Author Archives: skeptvet

Evidence Update: Music and Anxiety in Dogs

It has become quite popular to recommend music as a method of reducing the stress and anxiety of dogs in environments likely to be stressful for them, such as veterinary hospitals and shelters. I’ve reviewed the evidence concerning the effects … Continue reading

Posted in General | 12 Comments

Humans are Gross!

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Colbert Takes on the Goop!

Posted in Humor | 2 Comments

John Oliver on Vaccines: Brilliant!!

Posted in Humor, Vaccines | 23 Comments

Evidence Update and Review for Yunnan Baiyao

Introduction In 2010 I first evaluated the Chinese herbal remedy known as Yunnan Baiyao, and I have reviewed additional evidence repeatedly since (1, 2, 3). So far, I have found little reason to believe claims that this remedy can stop … Continue reading

Posted in Herbs and Supplements | 26 Comments

Evidence Update: Vaccination and Autoimmune Disease

One of the potential adverse effects of vaccination is the triggering of autoimmune diseases in susceptible individuals. There is some evidence in humans, for example, that the routine MMR vaccine (which prevents measles, mumps, and rubella) can trigger an autoimmine … Continue reading

Posted in Vaccines | 78 Comments

Canine Influenza Update

In 2015, I wrote about the first canine influenza (CI) outbreak in the United States, in the Chicago area. At the time, I emphasized a few key facts about this disease, which I will review here: CI is a highly … Continue reading

Posted in General | 29 Comments

Evidence Update- PBDE Flame Retardants and Hyperthyroidism in Cats

A couple of years ago, I wrote about the proposed connection between a collection of once-common flame retardant chemicals (PBDEs) and hyperthyroidism in cats. While the notion of “toxins” as the cause of disease is often a vague and ill-founded … Continue reading

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For Tim Minchin Fans who are Stuck!

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Chinese Herb vs Metronidazole for Diarrhea in Dogs: An Example of the Problems with Alternative Medicine Research

Not everything that looks like science really is science. I’ve written about the faux science of some alternative medicine publications, such as the Integrative Veterinary Care Journal, which often publish articles that are held up as scientific evidence for alternative … Continue reading

Posted in Herbs and Supplements | 7 Comments