Monthly Archives: January 2011

California Veterinary Medical Association Campaign Against Unlicensed Treatment of Animals

Posted on January 30, 2011 by skeptvet

There must be something in the air. Lately, I’ve run across a number of stories about regulatory agencies trying to crack down on illegal or unsupported medical claims, in Switzerland and the United Kingdom. I am a bit pessimistic about … Continue reading →

Posted in Law, Regulation, and Politics | Leave a comment

Book Review: At Home by Bill Bryson

Posted on January 25, 2011 by skeptvet

For my infrequent book reviews I have tried to focus on books that are explicitly relevant to the issues and themes of this blog. However, I wanted to call attention to a very enjoyable book that, honestly, is only marginally … Continue reading →

Posted in Book Reviews | 2 Comments

Neutricks(tm): Another Nutraceutical for Canine Cognitive Dysfnction

Posted on January 19, 2011 by skeptvet

Yet another product has entered the market aimed at treating Canine Cognitive Dysfunction Syndrome (CDS). This age-related brain disorder is analogous to dementia in elderly humans, and it involves a number of significant behavioral changes. Affected dogs may get lost … Continue reading →

Posted in Herbs and Supplements | 51 Comments

U.K. Veterinary Medicines Directorate Promises Crackdown on Unproven Alternative Remedies

Posted on January 17, 2011 by skeptvet

In December John Fitzgerald, the Director of Operations for the British Veterinary Medicines Directorate, announced that the regulatory agency will begin more aggressive supervision of medical claims made for alternative medicine products. According to the announcement,   Some of these … Continue reading →

Posted in Law, Regulation, and Politics | 9 Comments

Complementary & Alternative Medicine in Veterinary Hospice Care

Posted on January 17, 2011 by skeptvet

There is a brief commentary (subscription required) in the current issue of the Journal of the American Veterinary Medical Association (JAVMA) on the subject of veterinary hospice care. I’ve written about this subject before, and I think it is one … Continue reading →

Posted in General | 1 Comment

Truth is a Popularity Contest (Again): This Time in Switzerland

Posted on January 15, 2011 by skeptvet

In Switzerland, as in many other European countries, the government pays for extensive health insurance coverage for its citizens. Naturally, the government and the citizenry want cost-effective healthcare for their money. One important aspect of achieving this is not to … Continue reading →

Posted in Law, Regulation, and Politics | 6 Comments

HealthyMouth Water Additive: Does It Help Prevent Dental Disease?

Posted on January 13, 2011 by skeptvet

I am often asked by clients or readers about specific products, and while I certainly can  only investigate a small proportion of all the stuff marketed to pet owners, I try to look at as many of these things as … Continue reading →

Posted in Herbs and Supplements | 141 Comments

AVMA Solicits Comment on Model Veterinary Practice Act

Posted on January 11, 2011 by skeptvet

The American Veterinary Medical Association maintains a model state veterinary medical practice act, which states often refer to when crafting their own practice acts for licensing and regulating veterinarians. Periodically, the AVMA solicits comments from its members and updates this … Continue reading →

Posted in Law, Regulation, and Politics | 9 Comments

Skepticism about Glucosamine for Arthritis in Dogs and Cats is Growing

Posted on January 9, 2011 by skeptvet

Ok, maybe not. But still, any sign that folks are questioning this ubiquitous practice is a good thing. I have written a number of times about the question of whether or not oral glucosamine and chondroitin are useful for arthritis … Continue reading →

Posted in Herbs and Supplements | 96 Comments

Study finds maternal use of CAM decreases compliance with recommended childhood vaccinations

Posted on January 7, 2011 by skeptvet

One of the concerns I have about complementary and alternative medicine (CAM) is that it tends to come packaged with a philosophy or point of view which is hostile to scientific medicine. Even if specific CAM interventions are themselves harmless … Continue reading →

Posted in General, Vaccines | 2 Comments