Category Archives: Herbs and Supplements

I have recently summarized the limited evidence concerning the use of Azodyl, a popular probiotic product, for treatment of kidney disease in cats, including a recent study presented as an abstract at the American College of Veterinary Internal Medicine Forum. … Continue reading →

I just wanted to draw a little attention to an excellent report just published by the UK National Health Service on dietary supplements for humans. Supplements: Who Needs Them This is an excellent, readable summary of the evidence concerning the … Continue reading →

A recent research study performed in Thailand has been reported in the American Journal of Veterinary Research (AJVR) which addresses the possibility that oral glucosamine might be useful for treating Feline Interstitial Cystitis (FIC). Panchaphanpong J, Asawakarn T, Pusoonthornthum R. … Continue reading →

Though herbal remedies often have an aura of being somehow fundamentally different from drugs used as medicines, they are really just collections of chemical compounds. As such, they ought to be evaluated just as conventional pharmaceuticals are: identification and isolation … Continue reading →

In a recent article about pet supplements for the Science-Based Medicine Blog, I reviewed the dietary supplement Azodyl, marketed for kidney failure in dogs and cats. At the time, the evidence I was able to find was extremely limited, poorly … Continue reading →

From Science-Based Medicine: The Top Ten Pet Supplements–Do They Work? An Embarrassment of Riches? Much has been written here about the dietary supplement industry, a multibillion dollar industry with powerful political connections, and about the woeful inadequacy of regulation which … Continue reading →

Milk thistle is an herbal product that is widely recommended and used by veterinarians. Like glucosamine, it is a supplement which has leapt over the gap between alternative and conventional medicine. Unfortunately, like glucosamine, this acceptance has come about on … Continue reading →

I recently had a case which illustrates alternative therapies commonly present themselves in my daily practice. A patient, an older large breed dog, came in for an annual exam. He was in good general health but moderately overweight, and the … Continue reading →