Common Abbreviations

In Veterinary Medicine

Instructions

1. American Hospital Association

2. Antibody; antiobiotics

3. Arterial blood gas4. Angiotensin

-converting enzyme5. Adrenocorticotropic

hormone6. Antidiuretic hormone

1. Freely, as wanted2. Ain’t Doin Right3. Antigen4. Albumin-globulin r

atio5. Albumin6. Alkaline

Phosphatase7. Alkaline Amino

Transferase

1. Antinuclear Antibody

2. Anterior-posterior;arterial pressure

3. Activated partial thromboplastin time

4. Acute Renal Failure

5. Arrythmia

1. As soon as possible

2. Atrioventricular

3. Atrioventricular as in first-, second-, third- degree AV block

4. Bright, alert, and responsive

5. Blood-brain barrier

1. Twice daily2. Bovine leukosis

virus3. Bowel Movement4. Basal Metabolic ra

te5. Blood pressure6. Bovine respiratory

disease

1. Bovine respiratory syncytial virus

2. Body surface area

3. Blue tongue

4. Blood urea nitrogen

5. Phenylbutazone

6. Bovine virus diarrhea

7. Body weight

1. Culture and sensitivity2. Cervical spine3. Calcium4. Carcinoma; coronary

artery; cardiac arrest5. Canine adenovirus ty

pe 16. Complete blood count7. Cubic centimeter

1. Canine distemper2. Congestive heart failu

re3. Cholesterol4. Canine hepatitis virus5. Chloride6. California mastitis test7. Central nervous syste

