Category Archives: Science-Based Veterinary Medicine

I’ve written extensively over the years about the risks and benefits of neutering. It’s a complicated subject that tends to draw a lot of passion even in the absence of robust scientific evidence. Variable such as sex, breed, age at neutering, … Continue reading →

Veterinarians and pet owners are highly motivated to find discrete, fixable problems when pets are unwell. Owners want the reassurance and sense of control that comes with knowing what the problem is and taking action. Vets want to help our … Continue reading →

What is Screening?Screening is the use of diagnostic tests in apparently healthy individuals with no clinical symptoms.1-2The purpose is to detect asymptomatic disease with the presumption that this allows earlier, more effective intervention and will reduce suffering and delay or … Continue reading →

I have written extensively about the subject of neutering (spaying and castrating male and female dogs and cats). The bulk of the discussion and debate about this procedure centers on the health effects. It is generally recognized to be a … Continue reading →

Introduction Awareness of the importance of analgesia for veterinary patients has increased significantly over the last couple of decades. It is widely considered important, for medical and ethical reasons, to provide effective pain relief for dogs and cats, whether their … Continue reading →

I have been covering the subject of low-level, or “cold” laser treatment for many years. While there is some plausibility to the idea that laser light might have beneficial effects on tissue, very little convincing evidence of actual benefits in … Continue reading →

I have written numerous times about the use of pheromones to reduce stress and stress-related problems in cats and dogs (1, 2, 3). Overall, the evidence for these products is weak, and it is likely they have little to no … Continue reading →

The risks and benefits associated with neutering are a complex and active area of research and debate in veterinary medicine. I have written several extensive summaries of the literature and numerous articles here evaluating the burgeoning research evidence. One subject … Continue reading →

The American Veterinary Medical Association (AVMA) is the main professional organization for veterinarians in the United States. It is not a government or regulatory body, but it does sometimes promote policy statements or guidelines intended to encourage or discourage certain … Continue reading →