How we test and score

Our methodology

PetMaxxing is an independent editorial site covering evidence-based pet care, with a focus on dog supplements. We test and compare products hands-on, score them on consistent metrics, source every health claim from veterinary and primary references, and publish what failed alongside what worked. This page explains exactly how we do it. We are not a veterinary practice, and nothing here is a substitute for professional veterinary advice.

Our rankings are never influenced by commission rates, and we publish the products that scored poorly alongside those that scored well.Core principle

Where our evidence comes from

Every health claim is sourced from veterinary and primary references before publication. Ingredient evidence is checked against peer-reviewed veterinary literature and regulatory sources; product claims are verified against current manufacturer labeling. We prioritize a small set of authoritative sources over the open web:

AVMA (American Veterinary Medical Association): Clinical guidance and position statements.
FDA Center for Veterinary Medicine (FDA-CVM): Animal-drug and supplement regulatory data, recalls, and adverse-event reporting.
NASC (National Animal Supplement Council): Quality-program and labeling standards.
Peer-reviewed veterinary literature: Published studies on ingredient efficacy and safety.
Manufacturer labeling: Official ingredient panels and dosing instructions, verified against the current product.

Primary sources

AVMA FDA-CVM NASC Peer-reviewed vet literature Manufacturer labeling

Every claim traces back to one of these

Scoring dimensions

Evidence Purity Value Efficacy Safety Palatability

Six consistent metrics, every product

Independence

0 sponsored rankings Commission-blind Failures published

Editorial is walled off from affiliate deals

How we score a product

Every product we review is scored on the same six metrics, so a rating on one guide means the same thing on another. We publish per-product scores on each dimension rather than a single opaque number:

Evidence: How strong is the published clinical support for the active ingredients, and at what dose.
Purity: Quality control, third-party or NASC quality-program signals, and how well the label matches the panel.
Value: Cost per day at the effective dose, not the shelf price.
Efficacy: Whether the formulation actually delivers active ingredients at clinically relevant doses.
Safety: Tolerability, ingredient cautions, and known interactions.
Palatability: Whether dogs will reliably take it, which determines whether any of the above matters in practice.

A product can score high on Evidence and still lose on Value or Palatability. We show the full spread so you can weight the metrics that matter for your dog, rather than trusting a single headline rank.

Independence and commission-blind rankings

We maintain a strict separation between editorial content and affiliate relationships. Rankings are never influenced by commission rates. When a product scores poorly, it stays in the guide with its poor scores shown; we do not quietly drop losers to protect a partner. PetMaxxing is free to read, and we earn revenue through affiliate links: when you click a product link and make a purchase, we may earn a commission at no extra cost to you. That commission has no bearing on where a product ranks. Full details are in our affiliate disclosure.

Review and testing cadence

Every guide is reviewed before publication and then re-checked on a fixed schedule. Guides carry a visible last-reviewed date and a scheduled next-review date on a three-month cadence, so you can see how current the guidance is. When we test new brands within a category, or when a source changes, we update the affected guide and note it. We publish corrections promptly.

Conflict disclosure and what we are not

PetMaxxing was founded and is operated by Vincent Couey, who sets its methodology and primary-source standard. His research background is in computational toxicology and computational geometry. He is not a veterinarian and does not provide veterinary advice, and PetMaxxing is not a veterinary practice. Everything on this site is pet-health information for educational purposes only, and is not a substitute for professional veterinary diagnosis or treatment. Always consult a licensed veterinarian before starting, stopping, or changing your pet's supplements or care, especially if your pet has a health condition or takes medication.

Corrections

Pet-health information affects real animals. If you find an error, an outdated detail, or a claim that needs a better source, email [email protected] and we will review and correct it promptly. For the fuller picture of who we are and what we cover, see our about page.