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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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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

Genetic Structure of the Purebred Domestic Dog

A few of my recent posts have generated some questions/comments about similarities between individuals within a breed versus individual variation. This brought to mind a paper that appeared in the May 21, 2004 edition of the journal Science. It was titled "Genetic Structure of the Purebred Domestic... READ MORE

Jan 10, 2012 / (7) comments

Responsible Pet Ownership

As a veterinarian, the phrase "what were you thinking?" crosses my mind with some regularity. I am a great believer in an ounce of prevention being worth a pound of cure. With a little foresight and common sense, many of life’s problems could be avoided or ameliorated, but from my point... READ MORE

Jan 09, 2012 / (7) comments

Removing Lipomas

If you have ever lived with older dogs, I’d be willing to bet that you have some experience with lipomas.   READ MORE

Jan 05, 2012 / (5) comments

The Return of the Worm

Resistance to "anthelmintics" — drugs that kill parasitic worms — is becoming an ever bigger problem in veterinary medicine. I talked about new evidence for resistance to heartworm medications last week (Y’all must have been recovering from the holidays, I expected a bigger... READ MORE

Jan 04, 2012 / (3) comments

Smokers Beware

One of my uncles quit smoking a few years ago after a decades-long, multiple-pack-a-day habit. He had tried quitting in the past; I think the biggest difference this time around was the birth of his first grandchild. Not only did he want to protect her from the dangers associated with second hand smoke,... READ MORE

Jan 03, 2012 / (5) comments

Ban the Behavior, Not the Breed

Living in Colorado is great, but unfortunately, the combination of my proximity to Denver and my profession leaves me having to answer questions about that city’s asinine "pit bull" breed ban.   READ MORE

Jan 02, 2012 / (45) comments

The Benefit of a Good Walk

All right, it’s time for the annual New Year’s resolution post.   READ MORE

Dec 29, 2011 / (6) comments

Dog Etiquette

MiamiAngel recently requested that I talk a bit about dog etiquette. She related the following story:   READ MORE

Dec 28, 2011 / (14) comments

About fully vetted

Jennifer Coates, DVM

Photo of Dr Coates

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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Most Read Fully Vetted Articles

Why Large Dogs Die Young
When Dr. Coates was on vacation a couple of months ago, she posted a link to an article...
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It's a Boy!
Dr. Coates has a new pet member of the family. His name is Bernie, and he’s a Betta.
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Lucky Number 13: Rottweilers as Guide Dogs to...
Veterinarians at the Murphy Foundation’s Center for Exceptional Longevity Studies...
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Breaking the Law, Breaking the Law
Veterinarians need your help; many of them are currently on the lam from the DEA....
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Most Commented Articles

A Couple of Law Updates
In today’s Fully Vetted, Dr. Coates updates readers regarding developments on two...
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Preventing Heartworm Disease
Dr. Coates has written many times about heartworm disease but today she thought she’d...
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An 'Intrigue' of Kittens
Dr. Jennifer Coates found herself stumped last week when trying to remember the name...
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Breaking the Law, Breaking the Law
Veterinarians need your help; many of them are currently on the lam from the DEA....
READ MORE

PETMD POLL

What do you use to prevent ticks from feeding on your pet?

Spot-on meds
60% (113 votes)
Oral meds
14% (26 votes)
Tick collars
8% (15 votes)
Other
6% (12 votes)
N/A (I do not use tick preventives)
12% (22 votes)
Total votes: 188
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