Category Archives: Miscellaneous CAVM

Guest Post from Alison Averis–The Rise of Equine CAM in the UK

Alison has offerred another interesting piece that offers insight into the role of CAM therapies in equine medicine “across the pond.” I’m not sure whether to be comforted or saddened by the fact that the retreat from rationality and the … Continue reading

Posted in Guest Posts, Miscellaneous CAVM | 4 Comments

Pet Psychics

I have tried to avoid this topic since it is not by even the most tortured stretch of the imagination really about medicine, even most forms of alternative medicine. Unfortunately, all too often I see people making medical decisions for … Continue reading

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Therapies to Soothe all Four Legs–From the NY Times

There was a scary article yesterday in the New York Times talking about the popularity of a variety of CAM therapies for racehorses. It is a laundry list of nonsense complete with outrageous prices and weak rationalizations. I also thought … Continue reading

Posted in General, Miscellaneous CAVM | 7 Comments

Nice Post on Equine CAM by Alison Averis

Being a small animal  vet, I don’t have much first-hand experience with equine CAM. But our recent guest blogger, Alison Averis, is very involved in equine issues, and she has a nice article in the Equine Independant on judging alternative claims … Continue reading

Posted in Guest Posts, Miscellaneous CAVM | 3 Comments

More Natural Nonsense and Unethical CAM Marketing

A colleague recently saw an older dog who had vomited up roundworms and was doing some coughing. He diagnosed and treated the patient appropriately, but the client later contacted him with questions about some alternative remedies that had been recommended … Continue reading

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wooTAG–uh, I mean shooTAG–Pest Control Device

I recently received a tip about a pest control product for pets (and people) that has woo written all over it. Anaglyph over at Tetherd Cow has written about the shooTAG pest repellant device, and has posted a follow-up response … Continue reading

Posted in Miscellaneous CAVM | 7 Comments

PEMF Device for Pets

Bioelectronics corporation has announced its intent to market a new device for treatment of osteoarthritis in pets. The device, the HealFast®Therapy PetPatch™, is a pulsed electromagnetic field (PEMF) device that attaches over a swollen or painful joint ad is intended … Continue reading

Posted in Miscellaneous CAVM | 17 Comments

The Gonzalez Trial – The Cost of Studying The Unlikely

 First, I just wanted to point out that I have added another example to the list of harm done by use of CAM. In this case, it’s a tragic story about a young women suffering needlessly yet unwilling to give … Continue reading

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What’s the Harm?

CAM proponents aggressively market their approaches with the assurance, often absolute and without qualification, that their methods never cause harm. And perhaps the most common response to critiques of CAM from people who consider themselves mildly skeptical of it but … Continue reading

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From SBM – Why Unproven Does Not Mean Harmless

This post examines a study suggesting that CAM use may decrease the success rate of in vitro fertilization efforts. It is similar to a previous study suggesting CAM use is associated with shorter life expectancy in cancer patients in that … Continue reading

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