Category Archives: Science-Based Veterinary Medicine

In 2010, I published a narrative review of the literature evaluating the risks and benefits of neutering in dogs and cats. Much additional research has been completed and published since then, and I have just complete an update of my … Continue reading →

I have just returned from one of the most exciting scientific meetings I have ever attended, the EBVM 2014 conference organized by the RCVS Knowledge, the charity arm of the Royal College of Veterinary Surgeons. Over 250 people from around … Continue reading →

I recently ran across a fantastic web site, Testing Treatments, which explains clearly and simply how we use science to test our medical treatments. For anyone not already very familiar with this process, this site will explain why a lot … Continue reading →

As I have discussed before, evidence-based medicine is the formal, explicit application of the philosophy and methods of science to generating understanding and making decisions in veterinary medicine. Science shows us how the world works, and in medicine it shows … Continue reading →

As part of my ongoing coverage of the risks and benefits associated with neutering, I wanted to review a recent article on the subject, this one looking specifically at cancer risk and behavioral problems in Vizslas. Zink, MC. Farhoodly, P. … Continue reading →

I was recently interviewed for an article on the nature of evidence in veterinary medicine, and why pet owners should be concerned about the evidence their veterinarian uses to support his or her recommendations. If clients demand the therapies given … Continue reading →

As part of the rationale for the application of EBVM, it seems necessary to illustrate the deficiencies in other approaches to evaluating therapies and making clinical decisions. As infectious disease specialist Mark Crislip puts it. Often getting the right diagnosis … Continue reading →

Though I write frequently about potential arthritis therapies, particularly emerging treatments and those that are established but seem to have a questionable evidence base, I haven’t yet run across the therapy evaluated in a study recently published in the journal … Continue reading →

This is a short informational handout that I developed for my clients discussing simply and briefly the two most common approaches to spaying female dogs. For those interested in more detail, the relevant references are provided. What is a Spay? … Continue reading →