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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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Don't Opt Out of Pre-Anesthetic Lab Work

Most veterinary hospitals now recommend pre-operative lab work for pets undergoing general anesthesia. It’s the standard of care these days, but veterinarians still get a fair amount of push-back from owners who don’t understand the importance of these tests.   READ MORE

Jul 31, 2012 / (22) comments

One Health

The American Veterinary Medical Association (AVMA) and its partners are in the middle of an initiative that goes by the name "One Health." Have you heard of it? The basic premise is that human, animal, and environmental health and well-being are inescapably connected.   READ MORE

Jul 30, 2012 / (5) comments

Deadline Extended for Comments on Proposed Rule to Protect Pet Well-being

APHIS, the Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service of the USDA, recently extended the comment period for their proposed rule that would revise the definition of "retail pet store" and related regulations with the aim of improving the well-being of pets sold online, through the mail, or over... READ MORE

Jul 26, 2012 / (34) comments

Improvements in Pet CPR

My pet sitter recently took a training course in pet CPR (cardiopulmonary resuscitation). I think it’s great that she’s trying to do more to protect the pets under her care, but the pragmatist in me wonders if she’s wasting her time. The unfortunate truth is that performing CPR on a... READ MORE

Jul 25, 2012 / (5) comments

A More Effective Treatment for a Cat Killer - Cytauxzoonosis

One of the diseases that I most dreaded diagnosing in my feline patients when I practiced in the southeastern U.S. was cytauxzoonosis. After moving west to Wyoming, and now Colorado, I haven’t seen a single case, but I was still excited to see that a new, more effective treatment protocol is being... READ MORE

Jul 24, 2012 / (1) comments

Hemangiosarcoma in Dogs

I recently euthanized a dog that greeted me at his front door with a goofy grin on his face and a wagging tail. This type of appointment just breaks my heart, yet I was fully supportive of the owner’s decision to euthanize. Why? Because the dog had been diagnosed with hemangiosarcoma of the heart.... READ MORE

Jul 23, 2012 / (8) comments

Overcoming Cat Carrier Drama

At the dog park a few days ago, a pet owner was telling me about how much her cat hates to go to the vet’s office (she didn’t know what I do for a living). As is typical, the problems start as soon as the cat catches site of the carrier. Zip — the cat runs as fast as she can to the... READ MORE

Jul 19, 2012 / (2) comments

Heart Disease in Pets: It's Not Always Heart Breaking

Researchers at Tufts University’s school of veterinary medicine have developed two quality of life surveys for dogs and cats suffering from heart disease. Known as "FETCH" (Functional Evaluation of Cardiac Health) and "CATCH" (Cats’ Assessment Tool for Cardiac Health),... READ MORE

Jul 18, 2012 / (7) comments

Vomiting Versus Regurgitation: Part 2

In response to the post that appeared a couple of weeks ago on the importance of differentiating between vomiting and regurgitation, reader ASDMarlene asked for some more information about why this distinction is so important. Perhaps the best way for me to demonstrate this is to show what complete work-ups... READ MORE

Jul 17, 2012 / (5) comments

Canine Dry Eye

I had a dog with keratoconjuctivitis sicca (KCS) when I was growing up. Unfortunately, the available treatments at the time weren’t that great, so Tangles eventually became blind and surely suffered some discomfort associated with his perpetually "goopy" eyes. Now, however, KCS can usually... READ MORE

Jul 16, 2012 / (3) 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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An Early Start to Allergy Season
If your dog or cat has increased the amount of scratching, licking, and chewing,...
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Lucky Number 13: Rottweilers as Guide Dogs to...
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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....
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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)
11% (21 votes)
Total votes: 187
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