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Author Archives: skeptvet
Choosing Wisely-The Video
Here is some good advice about overdiagnosis and overtreatment–with a beat!! 🙂
Posted in Humor
9 Comments
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
FDA Might Regulate Stem-Cell Therapies for Dogs & Cats: But Probably Not
I’ve written extensively, though not lately, about veterinary stem-cell therapies (1, 2, 3, 4, 5). These are treatments in which stem cells are injected into an animal to treat some disease. The most common current use is to inject stem … Continue reading
Posted in Law, Regulation, and Politics
5 Comments
What is “Integrative Veterinary Oncology” & can it be Evidence-Based?
An interesting article appeared recently in a widely-read veterinary journal that discusses so-called “integrative medicine” in veterinary cancer care in terms of evidence-based medicine (EBM). This article raises a number of interesting questions and concerns. Raditic, DM. Bartges, JW. Evidence-based … Continue reading
Posted in General
3 Comments
Testimonials Lie: More Evidence for Why You Can’t Trust Anecdotes or Personal Internet Reviews of Medical Treatments
By far the most common response to those posts I write questioning the claims for medical therapies advertised on the internet is a flood of testimonials from people who believe the scientific evidence is wrong or irrelevant because the product … Continue reading
Posted in General
5 Comments
Is Enough Ever Enough? Wasting Resources on Clinical Trials for Magic and Pseudoscience
A recent editorial from Trends in Molecular Medicine does an excellent job explaining why clinical trials testing the effects of highly implausible therapies, like homeopathy and energy medicine, are not an example of evidence-based medicine but of science tricked into … Continue reading
Posted in General
23 Comments
Thimerosal–Should I worry about mercury in vaccines for my dog or cat?
Many health concerns among pet owners reflect concerns regarding human health that have been extrapolated to the health of our pets. It is natural to assume, or at least suspect, that factors which influence human health also influence the health … Continue reading
Posted in Vaccines
55 Comments
Artemisinin-Is It a Useful Drug for Cancer Treatment in Dogs?
A couple of readers have asked about a purported cancer therapy agent called artemisinin. This is a compound derived from a plant and used for a variety of purposes in the system known as Traditional Chinese Medicine. It is sometimes … Continue reading
Posted in Herbs and Supplements
73 Comments
Routine Vaccinations for Dogs & Cats: Trying to Make Evidence-based Decisions
Introduction As part of my effort to practice medicine based solidly in scientific evidence, I regularly review my own practices and recommendations and make adjustments as seems indicated by new evidence. The quantity and quality of scientific research in veterinary … Continue reading
Posted in Vaccines
69 Comments
Ocu-Glo Rx: A Nutritional Supplement Marketed to Support Eye Health and Vision
A reader recently asked me to comment on a dietary supplement marketed for dogs and cats, Ocu-Glo Rx. While this product shares the problem of many such supplements, a shaky theoretical rationale and limited relevant research evidence to support its … Continue reading
Posted in Herbs and Supplements
52 Comments