A Book from the SkeptVet
Please follow & like us :)
0
Author Archives: skeptvet
Victory! The Federal Trade Commission Acknowledges that Homeopathy is a Placebo
Last year, two important regulatory agencies in the U.S. undertook to review their regulation of over-the-counter homeopathic remedies. The evidence is clear that homeopathy is nothing more than a placebo, but it has persisted for historical and cultural reasons. As … Continue reading
Posted in Homeopathy
2 Comments
Evidence Update: Neutricks Still up to Same Tricks
In 2011, I reviewed a product called Neutricks that claimed to help dogs with cognitive dysfunction, a condition in old dogs roughly analogous to dementia in elderly humans. At the time, there was little evidence to support the claims made … Continue reading
Posted in Herbs and Supplements
36 Comments
Evidence Update: Neutering and Cancer Risk in Dogs
I have written extensively about the risks and benefits of neutering in dogs and cats. This is an area of active research, and new data emerge regularly to challenge existing beliefs and illustrate the amazing complexity of living organisms and … Continue reading
Posted in Science-Based Veterinary Medicine
11 Comments
Are Our Dogs Dying Younger Than They Used To?
One of the most popular ways to promote unconventional ideas, including alternative therapies, is through fear. Claiming that health, longevity, and other measures of well-being have declined from some time in the past opens the door to claims that science-based … Continue reading
Posted in General
22 Comments
Acupuncture for Hip Dysplasia In Dogs: Putting some Spin on the Data
Another study of acupuncture in dogs has been published, and it’s worth a look. It’s a classic illustration of clearly negative results being misrepresented as positive. The authors set up a nice study of acupuncture compared with a common non-steroidal … Continue reading
Posted in Acupuncture
4 Comments
The “Natural” Nonsense that is Applied Zoopharmacognosy
Introduction A few years ago, I wrote about an interesting phenomenon called zoopharmacognosy. The idea is that animals might select specific plants or other substances to eat that would have therapeutic effects. An example might be an herbivore with a … Continue reading
Posted in General
28 Comments
Evidence Update- Stem Cell Therapies for Companion Animals
Introduction One of the most frequent recurring topics on this blog has been stem cell therapies. Generally, I have concluded that various types of stem cell therapies are plausible and promising, but they are unfortunately being marketed with claims and … Continue reading
Posted in Science-Based Veterinary Medicine
3 Comments
Overdiagnosis
Overdiagnosis is now recognized as a common and serious problem in human medicine that causes substantial harm in terms of unnecessary costs, wasted resources, and patient and caregiving suffering. International conferences (e.g. Preventing Overdiagnosis) and special features in major medical … Continue reading
Posted in General, Science-Based Veterinary Medicine
8 Comments
Evidence Update- Yunnan Baiyao: Still No Persuasive Evidence of any Benefits
Back in 2010, in the early days of this blog, I reviewed the evidence for the Chinese herbal supplement Yunnan Baiyao. At the time, I found only very low-quality evidence concerning the potential risks and benefits of this product. Some … Continue reading
Posted in Herbs and Supplements
2 Comments
