A reader sent us this article.
The placebo effect is a well-established phenomenon in human patients. In veterinary medicine however, it’s an underappreciated one. The particular way it plays out in veterinary care highlights how unconscious cognitive biases can mislead humans when we care for other species.
The most likely explanation is what’s known as the caregiver placebo effect or placebo effect by proxy.” – Karen Munana, DVM, MS, DACVIM (Neurology)
Source: The Atlantic, November 7, 2019. Link. The desire to see pets improve can be so strong that it blinds people to the animals’ discomfort. So, it’s not pets that placebos are fooling, but humans.
INSIGHTS: Talk with your veterinary team about this article. We all know well the tendency for pets to avoid showing weaknesses. Now we need to consider the placebo effect by proxy during follow-up calls and appointments.