Cat, or other pets, may experience placebo effects, according to a study at North Carolina State University evaluating a novel approach for cats with degenerative joint disease. Though conducted in 2014, interesting results were aired this week.
Source: KPCC, April 4, 2018.
Results? In Part One, all owners said their pets were better – so there was a definite placebo effect. But in Part Two? The owners whose cats were secretly switched from painkiller to placebo said the medicine had stopped working. Those whose cats had always been on placebo still said their cats were doing well.
INSIGHTS: The Loh Down on Science is a daily syndicated radio science program created by the California Institute of Technology and KPCC radio. This episode highlights the study, “Detection of Clinically Relevant Pain Relief in Cats with Degenerative Joint Disease Associated Pain.”