Placebos in veterinary science

Re: Placebos in veterinary science

Michael Woodhouse — Thu, 05 May 2011 23:40:01 GMT

[quote user="Rose Perkins"]I was wondering if anyone out there in practice ever knowingly uses placebos?[/quote]

Remind me the ingredient in Canaural that kills ear mites, despite it's licence claim?

Re: Placebos in veterinary science

Rob Loxley — Thu, 05 May 2011 18:59:44 GMT

Placebo-by-proxy

Re: Placebos in veterinary science

Alex Gough — Thu, 05 May 2011 17:24:33 GMT

There is a paper reviewing the treatment of epilepsy which shows that in the placebo arm of trials, there was a noticeable improvement in many cases, so much that they would be classified as responders. The authors ascribe this to a placebo effect, although I think it is more likely regression to the mean. A placebo effect of some sort is theoretically possible in animals if the owners believe it works, and they give reassuring, calming signals to the owner (imagine the owner in floods of tears because they thought their dog was dying, giving it cuddles and treats, then giving it a pill they are told has cured it. I suspect we would see a difference in the dog's behaviour and even physiological parameters).

Alex

Re: Placebos in veterinary science

James Laidlaw — Thu, 05 May 2011 16:35:57 GMT

Can you give a placebo to an animal without them knowing they are taking a medication to benefit them? I think not, others may have other opinions. Maybe there's a placebo effect on owners thinking they are doing something, much the same as the injection debate going on elsewhere in the forums ie: the vet must be seen to be doing something...

Surely the placebo effect can't exist in animal patients unless you can communicate to them that they are taking something that will benefit them and then giving them sugar pills or whatever.

My 2p.