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Author Archives: skeptvet
Telomeres & Aging
Each new discovery in aging biology generates a lot of excitement. Newly discovered mechanisms are sometimes enthusiastically promoted as dramatic breakthroughs that will transform the field and lead to powerful clinical therapies. Over time, our understanding of these new elements … Continue reading
Posted in Aging Science
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Measuring Aging: Epigenetic Clocks
Aging involves physical changes over time, but time is not the primary driver of these changes. Large-breed dogs age faster than small breed dogs, and there is great individual variation in the manifestations of aging. A key lesson we have … Continue reading
Posted in Aging Science
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Gabapentin: Is it useful for pain control in dogs and cats?
Veterinary medicine suffers from a chronic lack of scientific evidence to identify safe and effective treatments. We are authorized to used medicines approved for human or animal use on an off-label basis in other species or conditions because the Food … Continue reading
Posted in Science-Based Veterinary Medicine
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Lifespan & Body Size- Big Animals Live Longer, Except When They Don’t
One of the earliest recorded assertions that large animals live longer than small ones comes from Aristotle in 350 BC. Such unstructured observations have subsequently been supported by more rigorous scientific study. As this graph shows, there is a positive … Continue reading
Posted in Aging Science
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Stem Cell Therapies in Veterinary Medicine: Where are We Now?
I’ve written about stem cell therapies numerous times over the years, though not for quite a while. My conclusions were always along the lines of “promising but unproven.” This is one of those perfectly plausible therapies that I expect will … Continue reading
Posted in Science-Based Veterinary Medicine
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Can We Help Our Dogs to Live Longer & Healthier Lives?
One of the first logical questions for a good skeptic to ask when thinking about canine aging biology is whether it is plausible that we can extend lifespan (years lived) and healthspan (healthy years lived) in dogs. Is there reliable … Continue reading
Posted in Aging Science
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When to Spay Your Dog: SkeptVet and Dr. Andy Roark on the Cone of Shame Podcast
During my latest visit to the Cone of Shame Podcast with Dr. Andy Roark, we discuss when to spay your dog.
Grain-free Diets and Heart Disease in Dogs: Two New Studies
I have to admit, I didn’t think I would again be addressing the topic of diet-associated dilated cardiomyopathy (DCM) so soon after my recent podcast and post summarizing the debate. But the science around this topic is racing ahead, and there are two new … Continue reading
Posted in Nutrition
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Cone of Shame Podcast Interview- The Bloody Battle Over Grain-free Diets
Here is the interview I did last month with Andy Roark over at the Cone of Shame podcast. this time we talk about the issue of grain-free diets and heart disease in dogs. Check it out!
Seresto Flea & Tick Collars: The New Satanic Panic?
Like many vets around the country, I’ve had a sudden wave of panicked calls and emails from clients about a dramatic article that appeared in USA Today yesterday. The article essentially claims that the Seresto flea and tick collar is injuring and … Continue reading
Posted in General
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