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Author Archives: skeptvet
Guidelines for Minimizing Commercial Influence in Veterinary Medicine
The potential bias introduced into research, medical education, and individual clinician judgment by relationships with commercial entities is a perennial and serious issue in medicine, including the veterinary field. While critics of mainstream veterinary medicine frequently raise this issue when … Continue reading
Posted in Science-Based Veterinary Medicine
17 Comments
Dry Pet Food and Dental Disease in Dogs and Cats
One of the most common diseases in cats and dogs that I see in practice is dental disease. According to the American Veterinary Dental Society, by three years of age 70-80% of dogs and cats will have signs of oral … Continue reading
Posted in Nutrition
20 Comments
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