PuppyPaw exists to answer one stressful question with a verdict you can trust: can my dog eat that? This page explains exactly how every food record is researched, sourced, verified, and corrected — the standard behind each SAFE, IN MODERATION, and TOXIC verdict on the site.
How each record is researched
For every food we start from the specific compound or mechanism that actually decides whether it is safe — theobromine in chocolate, persin and the pit-and-fat risk in avocado, N-propyl disulfide in onions and garlic, xylitol (also labeled “birch sugar”) in peanut butter and baked goods. We then pull the toxic-dose threshold or safe-serving figure from veterinary sources, not from other blogs. Every record is written to the same fixed schema: verdict first, then why, then a safe serving size where the food is safe, then preparation cautions (seeds, pits, cooked-versus-raw, salt, cooked bones), then toxic-dose context where it matters, then the trigger to stop and call for help, and finally the source and the date we last checked it.
Sources we use — and what we don’t
Every toxicity claim and every serving figure is cited to a primary or authoritative veterinary source:
- the ASPCA Animal Poison Control Center (APCC) and the Pet Poison Helpline for toxicity and dose;
- the Merck Veterinary Manual and peer-reviewed veterinary literature for mechanism and threshold;
- VCA Animal Hospitals, the American Kennel Club (AKC), and PetMD for clinical and feeding guidance.
What we do not rely on: we never treat other pet blogs, forums, or anecdote as a source, and we never invent a dose or a serving size. Where the evidence is genuinely mixed or thin, we say so rather than round up to a confident answer — an honest “it depends” is safer than a made-up number.
Verification and dating
Every record carries a visible “Last verified” date. Claims are checked against their cited source when the record is published and re-checked on a recurring basis; when a source updates its guidance, the record and its date change with it. A date you can see is more honest than a claim of permanent authority.
Corrections
If you spot an error — a wrong verdict, an outdated figure, a missing caution — please tell us through the Contact & corrections page. Because this is pet-health information, we treat corrections as urgent: send the source if you have one, and we will verify it, update the record, and change the “last verified” date.
How AI is used
PuppyPaw records are produced with AI assistance and then verified by a person against the primary sources cited on each page. AI helps draft and structure records to the schema above; it is never the authority for a safety claim. No verdict, dose, or caution publishes until it has been checked against the veterinary sources listed here.
Informational, not veterinary advice. PuppyPaw is not a substitute for your veterinarian or a diagnostic tool. If your dog has eaten something toxic, call your vet or the ASPCA Animal Poison Control Center at (888) 426-4435 right away.