Category Archives: General

Neutering and Aggression in Dogs

I have written extensively about the positive and negative effects of neutering dogs for many years. This is an area of great controversy and rapidly advancing research. There is no simple relationship between neutering or age at neutering and health. … Continue reading

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Anti-science vets and COVID-19

Veterinary medicine is ostensibly a science-based profession. The Veterinarian’s Oath taken by veterinary graduates in North America begins, “I solemnly swear to use my scientific knowledge and skills for the benefit of society.”1 The centrality of science and scientific evidence is similarly acknowledged … Continue reading

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Racism in Veterinary Medicine

This post is a bit outside the usual topics I discuss on this blog, and I have no doubt I will get angry responses and admonitions to “stay in my lane.” But at a time when America is, once again, … Continue reading

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Our Veterinary Hospital Experience with the COVID-19 Pandemic

This an article I wrote for Veterinary Practice News about our hospital experience with the COVID-19 pandemic. Every veterinary clinic and hospital will have their own unique experience of this time, but I suspect much of this will look familiar … Continue reading

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John Oliver Nails Coronavirus BS!

John Oliver has often taken on anti-vaccine nonsense and pseudoscience of various kinds. His latest show provides a great takedown of some of the burgeoning myths and misinformation about SARS-CoV2 and COVID-19.

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Assisi Calmer Canine-What’s the Evidence for PEMF Treatment of Separation Anxiety?

I haver written about pulsed-electromagnetic field devices (PEMF) a couple of times before (1, 2). In my most recent review, I concluded: Despite the fact that there has been interest in the potential medical applications of electricity for over 150 years, … Continue reading

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Happy 10th Blogiversary to Me!

Hard to believe, but my first post, What is Open-Mindendess?, appeared June 4, 2009. Lots of things have changed in the ten years since I began this blog. My subjects and the tone of my writing are often different from … Continue reading

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Crowdfunding Quackery

One of the most heartbreaking things we all see on social media are appeals for financial help to fund medical treatment. Especially here in the U.S., where healthcare is less readily available to low-income people than in most developed countries, … Continue reading

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Hair and Saliva Test for Allergies are Worthless Pseudoscience

There is a lot of mythology out there about food allergies. The recent concern about the potential risks of grain-free diets is only an issue at all because such diets became wildly popular with no evidence that grains were a … Continue reading

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Evidence Update: Prolotherapy

Back in 2011 I wrote about a therapy popular with alternative practitioners called prolotherapy. I try to check in from time to time to see if there is any new evidence for the treatments I consider, and in doing so … Continue reading

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