Why did I buy an unproven remedy?

Why did I buy an unproven remedy?

I don’t think I would ever consider buying a herbal remedy for any personal ailment, yet I did buy one for Moscow the dog recently. I’m well aware that in general herbal remedies are unregulated, not standardised, there is rarely convincing evidence of their efficacy and we know little about their adverse effects. So why did I part with my money on that occasion? 

I didn’t plan to buy it. It happened when I visited an independent pet shop with Moscow on the hunt for a new dog lead. The visit was a very positive experience for us because the lady we met was very helpful and seemed knowledgeable about dog nutrition and behaviour, and she was particularly kind and understanding about Moscow’s dog reactivity problem. She recommended that we try the herbal remedy valerian and skullcap or valerian alone to help reduce his anxiety while out walking. Of course she had a financial incentive for recommending it because she stood to make a sale. But I have no doubt that she believed in its efficacy and I do not expect that someone in her role would be trained in science and have a good understanding of evidence hierarchy. My rational mind told me not to rely on personal anecdote because it is subject to major bias. But I left the shop having bought a bottle of valerian extract. Why? I’ve tried to work it out and my conclusion is that I was persuaded by her personal enthusiasm and confidence about its efficacy, which was reinforced by the trust that I felt towards her in relation to the other advice she was giving, and a gratitude for the empathy she showed. 

I’ve compared this to my own experience in the role of a professional trained in science and it has reminded me that when such powerful forces are at work during interactions with people who seek advice, a professional has a particular responsibility for avoiding any hype or false promise, and for being open and honest about the limitations of current knowledge about treatments. 

Does the valerian work? I’ve absolutely no idea. We used it a few times. One time Moscow seemed a bit calmer or more focused, but that might have been due to a difference in our behaviour, or due to the fact that he wasn’t wearing his muzzle because we had lost it in the woods. Who knows?

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