m

1. Serum creatine phosphokinase

2. Cardiopulmonary resuscitation

3. Creatine

4. Chronic renal failure; corticotropin-releasing factor

1. Capillary refill time; cathode-ray tube

2. Cerebrospinal fluid; colony-stimulating factor

3. Central venous pressure

4. Direct bilirubin

5. 5% dextrose in water

1. Differential diagnosis

2. Diethylstilbestrol

3. Canine distemper-hepatitis-leptospirosis vaccine

4. Disseminated intravascular coagulation

1. Degenerative joint disease

2. Domestic longhair

3. Diabetes mellitus

4. Dimethyl sulfoxide

5. Dead on arrival

6. Domestic Short hair

1. Dermatophyte test medium

2. Dorsal ventral

3. Diagnosis

4. Extracellular fluid

5. Electrocardiogram

6. Echocardiogram

1. Ethylenediaminetetra-acetic acid

2. Eastern equine encephalomyelitis

3. Electroencephelogram

4. Eyes, ears, nose, throat

5. Equine herpes virus

6. Equine infectious anemia

1. Enzyme-linked immunoabsorbant assay

2. Electromyogram3. Emergency room4. Electroretinogram5. Fluorescent antibo

dy; fatty acids

1. Foreign Body

2. Feline lukemia Virus

3. Feline Infectious peritonitis

4. Feline immunodeficiency virus

5. Feline panleukopenia virus

1. Follicle stimulating hormone

2. Fever of unknown origin

3. Feline urologic syndrome

4. Feline viral rhinotracheitis

5. Fracture

1. Gram

2. Gallon

3. Gastric dilation volvulus

4. Glomerular filtration rate

5. Gamma-glutamyltransferase

6. Gastrointestinal

1. Gonadotrophin-releasing hormone

2. Hour

3. Hemoglobin

4. Hit by car

5. Hematocrit

6. Heart Rate

7. History

1. Indirect bilirubin

2. Infectious bovine rhinotracheitis

3. Intracardiac

4. Intracellular fluid

5. Infectious canine hepatitis

6. Intensive care unit

1. Intradermal2. Intramuscular3. Intranasal4. Intraocular pressur

e5. Intraperitoneal6. Intratracheal7. International unit8. Intravenous

1. Intravertebral disc disease

2. Intravenous pyelogram

3. Potassium

4. Canine

5. Kilocalorie

6. Keratoconjunctivitis sicca

1. Kilogram2. Left3. Left bundle branch blo

ck4. Left displaced

abomasum5. Lactate

dehydrogenase6. Lymph node7. Lactated ringer’s solut

ion

1. Lymphosarconoma

2. Meter squared

3. Mean arterial pressure

4. Microgram

5. Microliter

6. Mean corpuscular hemoglobin

1. Mean corpuscular hemoglobin concentration

2. Mast cell tumor

3. Mean corpuscular volume

4. Mean electrical axis

5. Milliequivalents

1. Magnesium

2. Mitral insufficiency or myocardial insufficiency; myocardial infarction

3. Minimal inhibitory concentration

4. Milliliter

5. Modified live virus

1. Mucous membrane

2. Magnetic resonance imaging

3. Sodium

4. No change

5. Nothing per os (nothing by mouth)

6. Nucleated red blood cell

1. No significant findings

2. Obstetrics3. Osteochondritis di

ssecans4. Right Eye (

Occulas dexter)5. Orthopedic founda

tion for animals

1. Ovariohysterectomy (Spay)

2. Ovine progressive pneumonia

3. Left eye (ocular sinister)

4. Over the counter5. Both eyes6. Phosphorous

1. Third phalanx or coffin bone

2. Premature atrial contraction

3. Paroxymal atrial tachycardia

4. Packed cell volume

5. Patent ductus arteriosis

1. Physical examination

2. Orally, or by mouth3. Per os4. Parts per million5. Progressive retinal

atrophy6. Persistant

right aortic arch

1. As necessary2. Porcine reproductive

and respiratory syndrome

3. Pseudorabies virus4. Physiologic saline5. Parathyroid hormone6. Put to sleep7. Partial

thromboplastin time

1. Penile urethrostomy

2. Premature ventricular contraction

3. Every

4. Every 2 hours

5. Every 6 hours

6. Quantitative buffy coat

7. Every day

1. Every hour

2. Every other day

3. Right

4. Red blood cell

5. Right displaced abomasum

6. Reticulocyte

7. Rule out

1. Rabies vaccination; residual volume

2. Take (prescription)3. Subcutaneous4. Squamous

cell carcinoma5. Sorbitol dehydrogenas

e6. Serum glutamic-

oxaloacetic transaminase

1. Serum glutamic-pyruvate transaminase

2. Subjective, objective, assessment, plan

3. Specific gravity

4. Statum (immediately)

5. Signs, symptoms

6. Total Bilirubin

1. Tablet2. Thromboembolic meni

ngoencephalitis3. Thrice daily4. Thoracolumbar

vertebra5. Tender loving care6. Total Protein7. Total parenteral

nutrition

1. Temperature, pulse, respiration

2. Triglycerides3. Thyroid-stimulating

hormone4. Treatment5. Urinalysis6. Upper respiratory i

nfection

1. Ultrasound

2. Urinary tract infection

3. Ventral dorsal

4. Vomiting and diarrhea

5. Veterinary Emergency and Critical Care Society

1. Ventricular premature contraction

2. Ventricular septal defect

3. White blood cell

4. Western equine encephalomyelitis

5. Within normal limits

American Hospital Association

AAHA Small animal Veterinary association

providing veterinary professionals with resources

Back

Antibody; antiobiotics

Ab Destroys the growth of

microorganisms The drug that destroys the growth of

microorganisms Back

Arterial blood gas

ABG Blood test that determines

concentration of oxygen, carbon dioxide, and bicarbonate

Back

Angiotensin-converting enzyme

ACE Group of pharmaceuticals used to

treat hypertension (high blood pressure), type 2 diabetes, and heart failure.

Back

Adrenocorticotropic hormone

ACTH Stimulates the adrenal cortex,

essential to growth Back

Antidiuretic hormone

ADH Nine amino acid peptide found in

most animals that reduces the amount of water lost in urine

Back

Freely-as wanted

ad lib The definition is the name……. Back

Ain’t Doin Right

ADR Slang used when you don’t know

exactly what is wrong but the animal is sick

Back

Antigen

Ag Stimulates the production of

antibodies Back

Albumin-globulin ratio

A:G The ratio of albumin (water soluble

proteins) to globulin (non water soluble proteins) in the urine, which indicates a variety of diseases such as those of the liver and kidneys

Back

Albumin

ALB Water soluble proteins that make up

about 60% of the plasma in blood, maintains osmotic pressure necessary for intravasular blood transfer

Back

Alkaline Phosphatase

ALK PHOS ALP Group of enzymes found in the liver,

measuring them checks for bone and liver disease

Back

Alkaline Amino Transferase

ALT An enzyme which promotes transfer

of an amino group, high levels could mean liver disease

Back

Antinuclear Antibody

ANA Antibodies present in higher that

normal numbers in autoimmune disease

Back

Anterior-posterior;arterial pressure

AP Front to back The difference between the systolic

and diastolic pressures (upper and lower pressures) for blood pressure

Back

Activated partial thromboplastin time

APTT A test that measures how long it

takes blood to clot and if the right amount of heparin is being used

Back

Acute Renal Failure

ARF Rapid loss of kidney function due to

damage to the kidneys, results in retaining urea and creatine that are normal excreted.

