Author Archives: skeptvet

Australian GPs Take a Stand Against homeopathy

In the wake of the latest in a series of evidence-based reviews that all agree homeopathy has no clinical value beyond placebo and causes more harm than it is worth (e.g. 1, 2), and in the context of the overwhelming … Continue reading

Posted in Homeopathy | 4 Comments

Evidence-based Veterinary Medicine: What Is It & Why Does It Matter?

The following is a summary and the slides for a presentation I gave recently on evidence-based veterinary medicine: WHAT IS EVIDENCE-BASED MEDICINE? Evidence-based medicine (EBM) has been defined as the “conscientious, explicit, and judicious use of current best evidence in … Continue reading

Posted in Presentations, Lectures, Publications & Interviews, Science-Based Veterinary Medicine | Leave a comment

Essiac Tea: More Snake Oil for Pets with Cancer

I recently had a patient I was treating for lymphoma, a white blood cell cancer, whose owner was interested in giving the dog Essiac Tea, a well-known herbal remedy sometimes recommended for cancer patients. In order to advise this client, … Continue reading

Posted in Herbs and Supplements | 30 Comments

Mammary Tumors in a Population of Dogs in Mexico

One of the topics that comes up most commonly in my ongoing coverage of the research concerning neutering dogs is mammary tumors. Mammary tumors occur overwhelmingly in female dogs, and they are far more common among intact females than neutered … Continue reading

Posted in Science-Based Veterinary Medicine | 3 Comments

Stem Cells for Kidney Disease in Cats?

I have written about stem cell therapy pretty frequently here for a couple of reasons. I consider it a very promising avenue of investigation based on lab animal and human studies, and I expect someday specific beneficial therapies based on … Continue reading

Posted in Science-Based Veterinary Medicine | 11 Comments

Update: RenAvast Banned by the FDA Due to Illegal Claims

Last year, I wrote about a supplement marketed for dogs and cats with kidney failure, RenAvast. AT the time, the Bottom Line conclusion for this supplement was this: The ingredients in RenAvast™ are deliberately not disclosed by the company beyond … Continue reading

Posted in Herbs and Supplements | 63 Comments

When Does Alternative Medicine Become a Religion?

I have written previously about the philosophical foundations of alternative medicine and how they differ from those of science-based medicine, and I feel this is a critical issue for those of us advocating for the latter. It is important to … Continue reading

Posted in General | 3 Comments

No Vet for My Pet? Veterinary Nurses Can Sell Woo Too!

Despite the real harm unproven or bogus alternative therapies can cause, I get a lot of flak here for being critical of alternative practitioners. Some of that stems from the natural resentment of having one’s beliefs questioned. Alternative medicine is … Continue reading

Posted in General | 15 Comments

Evidence Update: Old Tricks Used to Massage Neutricks Study Data

A few years ago, I reviewed a nutritional supplement called Neutricks which is marketed to “support brain health.” The company is careful not to make any specific claims about prevention or treatment of disease, which would be illegal, but the … Continue reading

Posted in Herbs and Supplements | 3 Comments

California Passes Science-based School Vaccination Law (SB277)

A while ago, I wrote about a bill in the California legislature intended to remove non-medical exemptions to vaccination requirements for children in the state. Despite often vicious and irrational opposition, science and reason and public health have won the day! … Continue reading

Posted in General | 1 Comment