Editorial & Review Policy

Why we publish

Pawpedia exists to give dog and cat owners clear, practical answers to everyday questions. We want you to find the answer quickly, understand why, and know when to call your vet.

Our guides are general education. They do not replace advice from a licensed veterinarian who knows your pet.

How we choose topics

We write about questions pet owners really ask. We look at what people search for, what readers email us, and what vets and shelters say owners get wrong. We do not write a guide just because a keyword is popular. If we cannot give a useful, accurate answer, we do not publish it.

How we write

• The short answer comes first, in the opening lines, so you do not have to scroll to find it.
• Plain English. We explain any technical word the first time we use it.
• Honest limits. If the evidence is mixed or a question depends on the individual pet, we say so.
• Original work. Every post is written for Pawpedia and checked for copied text.

The sources we use

Health and safety claims need a reliable source. We rely on:

• Veterinary schools and university research
• Professional veterinary associations
• Government and public health agencies
• Peer-reviewed studies and veterinary textbooks

We do not use anonymous blogs, forum posts or social media comments as the basis for a health or safety claim. Where it helps you, we link to the source.

How posts are reviewed

• Every post is read by an editor for accuracy, clarity and originality before it goes live.
• Posts about illness, symptoms and medicines are reviewed by a licensed veterinarian. The reviewer’s name appears on the page.
• Food-safety posts are checked against veterinary sources, such as which foods are toxic and in what amounts.
• Breed, behavior and name guides are checked by the editor against reliable breed and behavior references.

Our rules for health content

• We do not diagnose your pet.
• We do not give medicine doses or treatment plans for a specific animal.
• Every health post tells you to ask your own vet.
• If your pet may have eaten something toxic or seems seriously ill, call your vet or an animal poison helpline straight away. Do not wait for an article to tell you what to do.

Guest authors

Guest posts follow the same standards as everything else on Pawpedia. They are unpaid, they are never sponsored, and they are edited and fact-checked by our team. Medical topics must be written or reviewed by a licensed vet. See our guest post guidelines and meet our authors.

Product reviews and affiliate links

• We choose products independently. A company cannot pay for a good review or a place on a list.
• We say what we tested. If we have not used a product ourselves, we tell you.
• Some links earn us a commission. This never changes the price you pay, and we disclose it before the recommendation. Read our affiliate disclosure.

Images and the use of AI

We use our own photos or properly licensed images, with credit. We do not publish text written by AI tools without a human author, an editor and a full fact-check. If a tool helps with research or editing, a person is still responsible for every claim in the post.

Updates and corrections

• Every post shows a date and, when it changes, the date it was last updated.
• Health posts are re-checked at least once a year, and sooner if guidance changes.
• Found a mistake? Email hello@pawpedia.org with the page and the problem. We check it, correct it quickly, and note the correction on the page when it matters.

Independence

Advertising and partnerships do not decide what we write or what we recommend. If that ever changes, we will tell you here.