Back

Arrythmia

ARR When the electrical activity of the

heart (the heart beat) is irregular: as in faster or slower than regular

Back

As soon as possible

ASAP As Quickly as you can Back

Atrioventricular

AV

Of or pertaining to the atria and ventricals of the heart

Back

Atrioventricular as in first-, second-, third- degree AV block

AV block Occurs when impulses fail to reach

the ventricles or are conducted with a delay

Back

Bright, alert, and responsive

BAR When the animal looks healthy and

alert and acts appropriately to stimulus.

Back

Blood-brain barrier

BBB Membranic structure that protects

the brain from chemicals in the blood while maintaining metabolic function

Back

Twice daily

bid Two times during the day Back

Bovine leukosis virus

BLV Retrovirus that causes malignant

lymphoma, signs are: weight loss, , decreased milk production, enlarged lymph nodes, loss of appetite, rear-limb weakness or paralysis, fever, protruding eyeballs, gastrointestinal obstruction, heart failure, and abnormal blood lymphocyte count

Back

Bowel movement

BM Solid feces in the large intestine that

is formed after salts and water are absorbed

Back

Basal metabolic rate

BMR Amount of energy expended at rest

in a neutral environment Back

Blood pressure

BP The tension of blood on the walls of

the arteries. Back

Bovine respiratory disease

BRD Shipping fever or pneumonia Back

Bovine respiratory syncytial virus

BRSV A virus causing lung disease in the

bovine and producing syncytial (large section of cytoplasm containing many nuclei) lesions

Back

Body surface area

BSA A calculation of the metabolic mass

of an animal for purposes of prescribing the correct dose of medication. Every animal follows a different formula.

Back

Blue tongue

BT Insect borne virus of ruminants that

causes fever, facial swelling, a blueness in the tongue.

Back

Blood urea nitrogen

BUN Measures the amount of nitrogen in

your blood produced by the waste product urea, shows how well the kidneys are working.

Back

Phenylbutazone

BUTE Used as a non-steroidal anti-

inflammatory drug for the treatment of chronic pain, including the symptoms of arthritis. Its use is limited by such severe side effects as suppression of white blood cell production and aplastic anemia.

Back

Bovine virus diarrhea

BVD Symptoms can be ulcerative

mucosal lesions and diarrhea, can be passed to the fetus, is often undetectable, and weakens the immune system making the animal more vulnerable to other health issues.

Back

Body weight

BW The mass of an organism’s body Back

Culture and sensitivity

C & S Test that determines the type of

bacteria in a wound and the type of antibiotic that will best inhibit its growth

Back

Cervical spine

C-Spine 7 vertebrae that start at the

beginning of the skull Back

Calcium

Ca Element and mineral that makes up

the hard part of bones Back

Carcinoma; coronary artery; cardiac arrest

CA Malignant cancer that rises from

epithelial cells Left and right arteries that supply blood

to the heart. Sudden cessation of blood flow due to

the failure of the heart to contract during systole (contraction that pushes blood out)

Back

Canine Adenovirus type 1

CAV-1 Infects major organs causing

hepatitis and other diseases Back

Complete Blood Count

CBC Broad screen of the parts of blood

to test for infections, anemia, and other diseases

Back

Cubic Centimeter

cc 1 centimeter X 1 centimeter X 1

centimeter, equal to 1 milliliter, used to measure doses of liquid medication

Back

Canine Distemper

CD Canine distemper is a contagious,

incurable, often fatal, multisystemic viral disease that affects the respiratory, gastrointestinal, and central nervous systems. It is caused by the canine distemper virus

Back

Congestive heart failure

CHF Heart failure: heart cannot pump

enough blood to the other organs Back

Cholesterol

CHOL Soft, waxy substance found among the

lipids in the bloodstream and in all your body's cells. Used to form cell membranes, some hormones and is needed for other functions. Too much can contribute to heart failure

Back

Canine hepatitis virus

CHV Acute liver infection caused by

adenovirus type 1. Symptoms include fever, depression, loss of appetite, coughing, and a tender abdomen

Back

Chloride

Cl- Anions important to the health of

the central nervous system Back

California mastitis test

CMT Measures somatic cells to determine

if an animal has mastitis, mastitis can occur in all animals including humans.

