Author Archives: skeptvet

Herbal Remedies Can Interfere with HIV Treatment

Posted on February 28, 2012 by skeptvet

The popularity of herbal remedies rests, in large part, on the perceptions of these substances as “natural,” a vague, nearly meaningless term often mistakenly understood to mean “safe.” The idea that eating parts of plants, singly or in combination, can … Continue reading →

Posted in Herbs and Supplements | 1 Comment

Veterinary Stem Cells and Snake Oil

Posted on February 21, 2012 by skeptvet

I have written several articles previously about veterinary stem cell therapies, which I view as a promising but as yet unproven treatment for a number of medical problems. (e.g. 1, 2, 3, 4, 5) Though not “alternative” in origin, the … Continue reading →

Posted in General | 8 Comments

Garlic for Pets- What’s it Good for?

Posted on February 12, 2012 by skeptvet

One of the most popular plant products touted for medicinal use in pets is garlic Allium sativum. A recent newsletter by Dr. Deva Khalsa, a popular alternative veterinarian, makes some typical claims: Garlic is a miracle herb! Garlic (Allium sativum) … Continue reading →

Posted in Herbs and Supplements | 20 Comments

Funny for Some of You

Posted on February 5, 2012 by skeptvet

(From Veterinarians Behaving Badly. Hasn’t happened to me yet, but I’ve been taken to task, and others I know have been banned for expressing their critical thinking)

Posted in Humor | 10 Comments

Misleading Advertising for Raw Pet Food (again)

Posted on January 31, 2012 by skeptvet

H.G. Wells is credited with saying, “Advertising is legalized lying,” though I cannot imagine he is the first person to have thought so. Of course, the difficulty with identifying actual lying in advertising is that it is impossible to know … Continue reading →

Posted in Nutrition | 11 Comments

EBVMA Symposium 2012– Evidence-Based Veterinary Medicine: It’s Happening Now!

Posted on January 26, 2012 by skeptvet

This is the only event, and the only organization, dedicated entirely to promoting evidence-based veterinary medicine, and I encourage anyone interested to join us in New Orleans! When: Wednesday May 30, 2012, 9am-5pm (One day before the start of the … Continue reading →

Posted in General | 2 Comments

Verm-X Herbal Parasite Control: No Real Evidence to Show it is Safe or Effective

Posted on January 22, 2012 by skeptvet

I was recently asked by a reader to take a look at a product that had been recommended for deworming their dog, Verm-X. Unfortunately, there is little I can say about this product since, as is all too often the … Continue reading →

Posted in Herbs and Supplements | 7 Comments

Book Review: Lessons from the History of Medical Delusions

Posted on January 18, 2012 by skeptvet

A brief reference on the web site The Quackometer recently drew my attention to a very short book (really more of a pamphlet, in the historical sense) by Dr. Worthington Hooker, Lessons from the History of Medical Delusions, which I … Continue reading →

Posted in Book Reviews | 2 Comments

Acupuncture vs Opioids for Surgical Pain in Dogs: Which is Better?

Posted on January 12, 2012 by skeptvet

My attention was recently drawn to a veterinary acupuncture study which appears, superficially, to show acupuncture to be equivalent to opioid analgesia for post-operative pain in dogs. Unfortunately, especially for the research subjects, the design of the study was deeply … Continue reading →