# Sources

> The authoritative references behind every PetGuideCalc tool.

## Peer-reviewed

Sources with a PubMed PMID or Crossref DOI. These are the strongest evidence tier; their use is required for any health-affecting tool.

- **Beyond thermoregulation: Active behavioural regulation of ultraviolet light exposure by a free-ranging lizard** — Lattanzio MS · 2026 · Journal of Animal Ecology · [PMID 42470149](https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/42470149/) — used by [/reptile/uvb-calculator](/reptile/uvb-calculator)/
- **How much UVB does my reptile need? The UV-Tool, a guide to the selection of UV lighting for reptiles and amphibians in captivity** — Baines FM, Chattell J, Dale J et al. · 2016 · Journal of Zoo and Aquarium Research, 4(1), 42–63 · [DOI 10.19227/jzar.v4i1.150](https://doi.org/10.19227/jzar.v4i1.150) — used by [/reptile/uvb-calculator](/reptile/uvb-calculator)/
- **Life in a fishbowl: Space and environmental enrichment affect behaviour of Betta splendens** — Oldfield RG, Murphy EK · 2024 · Animal Welfare · [PMID 38487786](https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/38487786/) — used by [/aquarium/mix-calculator](/aquarium/mix-calculator)/
- **Nutrient Requirements of Dogs and Cats** — National Research Council · 2006 · National Academies Press · ISBN 9780309086283 — used by [/tools/rer-calculator](/tools/rer-calculator)/
- **Plumb's Veterinary Drug Handbook (8th ed.)** — Plumb DC · 2015 · Wiley-Blackwell · ISBN 9781118911158 — used by [/tools/medication-dose](/tools/medication-dose)/
- **Rabbit Body Condition Scoring (Hinkle et al., 1997)** — Hinkle et al. · 1997 · Journal of Exotic Pet Medicine (cited via WSAVA Nutrition Guidelines) — used by [/hamster/rabbit-bcs](/hamster/rabbit-bcs)/

## Institutional standards

Veterinary and welfare organization guidelines, peer-reviewed in their domain but not journal-published.

- **AAHA Canine Vaccination Guidelines** — American Animal Hospital Association, 2022 — used by [/tools/vaccination-schedule](/tools/vaccination-schedule)/
- **AAFP Feline Vaccination Guidelines** — American Association of Feline Practitioners, 2020 — used by [/tools/vaccination-schedule](/tools/vaccination-schedule)/
- **CAPC Companion Animal Parasite Council — Parasite Control Recommendations** — CAPC, 2024 — used by [/tools/vaccination-schedule](/tools/vaccination-schedule)/
- **WSAVA Global Nutrition Assessment Guidelines** — World Small Animal Veterinary Association, 2020 — used by [/tools/rer-calculator](/tools/rer-calculator)/, [/tools/pregnancy-lactation](/tools/pregnancy-lactation)/ (in preview)
- **WSAVA Therapeutic Guidelines** — World Small Animal Veterinary Association, ongoing — used by [/tools/medication-dose](/tools/medication-dose)/
- **AVMA Spay/Neuter Position Statements** — American Veterinary Medical Association, 2023 — used by [/tools/spay-neuter-cost](/tools/spay-neuter-cost)/ (in preview)
- **NAPHIA 2024 Pet Insurance State of the Industry Report** — North American Pet Health Insurance Association, 2024 — used by [/tools/pet-insurance-cost](/tools/pet-insurance-cost)/ (in preview)
- **ASPCA Spay/Neuter Resource Center** — ASPCA, 2024 — used by [/tools/spay-neuter-cost](/tools/spay-neuter-cost)/ (in preview)
- **Merck Veterinary Manual — Dosage Calculation** — Merck & Co., ongoing — used by [/tools/medication-dose](/tools/medication-dose)/

## Recognized keeper care references

Published care guides from established herpetology / aquarist / small-pet authorities. Cited where peer-reviewed primary literature is silent for the species in question, with the limitation named inline on the tool page.

- **ReptiFiles Species Care Articles** — Dr. Jonathan Howard (DVM) — used by reptile hub tools
- **Arcadia Reptile — T5 HO decay curves & specifications** — Arcadia Reptile — used by [/reptile/uvb-calculator](/reptile/uvb-calculator)/, [/reptile/uvb-bulb-replacement](/reptile/uvb-bulb-replacement)/
- **RSPCA Hamster Welfare Guide** — Royal Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals — used by [/hamster/cage-size-calculator](/hamster/cage-size-calculator)/, [/hamster/bedding-depth-calculator](/hamster/bedding-depth-calculator)/
- **PDSA Pet Care Hub** — People's Dispensary for Sick Animals — used by small-pet tools
- **House Rabbit Society — Diet & Care** — House Rabbit Society — used by [/hamster/rabbit-hay](/hamster/rabbit-hay)/, [/hamster/rabbit-bcs](/hamster/rabbit-bcs)/
- **Oxbow Animal Health — Small Pet Care Resources** — Oxbow Animal Health — used by small-pet tools
- **SeriouslyFish Species Profiles** — SeriouslyFish community — used by [/aquarium](/aquarium)/* tools
- **FishBase** — FishBase Consortium — used by [/aquarium](/aquarium)/* tools

## Excluded reference types

The following are deliberately **not** cited as primary sources, even when they appear inside the tool UI as supporting data:

- Anonymous keeper-forum threads and social media posts.
- Product vendor marketing copy (used only for product specifications, never for husbandry claims).
- Personal experience blogs without an institutional or peer-reviewed basis.

Where a calculator relies on data that doesn't fit the above tiers, the page says so — see [/methodology/](/methodology/).

## Questions about our sources

**How do you pick what counts as a source?** A source is cited only if it meets one of: peer-reviewed publication (PubMed-listed journal), institutional standard (WSAVA, AAHA, AAFP, AVMA, RSPCA, NRC, ReptiFiles), or a published veterinary formulary (Merck, Plumb's). Keeper blog posts, forum threads, and anecdotal care guides are NOT cited. Where a calculator extends a single-species standard to a related species, that boundary is named inline on the tool.

**How often do you audit citations?** Every update is verified by an automated check before it ships: every DOI and PMID link must resolve, and every peer-reviewed citation must name at least one author — a broken link blocks publication. The citation list is also re-checked manually every 6 months against the underlying primary sources.

**Where can I see exactly which tool cites which source?** Each tool page has a "Scientific reference" or "Sources" section listing the citations it relies on, with author, year, journal, and DOI/PMID. This page enumerates the shared reference set across the whole site; each entry names the tool or hub that uses it.