Back

Central nervous system

CNS Made up of the brain and spinal

cord. Back

Serum creatine phosphokinase

CPK

An enzyme found in heart brain and skeletal muscle, when high levels of this are found in the blood it implies strain or injury to the heart.

Back

Cardiopulmonary resuscitation

CPR Use of chest compressions and

rescue breathing to either start the heart beating again or to provide blood flow and oxygen to the body

Back

Creatine

Creat Naturally occuring organic acid that

helps supply energy to muscle and nerve cells

Back

Chronic renal failure; corticotropin-releasing factor

CRF Failure of the kidneys that slowly

gets worse over time Chemical that stimulates the release

of corticotropin, which in turn stimulates the adrenal cortex

Back

Capillary refill time; cathode-ray tube

CRT The rate at which blood refills empty

capillaries Glass envelope containing an

electron gun that can project an image

Back

Cerebrospinal fluid; colony stimulating factor

CSF Clear bodily fluid that surrounds the

outside of the brain as well as between the hemispheres and in all the ventricular regions

Glycoproteins that bind to stem cells and cause them to proliferate or differentiate Back

Central venous pressure

CVP Pressure of blood in the thoracic

vena cava near the right atrium of the heart.

Back

Direct bilirubin

D BILI Product of the breakdown of

hemoglobin in the liver, used to diagnose liver or gall bladder problems

Back

5% dextrose in water

D5W

Nonionic liquid used in place of saline due to its ability to be used in almost any body space and absorb easily

Back

Differential diagnosis

The distinguishing of a disease or condition form others presenting similar signs and symptoms

Back

Diethylstilbestrol

A colorless crystaline synthetic compound used as a potent estrogen but contraindicated in pregnancy for it’s tendency to cause cancer or birth defects in offspring

Back

Canine distemper-hepatitis-leptospirosis vaccine

A vaccine for distemper (a high contagious virus marked by fever, respiratory, gastrointestinal symptoms; hepatitis marked by inflammation of the liver)

Back

Disseminated intravascular coagulation

Widely dispersed in a tissue, organ or the entire body

Situated, performed, or occuring within or entering by way of vein

To become thickened into a mass Back

Degenerative joint disease

Causing degeneration or wearing away of the joint

Back

Domestic long hair

Breed of cat characterized by long hair

Back

Diabetes mellitus

A variable disorder of carbohydrate metabolism caused by a combination of hereditary and environmental factors

Back

Dimethyl sulfoxide

A compound obtained as a by product in wood-pulp manufacture and is used as a solvent

used in medicine as an anti-inflammatory

Back

Dead on arrival

DOA Indicates that the animal was dead

on arrival to the hospital Back

Domestic short hair

A breed of cat characterized by short hair

Back

Dermatophyte test medium

A parasitic fungus on the skin, hair or fingernails

Back

Dorsal ventral

Near the back and lower surface of an animal

Back

Diagnosis

The act of identifying a disease based on signs or symptoms

Back

Extracellular fluid

The fluid outside of a cell or cells in the body

Back

Electrocardiogram

The tracing of an electrocardiograph used for recording the changes of electrical potential occurring during the heartbeat

Back

Echocardiogram

The visual record makde by and echocardiograph used for examining the function the heart for abnormalities

Back

Ethylenediaminetetraacetic acid

A white crystalline acid used as a chelating agent, a preservative, and in medicine as an anti-coagulant and in the treatment of lead poisoning

Back

Eastern equine encephelomyelitis

Viral disorder carried by mosquitos contagious to horses and humans fatal disease of the central nervous

system Back

Electroencephelogram

The tracing of brain waves made by an electroencephalograph

Back

Eyes, ears, nose, throat

Specialized light-sensitive sensory structure of animals that in nearl all vertebrates is the image-forming organ of sight

The characteristic vertebrate organ of hearing

the part of the face that bears the nostrils and covers the anterior part of the nasil cavity

