Fully Vetted

Dr. Coates is a veterinarian based in the other “Sunshine State” – that's Colorado to the rest of you – where she lives and plays with a varied range of animals. She shares her professional and personal experiences, Monday through Friday, here on petMD's blog, the Fully Vetted. Log in for your daily dose of her insight and wisdom.

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The Cost of Care

My daughter recently had her five year old checkup and it was a doozy – a bunch of vaccines, hemoglobin level, and of course an exam. I just got the statement for this visit from our insurance company and my jaw just about hit the floor. READ MORE

Jan 26, 2012 / (16) comments

Horse Slaughter – Coming Back to a Town Near You?

In 2007, the last plant that slaughtered horses for human consumption within the United States closed down because language was included in the annual federal appropriations bill barring funding for the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) to inspect horse slaughter plants. Without inspections, the... READ MORE

Jan 25, 2012 / (28) comments

Inspiration in Action

Just down the road from me in Loveland, CO resides the headquarters for Heska Corporation. Heska makes diagnostic tests and other such things for the veterinary market, but that’s not why I mention them today. They recently announced the 2011 winners of their Inspiration in Action award. The goal... READ MORE

Jan 24, 2012 / (3) comments

Don't Wait on the Red, Angry Eye

The eye is a complex structure. READ MORE

Jan 23, 2012 / (5) comments

Dangers Associated with Novel Ingredient Foods

Have you noticed the recent proliferation of over-the-counter pet foods that contain whacky ingredients? It’s not difficult to find foods that contain turkey, potatoes, salmon, whitefish, sweet potatoes, buffalo, lentils, and even kangaroo. What’s the deal? READ MORE

Jan 19, 2012 / (6) comments

Baby, It’s (too) Cold Outside

I had to spend a chunk of time at my horse’s barn this morning and it was FREEZING. The temperature wasn’t all that bad (high teens, I think), but the wind was howling and the snow was travelling horizontally. I’ve been inside for hours now and I’m still cold. READ MORE

Jan 18, 2012 / (5) comments

Pythiosis – A Zebra Worth Your Attention

Most veterinary and human medical students hear the phrase, "When you hear hoof beats, think horses not zebras," at least once during their training. In other words, common diseases are just that … common, so always first rule out the stuff we see frequently before moving on to the more... READ MORE

Jan 17, 2012 / (3) comments

Would You Choose an FDA Approved or Compounded Drug?

Veterinarians use a lot of human medications to treat animals. The cold, hard reality is that there is more money in developing meds for people, so vets are often left looking at what’s available in the human sphere and trying to figure out what may or may not be useful in animals. READ MORE

Jan 16, 2012 / (7) comments

Panting – Normal or Not?

Dogs pant. They pant when they’re hot, they pant when they’re excited, they pant when they’re scared, and sometimes they seem to pant for no good reason at all (from our point of view, at least). When a dog is panting more than expected, should an owner be concerned? The answer is "maybe." READ MORE

Jan 12, 2012 / (7) comments

A Case of the Giggles

I think I may have made a mistake when I picked my career. Don’t get me wrong, being a veterinarian is meaningful and satisfying work, but it can certainly be stressful. READ MORE

Jan 11, 2012 / (7) comments

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About fully vetted

Jennifer Coates, DVM

Image credit: Jim Piraino

...graduated with honors from the Virginia-Maryland Regional College of Veterinary Medicine in 1999. In the years since, she has practiced veterinary medicine in Virginia, Wyoming, and Colorado. She is the author of several books about veterinary medicine and animal care, including the Dictionary of Veterinary Terms: Vet-Speak Deciphered for the Non-Veterinarian. Dr. Coates also writes short stories that focus on the strength and importance of the human-animal bond, and freelance articles relating to a variety of animal care and veterinary topics. Dr. Coates lives in Fort Collins, Colorado with her husband, daughter, and various species of pets.

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