A Book from the SkeptVet
Please follow & like us :)
0
Set Youtube Channel ID
Author Archives: skeptvet
Protandim–Snake Oil Marketing at its Best (or Worst)
There are a seemingly infinite number of herbal remedies and dietary supplements marketed for pets, thanks largely to the inadequate regulation of such products and the inability of the government to enforce what rules there are. This creates an open … Continue reading
Posted in Herbs and Supplements
63 Comments
Less is More–A reminder of why irrational dietary supplement use is a bad idea
The dietary supplement industry in the United States is enormous, profitable, and growing. There is a widespread belief that nutritional supplements are inherently safe and beneficial and that everyone can benefit from taking them regardless of health status or dietary … Continue reading
Posted in Herbs and Supplements, Nutrition
2 Comments
Stem Cell Therapy Miracle–Maybe
I’ve written numerous times about veterinary stem cell therapies, and I’ve been quite critical about the proliferation of such interventions in veterinary medicine. This is not because I don’t see great hope in stem cell therapies, for I do. But … Continue reading
Popularity, not Evidence of Efficacy, Drives Growth of Alternative Medicine
A new survey adds evidence to a contention I’ve made before, that the growth in the popularity of alternative therapies has little to do with a growth in the evidence that they are safe and effective. Demand is driven by … Continue reading
Posted in General
2 Comments
DogtorRx from Pet Equinox–Style without substance and a model of snake oil marketing
Even when I’m not working, I’m still a veterinarian and a skeptic, and I tend to notice things related to those subjects wherever I am. In this case, I was stopped at a traffic light when something caught my eye, … Continue reading
Posted in Herbs and Supplements
12 Comments
Honey for Allergies in Dogs and Cats
Among the alternative recommendations for pet allergy treatment I have seen in some of my recent reading, a popular one is raw unpasteurized local honey. Many alternative veterinary medicine sites confidently proclaim that this safe and natural product can cure … Continue reading
Posted in Miscellaneous CAVM
8 Comments
Integrating Myths and Nonsense with Standard Advice for Allergic Pets
I hear a lot of claims from clients about the cause and treatment of their pets’ allergies that sound like myths or misunderstandings to me, and I expect that. Obviously, a huge part of my job is educating my clients. … Continue reading
Posted in Miscellaneous CAVM
16 Comments
Stem Cell Researchers Caution Against Using Unproven Stem Cell Therapies
One of the therapies that has arisen within conventional veterinary medicine, but which shares many of the worrisome features of an alternative approach, is stem cell therapy. Though it is a plausible intervention with promising preclinical evidence to support investigating … Continue reading
Posted in Science-Based Veterinary Medicine
5 Comments
Chemotherapy Doesn’t Work? Not so Fast….
I’ve written a bit about “integrative” veterinary cancer care previously and how it is often marketed with claims that are unsupported by evidence. A recent example of this is a post on the Huffington Post blog in which a prominent … Continue reading
Posted in Science-Based Veterinary Medicine
7 Comments
Evidence-Based Guidelines For Pet Care
The American Veterinary Medical Association (AVMA) and the American Animal Hospital Association (AAHA) recently released a set of Canine and Feline Preventative Healthcare Guidelines. The primary reason for doing so seems to be evidence from several surveys that suggest the … Continue reading
Posted in Science-Based Veterinary Medicine
6 Comments