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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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Safety for Abuse Victims and their Pets

My husband used to joke that if I ever threatened to leave him, he knew all he had to do was grab Owen and I would never go. Owen was my forever dog — the one that is always number one in your heart. He came into my life when I was 19 and in college and saw me through several boyfriends, graduation,... READ MORE

Feb 25, 2013 / (2) comments

Temperament Testing for Shelter Dogs and Cats

Many animal shelters make use of temperament testing, which gives them the ability to put potential pets into broad categories according to their personalities (e.g., responsive, shy, nervous, playful, or independent) with the hopes of better matching them to owners. Pets that are found to have behavioral... READ MORE

Feb 21, 2013 / (6) comments

Strangles in Horses

Mention the word "strangles" to a horse person and they may cringe. The disease is so dreaded because once it is diagnosed on a farm, the you-know-what really hits the fan.   READ MORE

Feb 20, 2013 / (2) comments

My Dog Needs a Dental – What About Yours?

February is Pet Dental Health Month, and I’m taking advantage of the discount offered at a local veterinary clinic to get my dog Apollo’s teeth cleaned. He is a boxer with one of the worst underbites you’ll ever see. Because his teeth don’t meet up the way they should, tartar... READ MORE

Feb 19, 2013 / (1) comments

A Cure for Diabetes in Dogs?

Can you picture a future where diabetes can essentially be cured with a one-time injection? This reality may not be as far off as you might think. In fact, it looks like some dogs with type one diabetes have already been cured of their disease.   READ MORE

Feb 18, 2013 / (2) comments

Tales of Love for Valentine's Day

It’s Valentine’s Day, so how about some tales of love … from the animal world. I’m not talking about owners who love their pets; that’s almost a given (or should be). I want to hear about animals that obviously love each other. I’ll start us off with a tale from... READ MORE

Feb 14, 2013 / (5) comments

Antifreeze Just Got Safer (But Not Safe)

Last November, I wrote a two part post about the danger that ethylene glycol containing antifreeze poses to pets and talked a little about "animal-friendly" antifreezes that contain a bittering agent (denatonium benzoate) to make them taste bad. I’ve got good news! On December 13, the... READ MORE

Feb 13, 2013 / (3) comments

Animal Talk

Today, I’ve been surrounded by animal talk. It’s a glorious day – very warm for this time of year in Colorado. I had a window open and approximately 50 birds (mostly cedar waxwings and robins) were feasting on the berries produced by the tree in front of my house. The sounds of all... READ MORE

Feb 12, 2013 / (4) comments

Horse Vaccines: A Case Study

I’ve moved my horse Atticus to another barn … again. I added it up. In the last six years, he’s moved six times – poor guy. I have to admit my sympathy is a bit tempered by the fact that this last change was precipitated by his bone-headed behavior towards another horse at his... READ MORE

Feb 11, 2013 / (4) comments

How Flu Vaccines Work for Dogs

If you’ve been paying attention to the news at all over the last few weeks, you’ve been hearing about the 2012-2013 flu epidemic in people. Invariably, any discussion of the flu includes comments regarding the effectiveness or lack thereof of the flu vaccine. I thought this topic was worthy... READ MORE

Feb 07, 2013 / (7) 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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Veterinarians and Owners Need to Listen
Dr. Jennifer Coates was going over the comments that you all left on her survey a...
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Dogs and Cats Get Bipartisan Support
Pet owners in Colorado have reason to celebrate this month, after two new bills were...
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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)
12% (23 votes)
Total votes: 189

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