About Us

PetMD is dedicated to providing pet parents with authoritative, trustworthy, and educational information about their pet’s health. PetMD has been a leading source of veterinary advice for pet parents since it was launched in 2008. We offer a comprehensive pet health library including articles, videos, graphics, and educational illustrations covering all species—from dogs and cats to horses, pocket pets, reptiles, fish, and more.

Just as we are dedicated to supporting pet parents, we are also devoted to amplifying the voices and insight of a diverse group of vet authors and reviewers who work with us to create our library.

PetMD is owned by Chewy, Inc., and links to Chewy products from articles and other content. While we support Chewy’s business objectives, the editorial staff at PetMD is committed to maintaining an independent editorial voice that puts pet parents first. Any product recommendations offered on PetMD, including links to products or a product mentions, are approved by our veterinarians based on their clinical expertise or current practice guidelines.

Editorial Principles

PetMD is committed to publishing content that supports the best practices in veterinary medicine. When we create content, we follow clear guidelines:

  1. All new content that appears on PetMD is written or reviewed by a veterinarian or subject matter expert. Our veterinarian authors have either a DVM (Doctor of Veterinary Medicine) or VMD (Veterinariae Medicinae Doctoris) degree and are licensed to practice veterinary medicine. Subject matter experts include nutritionists, behaviorists, and pharmacists. Wherever possible, all of our experts hold degrees or certifications in their fields, such as a PharmD degree or behavior certification.
  2. We believe in transparency—our vet authors and reviewers are identified as authors or reviewers on all relevant content, with links to the biographies and qualifications.
  3. We rely on evidence-based guidelines. Where appropriate, our articles, videos, blogs, illustrations, and infographics are sourced to gold-standard references such as peer-reviewed journals, medical textbooks, and other widely accepted references, including leading trade and professional organizations.
  4. When it comes to controversial topics, such as shock collars and tail docking, PetMD relies on guidance provided by the American Veterinary Medical Association as well as the veterinarian experts of the Chewy Veterinary Advisory Panel to help shape our positions. Above all, our primary interest is to support practices and recommendations that improve the health and well-being of pets.
  5. Products that carry the “Vet Verified” badge have been independently evaluated by a group of veterinarian reviewers and approved by the PetMD Vet Advisory Panel. These recommendations are based solely on professional and clinical experience.
  6. Diversity and inclusion are core operating principles at PetMD. Our pet parents and partners come from all backgrounds—including different places and different walks of life. We recognize the significance of an inclusive environment and strive to accommodate all  pet parents.

Content Creation and Review

PetMD’s library includes more than 6,000 pieces of content. We are continuously working to update our library and ensure we are presenting the most up to date, medically accurate information to the pet parents who rely on us. Delivering on this promise to our readers means following a rigorous process of creation, approval, and review for every net new or updated piece of content that appears on PetMD.

  • We are continuously improving and updating our library.
  • We strive to match our veterinarians' expertise to the topic. For example, an article focused on nutrition for a cat would be assigned to a veterinarian who specializes in nutrition or a nutritionist, while an article on animal behavior would go to a behavioral specialists.
  • Once the article is drafted, it undergoes a rigorous internal editing and fact-checking process by our editorial team, with at least two editors evaluating every piece of content. Any remaining questions are resolved with the original vet author, and edited articles undergo another round of medical review to ensure accuracy before publication.
  • Articles are reviewed regularly to ensure they are updated. The review dates are published on-site. Our team of medical reviewers includes veterinarians and subject matter experts. Updates are also reflected on the articles and identified by date and  byline of the veterinarian who reviewed the content.

Our Promise

We take immense pride in the content we produce, and we live our mission to improve the health and well-being of pets wherever they are loved. We invite feedback from our readers to let us know what we’re doing well and what we could be doing better. If you have questions about our content, or find an error, reach out directly to PetMD’s Editor-in-Chief Jon VanZile at jvanzile@chewy.com.