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Author Archives: skeptvet
What Does “Scientifically Proven” Really Mean?
Science as a Brand I think of science as primarily an approach to knowledge; both a philosophy and collection of methods for developing an understanding of reality. Of course science is imperfect, both in itself and in how it is … Continue reading
Posted in General, Science-Based Veterinary Medicine
4 Comments
Web of Trust and the WOT Project
Web of Trust (WOT) is a crowdsourced ratings system that rates the safety and reliability of web sites. These ratings are generated by users who visit the sites. They can be based on security concerns, but they are mostly based on … Continue reading
Posted in General
13 Comments
Another Homeopathy Lawsuit-This time one that at least makes sense!
There has certainly been a lot of talk lately about homeopathy and lawsuits. I have discussed the Academy of Veterinary Homeopathy’s attempt to obtain through litigation the legitimacy they can’t achieve by proving their methods work through scientific research. And … Continue reading
Posted in Homeopathy, Law, Regulation, and Politics
4 Comments
Academy of Veterinary Homeopathy Lawsuit Update
Back in May, I wrote about a lawsuit involving the Academy of Veterinary Homeopathy (AVH) and the American Association of Veterinary State Boards (AAVSB) committee that certifies continuing education courses veterinarians must take to maintain their state licensure (the RACE … Continue reading
Posted in Homeopathy, Law, Regulation, and Politics
11 Comments
Probiotic Fortiflora: Not apparently very helpful in preventing diarrhea in shelter animals
Probiotics, living microorganisms fed to humans and animals to prevent or treat disease, are an interesting area of ongoing research. I have written about this intervention a number of times (1,2) and it seems a promising area of research, though … Continue reading
Posted in Herbs and Supplements
3 Comments
Denamarin: Does it prevent chemotherapy-induced liver damage?
Silymarin and s-adensylmethionine (SAM-e) are plant-derived chemicals frequently used as supplements for a wide variety of applications. I’ve written about both before, evaluating the available evidence in humans and in dogs and cats (1,2,3). So far, the evidence concerning the … Continue reading
Posted in Herbs and Supplements
16 Comments
Neoplasene: Benefits Unproven and Risks Severe
Two years ago, I wrote about an herbal product called Neoplasene, an excharotic derived from bloodroot that is marketed for treatment of cancer. I pointed out in that article that apart from a couple of in vitro studies suggesting the … Continue reading
Posted in Herbs and Supplements
92 Comments
Holistic Anesthesia for Dogs and Cats
In a bit of advertising on his blog, a prominent alternative veterinary medicine advocate recently discussed the case of a 15 year old dog that reportedly had heart disease and dental disease and had come to see this doctor because … Continue reading
Posted in General, Miscellaneous CAVM
9 Comments
Placebo Treatment for Asthma: Works for the Mind but not the Lungs
Note: I originally wrote this for Science-Based Medicine, but Dr. David Gorski has posted a far more detailed review of the study, which I encourage everyone to read, so I am just posting my thoughts on the subject here. The … Continue reading
Posted in General
6 Comments
Prolotherapy for Dogs and Cats
What Is It? Prolotherapy is a commonly offered alternative treatment for joint, connective tissue, and back pain. The practice consists of injecting substances into painful or dysfunctional joints and connective tissue with the intent of relieving discomfort and restoring function. … Continue reading
Posted in General
13 Comments