the passage through the neck to the stomach and lungs

Back

Equine herpes virus

Back

Equine infectious anemia

Back

Enzyme-linked immunoabsorbant assay

Back

Electromyogram

Back

Emergency room

Back

Electroretinogram

Back

Fluorescent antibody; fatty acids

Back

Foreign body

Back

Feline lukemia virus

Back

Feline infectious peritonitis

Back

Feline immunodeficiency virus

Back

Feline panleukopenia virus

Back

Follicle stimulating hormone

Back

Fever of unknown origin

Back

Feline urologic syndrome

Back

Feline viral rhinotracheitis

Back

Fracture

Back

Gram

Back

Gallon

Back

Gastric dilation volvulus

Back

Glomerular filtration rate

Back

Gamma-glutamyltransferase

Back

Gastrointestinal

Back

Gonadotrophin-releasing hormone

Back

Hour

Back

Hemoglobin

Back

Hit by car

Back

Hematocrit

Back

Heart rate

Back

History

Back

Indirect bilirubin

Back

Infectious bovine rhinotracheitis

Back

Intracardiac

Back

Intracellular fluid

Back

Infectious Canine Hepatitis

Back

Intensive care unit

Back

Intradermal

Back

Intramuscular

Back

Intranasal

Back

Intraocular pressure

Back

Intraperitoneal

Back

Intratracheal

Back

International Unit

Back

Intravenous

Back

Intravertebral disc disease

Back

Intravenous pyelogram

Back

Potassium

Back

Canine

Back

Kilocalorie

Back

Keratoconjunctivitis sicca

Back

Kilogram

Back

Left

Back

Left bundle branch block

Back

Left displaced abomasum

Back

Lactate dehydrogenase

Back

Lymph node

Back

Lactated ringer’s solution

Back

Lymphosarconoma

Back

Meter squared

Back

Mean arterial pressure

Back

Micogram

Back

Microliter

Back

Mean corpuscular hemoglobin

Back

Mean corpuscular hemoglobin concentration

Back

Mast cell tumor

Back

Mean corpuscular volume

Back

Mean electrical axis

Back

Milliequivalents

Back

Magnesium

Back

Mitral insufficiency or myocardial insufficiency; myocardial infarction

Back

Minimal inhibitory concentration

Back

Milliliter

Back

Modified live virus

Back

Mucous membrane

Back

Magnetic resonance imaging

Back

Sodium

Back

No change

Back

Nothing per os (nothing by mouth)

Back

Nucleated red blood cell

Back

No significant findings

Back

Obstetrics

Back

Osteochondritis dissecans

Back

Right Eye (occulas dexter)

Back

Orthopedic foundation for animals

Back

Ovariohysterectomy (spay)

Back

Ovine progress pneumonia

Back

Left eye (occular sinister)

Back

Over the counter

Back

Both eyes

Back

Phophorous

Back

Third phalanx or coffin bone

Back

Premature atrial contraction

Back

Paroxymal atrial trachycardia

Back

Packed cell volume

Back

Patent ductus arteriosis

Back

Physical examination

Back

Orally, or by mouth

Back

Per os

Back

Parts per million

Back

Progressive retinal atrophy

Back

Persistant right aortic arch

Back

As necessary

Back

Porcine reproductive and respiratory syndrome

Back

Pseudorabies virus

Back

Physiologic saline

Back

Parathyroid hormone

Back

Put to sleep

Back

Partial thromboplastin time

Back

Penile urethrostomy

Back

Premature ventricular contraction

Back

Every

Back

Every 2 hours

Back

Every 6 hours

Back

Quantitative buffy coat

Back

Every day

Back

Every hour

Back

Every other day

Back

Right

Back

Red blood cell

Back

Right displaced abomasum

Back

Reticulocyte

Back

Rule out

Back

Rabies vaccination; residual volume

Back

Take (prescription)

Back

Subcutaneous

Back

Squamous cell carcinoma

Back

Sorbitol dehydrogenase

Back

Serum glutamic-oxaloacetic transaminase

Back

Serum glutamic-pyruvate transamine

Back

Subjective, objective, assessment, plan

Back

Specific gravity

Back

Statum (immediately)

Back

Signs, symptoms

Back

Total bilirubin

Back

Tablet

Back

Thromboembolic meningoencephalitis

Back

Thrice daily

Back

Thoracolumbar vertebra

Back

Tender loving care

Back

Total protein

Back

Total parenteral nutrition

Back

Temperature, pulse, respiration

Back

Triglycerides

Back

Thyroid-stimulating hormone

Back

Treatment

Back

Urinalysis

Back

Upper respiratory infection

Back

Ultrasound

Back

Urinary tract infection

Back

Ventral dorsal

Back

Vomiting and diarrhea

Back

Veterinary Emergency and Critical care society

Back

Vetricular premature contraction

Back

Ventricular septal defect

Back

White blood cell

Back

Western Equine encephalomyelitis

Back

Within normal limits

Back

Instructions

You will be resonsible for abbreviations, spelling of terms, and definitions.

Click on the links to go to the information.

Good luck! Back