Search Results for: karen becker
Dr. Karen Becker Offers Some Classic Veterinary Detox Quackery
Yesterday, I wrote about some environmental chemicals that may play a role in causing disease. While this sort of environmental risk factor is a real and recognized phenomenon supported by good science, it can easily be cited to lend support … Continue reading
Who’s Behind the The Truth About Pet Cancer?
I have been asked several times in the last few months to evaluate a new series of videos called The Truth About Pet Cancer. I actually purchased the full transcript of this series and am in the process of investigating … Continue reading
Are Our Dogs Dying Younger Than They Used To?
One of the most popular ways to promote unconventional ideas, including alternative therapies, is through fear. Claiming that health, longevity, and other measures of well-being have declined from some time in the past opens the door to claims that science-based … Continue reading
The “Natural” Nonsense that is Applied Zoopharmacognosy
Introduction A few years ago, I wrote about an interesting phenomenon called zoopharmacognosy. The idea is that animals might select specific plants or other substances to eat that would have therapeutic effects. An example might be an herbivore with a … Continue reading
More Misuse of Science as Propaganda Tool by Mercola and the AHVMF
I’ve written quite a bit about the problematic relationship between advocates of alternative medicine and scientific research. While I’m all for appropriate, high-quality research into any therapy with reasonable plausibility, which would include many alternative treatments, I object to the … Continue reading
Antibody Titer Testing as a Guide for Vaccination in Dogs and Cats
I have been involved in a number of discussions lately regarding the concept of testing antibody titers in lieu of vaccinating, and I thought it might be useful to summarize some of the issues involved in this complex topic. I … Continue reading
CAM Vets Attacking Conventional Veterinary Medicine
The nature of science is fundamentally critical. Science works best when it shows us what is not true. This is largely a function of the fact that most of the biases and cognitive quirks that lead us astray when trying … Continue reading
There is no “Natural” or “Holistic” Heartworm Prevention or Treatment Proven to be Safe and Effective
Much of complementary and alternative medicine (CAM) is offered either as an addition to conventional, science-based treatment or in situations in which conventional therapies are unavailable or ineffective. This doesn’t excuse offering treatments that haven’t been properly tested, and it … Continue reading
More Misleading and Unethical Advertising for Alternative Veterinary Medicine
I’ve written before about the unethical and misleading negative advertising that so often characterizes the promotion of alternative veterinary medicine. But I ran across another example that set my teeth on edge and illustrated a particular problem I have with … Continue reading
