Category Archives: Science-Based Veterinary Medicine

A reader recently asked me to take another look at a product for producing and administering platelet rich plasma (PRP). This is a subject I haven’t covered since 2013, when I wrote about a small study looking at the use of PRP for arthritis … Continue reading →

I have followed the literature on the risks and benefits of neutering for many years, from writing my own literature review in 2010 to critically analyzing individual research studies on the subject here. The evidence is always growing and changing, and the attitudes of … Continue reading →

IntroductionSince the discovery of electricity and magnetism, these mysterious forces have been thought to have healing powers. Many fanciful electrical devices were promoted in the nineteenth and early twentieth century as cures for diverse ailments or general health tonics.1 More serious … Continue reading →

I’ve written extensively over the years about the risks and benefits of neutering. It’s a complicated subject that tends to draw a lot of passion even in the absence of robust scientific evidence. Variable such as sex, breed, age at neutering, … Continue reading →

Veterinarians and pet owners are highly motivated to find discrete, fixable problems when pets are unwell. Owners want the reassurance and sense of control that comes with knowing what the problem is and taking action. Vets want to help our … Continue reading →

What is Screening?Screening is the use of diagnostic tests in apparently healthy individuals with no clinical symptoms.1-2The purpose is to detect asymptomatic disease with the presumption that this allows earlier, more effective intervention and will reduce suffering and delay or … Continue reading →

I have written extensively about the subject of neutering (spaying and castrating male and female dogs and cats). The bulk of the discussion and debate about this procedure centers on the health effects. It is generally recognized to be a … Continue reading →

Introduction Awareness of the importance of analgesia for veterinary patients has increased significantly over the last couple of decades. It is widely considered important, for medical and ethical reasons, to provide effective pain relief for dogs and cats, whether their … Continue reading →

I have been covering the subject of low-level, or “cold” laser treatment for many years. While there is some plausibility to the idea that laser light might have beneficial effects on tissue, very little convincing evidence of actual benefits in … Continue reading →