vaccines, like leptospirosis, which means your pup can get maximum protection without having to get multiple shots.