Search Results for: dental disease

Is There a Blood Test for Cancer in Dogs & Cats?

I am often asked by clients if there is a blood test that can tell if their apparently healthy pet has cancer. Obviously, “cancer” is a scary word, and many of the various diseases given that label are difficult to … Continue reading

Posted in General | 26 Comments

JustFoodForDogs Brings Us Some Classic Marketing Masquerading as Science

I have written about the issue of homemade pet diets here several times (1, 2, 3, 4). They are appealing to some owners because they appear more “natural” than commercial dry or canned diets, which is supposed to imply they … Continue reading

Posted in Nutrition | 82 Comments

Plechner Syndrome and the Art of Making Stuff Up

Most proponents of so-called complementary and alternative medicine (CAM) are ordinary, reasonable people, even when promoting beliefs that may be dubious or even thoroughly incredible. However, occasionally I run across one of those individuals with not only a bizarre understanding … Continue reading

Posted in General | 224 Comments

From Science-Based Medicine–Veterinary Chiropractic

People are sometimes surprised to learn that all the heavy hitters of alternative medicine, such as acupuncture, chiropractic, homeopathy, etc., are inflicted on animals as well as humans. I’ve written about veterinary homeopathy, and the associated manufactroversy, in a previous post, … Continue reading

Posted in Chiropractic | 19 Comments

Screening Tests and Pre-Anaesthetic Bloodwork in Veterinary Patients: Issues & Evidence

A perennially hot topic in human medicine is the risks and benefits of screening tests. Blood tests, imaging (like CT scans) and other diagnostic tests are usually seen by the general public as only beneficial. How could it be a … Continue reading

Posted in General, Science-Based Veterinary Medicine | 19 Comments

Holistic Anesthesia for Dogs and Cats

In a bit of advertising on his blog, a prominent alternative veterinary medicine advocate recently discussed the case of a 15 year old dog that reportedly had heart disease and dental disease and had come to see this doctor because … Continue reading

Posted in General, Miscellaneous CAVM | 9 Comments

California Veterinary Medical Association Campaign Against Unlicensed Treatment of Animals

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

Chewing Options for Dogs- Resources

Stookey GK. Soft Rawhide Reduces Calculus Formation in Dogs. Journal of Veterinary Dentistry. 2009;26(2):82-85. doi:10.1177/089875640902600202 Hennet P. Effectiveness of an Enzymatic Rawhide Dental Chew to Reduce Plaque in Beagle Dogs. Journal of Veterinary Dentistry. 2001;18(2):61-64. doi:10.1177/089875640101800201 Hooda S. In vitro digestibility of … Continue reading

Posted in TikTok | Leave a comment

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

Posted in General | 7 Comments

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

Posted in General | 39 Comments