On this episode of the dvm360 Vet Blast podcast, Thrive Pet Healthcare's VP of Emergency Medicine, Dr. Tony Coronado, talks with Dr. Adam Christman about what truly matters in emergency veterinary care, and what doesn’t. From what's stocked in a crash cart to how hospitals can improve team training and emergency preparedness, Dr. Coronado breaks down practical, experience-based advice. He emphasizes the value of consistency, mock drills, and not relying on the crash cart for day-to-day treatments.
The conversation also covers early-career training programs, the shift in expectations for ER veterinarians, and how important it is to return to basics (airway, breathing, circulation) when faced with clinical uncertainty. Dr. Coronado also discusses his own path through general practice into ER medicine and the work-life tradeoffs of a demanding specialty. His message to vet students: ER medicine is deeply rewarding, but it’s not a Monday-through-Friday, 9-to-5 job.
“You don’t have to know the answer. There’s a large percentage of the time where you won’t. But you treat what you do know—low blood pressure? Give fluids. Trouble breathing? Check the chest. Don’t cut corners, and always fall back on the basics.”
