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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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Yawning – Physiology or Psychology?

Why do dog’s yawn? No, that’s not a question akin to “Why did the chicken cross the road?” It’s actually quite interesting because a definitive answer remains elusive. Scientifically speaking, the jury is still out on why any of us yawn. The trait is widespread throughout... READ MORE

Apr 30, 2013 / (5) comments

How to ... Take Care of Minor Wounds at Home

Next in our “How to” series, dealing with minor scrapes or cuts at home … emphasis on the minor! Any injury that fully penetrates the skin (e.g., a bite wound) and/or involves a large portion of the body or an especially sensitive area should receive immediate veterinary attention.   READ MORE

Apr 29, 2013 / (5) comments

Service Animals to Benefit from Free Eye Exams

It’s April and registration has started for the American College of Veterinary Ophthalmologist’s (ACVO) annual ACVO/Merial National Service Dog Eye Exam Event. More than 250 board certified veterinary ophthalmologists throughout the U.S., Canada and Puerto Rico will be donating their time... READ MORE

Apr 25, 2013 / (2) comments

Lucky Number 13: Rottweilers as Guide Dogs to the Fountain of Youth

Veterinarians at the Murphy Foundation’s Center for Exceptional Longevity Studies are seeking your help in putting Rottweilers to work to solve the puzzle of aging. They have established the first nationwide database of exceptionally old dogs to gather information and then track the oldest dogs... READ MORE

Apr 24, 2013 / (1) comments

Synthetic Feline Facial Pheromones: Making Recommendations in the Absence of Definitive Data, Part 2

Yesterday, we talked about how all-too-often veterinarians have to decide whether or not to recommend treatments for their patients when scientific evidence regarding their effectiveness is contradictory. I used synthetic feline facial pheromones (FFP) as an example.   READ MORE

Apr 23, 2013 / (2) comments

Synthetic Feline Facial Pheromones: Making Recommendations in the Absence of Definitive Data, Part 1

As many of you know, veterinary medicine is as much of an art as it is a science. All of us would like to think that decisions regarding the care of our pets and patients are being made based on science, and that is usually the case … when good (or any) science is available.   READ MORE

Apr 22, 2013 / (2) comments

An Early Start to Allergy Season

The severity of my symptoms varies with the season. I suspect I react to an indoor allergen or two since without the benefit of an antihistamine, I pretty much always have a runny nose. READ MORE

Apr 18, 2013 / (4) comments

Reverse Sneezing – Keep Calm and Carry On

Owen entered my life when I was 19, a sophomore in college. I had lived with dogs most of my life, but the brunt of the responsibility for their care fell on my parents’ shoulders. Owen was the first dog that depended solely on me. I think I did a pretty good job, even as a somewhat unfocused teenager.   READ MORE

Apr 17, 2013 / (19) comments

FELV – Similar But Not Identical to FIV

In response to my post a couple of weeks ago on feline immunodeficiency virus (FIV), a few of you commented on possible confusion with another dreaded (there’s that word again!) disease, feline leukemia virus (FELV). The two diseases do share a lot in common, but there are also some important differences... READ MORE

Apr 16, 2013 / (3) comments

Celebrate National Pet Week

National Pet Week is May 5-11 this year. I bring it up early because the Auxiliary to the American Veterinary Medical Association (AVMA) is already seeking entries for next year’s poster and writing contests. The deadline is May 10, 2013 and the contests are open to students in kindergarten... READ MORE

Apr 15, 2013 / (1) 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.
READ MORE
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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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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An 'Intrigue' of Kittens
Dr. Jennifer Coates found herself stumped last week when trying to remember the name...
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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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