Category Archives: Herbs and Supplements

I’ve written before about why the near magical status of antioxidant supplements, supposed to be miraculous in preventing or treating disease and aging, is inconsistent with science and not supported by good evidence. Antioxidants in general, and specific supplements like … Continue reading →

I recently had a patient I was treating for lymphoma, a white blood cell cancer, whose owner was interested in giving the dog Essiac Tea, a well-known herbal remedy sometimes recommended for cancer patients. In order to advise this client, … Continue reading →

Last year, I wrote about a supplement marketed for dogs and cats with kidney failure, RenAvast. AT the time, the Bottom Line conclusion for this supplement was this: The ingredients in RenAvast™ are deliberately not disclosed by the company beyond … Continue reading →

A few years ago, I reviewed a nutritional supplement called Neutricks which is marketed to “support brain health.” The company is careful not to make any specific claims about prevention or treatment of disease, which would be illegal, but the … Continue reading →

About a year ago, I wrote a review of Ocu-GLO, an oral supplement marketed for a variety of purposes: Ocu-GLO Rx™ is needed when your dog is showing any of the following signs: – Diminished vision at night or in … Continue reading →

I recently gave a lecture at the Western Veterinary Conference called “What You Know that Ain’t Necessarily So.” The purpose of this was to take some common or controversial beliefs and practices in veterinary medicine and discuss the scientific evidence … Continue reading →

I’ve written frequently about probiotics, microorganisms given as supplements to hopefully benefit health.  Often claimed as an “alternative” therapy, probiotics are really no different from any therapy in science-based medicine. The theory behind their use is certainly consistent with established … Continue reading →

I was recently asked by a reader to comment on yet another product marketed for arthritis treatment in dogs and cats: Duralactin. Because arthritis is a very common disease for which there is no definitive cure, it is a popular … Continue reading →

There is ample evidence that under the current lax regulatory system in the U.S., dietary supplements are frequently mislabeled and adulterated with pharmaceuticals, toxins, and other undesirable substances. Apart from the lack of evidence to support the claims of benefits … Continue reading →

Introduction I was recently asked to look into the evidence concerning a potential therapy for anxiety in dogs, a supplement called Anxitane. It is always challenging to evaluate the effects of any therapy for anxiety in any species. Anxiety is … Continue reading →