Tuskegee University’s College of Veterinary Medicine recently marked the birth of a foal named Coco Chanel, the first to be born on campus in several years. The event underscores the college’s ongoing commitment to veterinary care and education in the local community.
Coco Chanel was born on February 1 after veterinarians and students had monitored her mother, Dolly, for weeks. Dolly’s story highlights the college’s outreach efforts. She was surrendered by a local resident about five years ago and later adopted by the Large Animal Farm/Barn manager. Her pregnancy was confirmed last year, and students performed regular ultrasounds until she delivered earlier this month.
“We are incredibly proud of how the College of Veterinary Medicine turned this into a story of joy and rebirth,” said Dr. Ebony Gilbreath, Dean of the College of Veterinary Medicine. “Our veterinary team exposed our students to Dolly’s monitoring throughout her pregnancy and now the care for her baby foal. We are proud to be able to share this story.”
The College provides a range of services through its Small and Large Animal Teaching Hospitals, including preventative care, wellness exams, diagnostic testing, surgery, internal medicine, dentistry, emergency medicine during business hours, and large animal ambulatory services.
“The College of Veterinary Medicine provides stellar medical care to our patients from the surrounding area,” said Dr. Nelson Diaz, Director of Veterinary Teaching Hospital and Associate Professor of Small Animal Community Practice for Tuskegee University College of Veterinary Medicine.
Dr. Gilbreath noted that Tuskegee’s veterinary program has been active since 1945: “Our veterinary medicine program at Tuskegee University was established in 1945 and has provided advanced general and specialist-level care for local clients and referring veterinarians for over 80 years,” she said. “Our services manage a wide range of internal medicine and surgical cases, provide comprehensive in-house consultation, and accept referrals across multiple disciplines. We have a dedicated veterinary team who are committed to achieving the best possible outcome for every patient entrusted to our care.”
The public can visit the Veterinary Teaching Hospital at 1607 Hospital Road or contact them by phone or email for appointments regarding small or large animals.
Media interested in interviews about Dolly and Coco Chanel can reach out to Crystal Drake at cdrake@tuskegee.edu.
