Who writes our content

Every health or medical article published on AnimalHospitalClinic.com is written by, or reviewed by, a licensed veterinarian. We do not publish health content written exclusively by generalist writers, content marketers, or artificial intelligence tools without veterinary authorship or review.

Our contributing veterinarians hold active licences to practise veterinary medicine in at least one US state. Many hold additional board certifications from recognised veterinary specialty organisations, including:

• American College of Veterinary Internal Medicine (ACVIM)
• American College of Veterinary Emergency and Critical Care (ACVECC)
• American Veterinary Dental College (AVDC)
• American College of Veterinary Nutrition (ACVN)
• American College of Veterinary Behaviorists (ACVB)
• American College of Veterinary Surgeons (ACVS)

Each contributing expert’s full biography — including their degree, board certifications, years of experience, clinical affiliations, and relevant publications — is published on their author profile page. This information is updated when a contributor’s credentials change.

We do not use anonymous contributors for health content. Every article carries a named, credentialled author.

Our editorial process

All health and medical content on this site goes through a structured six-stage editorial process before publication.

Stage 1 — Topic selection

Topics are selected based on genuine reader need, identified through: reader questions submitted via the site, analysis of common veterinary queries, seasonal health considerations, emerging research in veterinary medicine, and gaps in currently available quality online information. We do not commission content primarily to target commercial search queries.

Stage 2 — Expert assignment

Each topic is assigned to a veterinarian whose specialisation is directly relevant. An article on feline cardiac disease, for example, is written by a cardiologist or internal medicine specialist, not a general practice vet. We match expertise to topic every time.

Stage 3 — Drafting with source documentation

The assigned expert writes the article, documenting the sources underlying each clinical claim as they write. Sources must be peer-reviewed where possible. The article is written for a lay audience — accessible language, no unnecessary jargon — while maintaining clinical precision.

Stage 4 — Medical review

For all articles covering health conditions, symptoms, diagnosis, treatment, medication, or emergency care, a second board-certified veterinarian reviews the draft. The reviewer checks clinical accuracy, identifies unsupported claims, and flags anything that could be misleading or harmful if acted upon by a pet owner.

Stage 5 — Editorial review

A staff editor reviews the article for readability, structure, and completeness. The editor also confirms that all required metadata is present: author name and credentials, medical reviewer name and credentials, publication date, source citations, and appropriate disclaimers.

Stage 6 — Publication

The article is published with full author attribution, all relevant dates, and source citations. A scheduled review date is assigned at publication (see Content updates, below).

Fact-checking standards

We apply the following fact-checking standards to all health and medical content:

Clinical claims

Every clinical claim — including prevalence statistics, treatment efficacy data, diagnostic criteria, and drug interactions — must be supported by a cited source. We accept the following source types, listed in order of preference:

1. Peer-reviewed articles in recognised veterinary journals (JAVMA, JVIM, JVECC, Veterinary Record, etc.)
2. Clinical guidelines issued by recognised veterinary colleges or specialty organisations
3. Textbooks by recognised veterinary authorities (current edition only)
4. Expert consensus statements from veterinary professional associations
5. Clinical experience of the contributing author, clearly identified as such

We do not accept manufacturer-produced data as a primary source for efficacy claims. We do not cite other consumer health websites as sources.

Statistics

Prevalence, incidence, and risk statistics are always cited to their original source. Where multiple studies report conflicting figures, we present the range and explain the discrepancy rather than cherry-picking the most dramatic number.

Drug and treatment information

Information about medications, dosing, and treatments is reviewed against current formularies and product monographs. Dosing information is not included in consumer-facing articles without a clear instruction to consult a veterinarian before administering any medication.

How we use sources

Sources are listed at the end of each article in a numbered reference list. In-text citations indicate which specific claim each source supports. We link to source abstracts or full texts where these are publicly accessible.

We do not hide sources or combine multiple unsupported claims into a single vague reference. Every claim has a specific source or is clearly identified as the clinical opinion of the named author.

Where evidence is limited, contradictory, or based primarily on clinical experience rather than controlled studies, we say so explicitly. We use language like “evidence suggests,” “some vets recommend,” and “research is limited” to accurately represent the state of the evidence.

Content updates & corrections

Scheduled reviews

All published articles are assigned a scheduled review date at publication:

• Emergency and acute care content: reviewed every 6 months
• Condition and disease content: reviewed annually
• Preventive care and lifestyle content: reviewed every 18 months
• Directory and resource content: reviewed annually

At each review, the assigned veterinarian checks whether any new research or clinical guidance changes the article’s recommendations. If so, the article is updated and the “Last reviewed” date is updated accordingly. Minor updates (correcting a link, fixing a typo) do not trigger a date update.

Corrections

If we publish an error, we correct it promptly and transparently. Corrections are noted at the top of the affected article, with a brief explanation of what was changed and when. We do not silently edit errors without acknowledgement.

To report a potential error, please contact our editorial team with the article URL, the specific claim you believe is incorrect, and any supporting evidence you have. We will respond within 5 business days.

Editorial independence

Our editorial content is produced independently from our commercial operations. The following principles govern our editorial independence:

• Advertisers and listed clinics do not influence what topics we cover, how we cover them, or how their services are described in editorial content.
• Payment for directory listings does not affect the editorial content of listing pages — all listings display the same factual information regardless of tier.
• We do not accept sponsored content disguised as editorial articles. Sponsored content, if published, is clearly labelled “Sponsored” and separated from editorial content.
• Our editorial team and commercial team operate separately. Commercial staff do not have editorial approval rights over articles.
• Product recommendations in articles reflect the genuine clinical opinion of the authoring veterinarian, not commercial relationships.

What we do not do

For clarity, the following practices are explicitly prohibited by our editorial policy:

• Publishing health content without a named, credentialled veterinary author or reviewer
• Making specific diagnostic or treatment recommendations as a substitute for veterinary consultation
• Publishing dosing information for prescription medications without advising readers to consult a vet
• Using misleading headlines that overstate the certainty or severity of a health claim
• Accepting payment to alter, suppress, or favourably frame health information
• Publishing content generated entirely by AI tools without veterinary authorship or review
• Citing other consumer websites as primary sources for clinical claims

Contact our editorial team

Questions about our editorial standards, correction requests, or inquiries about contributing as a veterinary expert should be directed to our editorial team via our Contact page. Please include “Editorial” in the subject line.

For media inquiries, please use the same contact page and mark your message “Press.”