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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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Preventing Heartworm Disease

As I write this post, I’m looking out the window at about eight inches of snow on the ground, and it’s still coming down hard. Ahhh, spring in Colorado. I recently told a friend who is new to town that we don’t truly have spring around here. The weather just fluctuates between summer... READ MORE

May 07, 2013 / (9) comments

A Couple of Law Updates

I want to update you all regarding developments on two topics we’ve talked about in the past. First, horse slaughter. It looks like a facility in New Mexico will soon be open again. USDA inspectors have recently reinspected the plant, and in an interview with ABC news, Agriculture Secretary... READ MORE

May 06, 2013 / (14) comments

Old Dogs with Murmurs

Degenerative mitral valve disease (DMVD) is very common in older, small breed dogs. The mitral valve is one of four valves in the heart that keep blood flowing in the right direction. The “lub-dub” we associated with a healthy heart is the sound of heart valves closing and should be all that... READ MORE

May 02, 2013 / (5) comments

Breaking the Law, Breaking the Law

Veterinarians need your help; many of us are currently on the lam. We’re breaking the law but have decided that it is in our patients’ best interests that we continue to do so. We’re all just hoping that the Drug Enforcement Agency (DEA) has bigger fish to fry and will leave us alone.   READ MORE

May 01, 2013 / (9) comments

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

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...
READ MORE
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
Breaking the Law, Breaking the Law
Veterinarians need your help; many of them are currently on the lam from the DEA....
READ MORE
Lucky Number 13: Rottweilers as Guide Dogs to...
Veterinarians at the Murphy Foundation’s Center for Exceptional Longevity Studies...
READ MORE

Most Commented Articles

A Couple of Law Updates
In today’s Fully Vetted, Dr. Coates updates readers regarding developments on two...
READ MORE
Veterinarians and Owners Need to Listen
Dr. Jennifer Coates was going over the comments that you all left on her survey a...
READ MORE
Dogs and Cats Get Bipartisan Support
Pet owners in Colorado have reason to celebrate this month, after two new bills were...
READ MORE
Preventing Heartworm Disease
Dr. Coates has written many times about heartworm disease but today she thought she’d...
READ MORE

PETMD POLL

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

Spot-on meds
60% (114 votes)
Oral meds
14% (27 votes)
Tick collars
8% (15 votes)
Other
6% (12 votes)
N/A (I do not use tick preventives)
12% (23 votes)
Total votes: 191
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