AWC is Now Offering Healing Touch for Animals
As part of the Animal Wellness Center’s plan to provide Holistic modalities for your pet, ...Read More
Healing Touch for Animals (HTA) is a holistic approach influencing the health and well-being of ...Read More
Glossary of Terms |
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| Term | Definition |
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| AAFCO | Association of American Feed Control Officials. They are an organization which sets standards for pet food ingredients and minimum daily requirements. |
| Abdomen | The region of the body between the chest and the pelvis. |
| Abdominal Breathing | The abnormal use of abdominal wall muscles to assist in moving air to and from the lungs. |
| Abdominal Effusion | Abnormal fluid buildup around the organs in the abdominal cavity. The belly of the affected animal often is visibly enlarged. |
| Abdominal Wall | The muscles, bones and other tissues that combine to encircle the abdominal cavity and protect it from the outside environment. |
| Abdominocentesis | Procedure of inserting a needle into the abdominal cavity to remove fluid. |
| Abduct | To move a structure (e.g. a leg) away from the midline of the animal. |
| Ablate | To completely remove, usually surgically. |
| Abrasion | A wound in which only the surface of a tissue is lost. |
| Abscess | A localized accumulation of pus, commonly associated with infection. |
| Acanthomatous epulis | A type of tumor affecting the gums of dogs that can grow aggressively into local tissues, including bone. |
| Acanthosis Nigricans | A condition affecting dogs in which the skin of the armpits, groin and possibly other regions loses hair and becomes dark, thickened and/or flaky. |
| Acariasis | Infestation of the surface of the body with ticks or mites. |
| Acaricide | A substance that kills ticks or mites. |
| Accommodation | The process whereby the lens of the eye changes shape to focus an image on the retina. |
| Acetabulum | The part of the pelvis that acts as the socket for the hip joint. |
| Acetaminophen Toxicity | Poisoning by ingestion of sufficient quantities of the drug acetaminophen. Cats are especially sensitive, but any species is at risk if enough of the drug is absorbed. Affected animals may drool, exhibit facial swelling, vomit, breath rapidly and have brown or yellow-tinged mucous membranes and dark urine. |
| Acetylcholine | A substance present in the body that primarily acts to transmit signals from one nerve to another. |
| Acetylcholinesterase | An enzyme that breaks down acetylcholine. |
| Achalasia | A failure of certain muscles in the gastrointestinal tract to relax and allow food to pass, possibly resulting in vomiting or regurgitation. |
| Acholic Feces | Stool that is grey or beige due to a lack of normal bile in the feces. |
| Acid | A substance with a pH less than seven. Some acids are essential to normal body function (e.g. gastric acid) but may also cause damage when they are overproduced. |
| Acid Base Balance | The normal condition in which the body's natural acids and bases are in equilibrium. Many diseases can cause and acid-base imbalance, which disrupts body functions and is potentially fatal if severe enough and left untreated. |
| Acidosis | The condition in which the body's tissues and fluids have a pH that is lower than normal. |
| Acral Lick Dermatitis | Thickening and inflammation of the skin, usually affecting a dog's lower front leg, caused by excessive licking. |
| Acromegaly | A condition were individuals develop abnormally large bones, muscles, and organs. |
| ACTH | Adrenocorticotropic hormone. Secreted by the pituitary gland, which stimulates the adrenal gland to work. |
| ACTH Stimulation Test | A blood test that checks the function of the adrenal glands by measuring the body's response to a stimulatory injection. Most often used to diagnose Cushing's or Addison's disease. |
| Actinic Dermatitis | Inflammation and lesions on the skin that develop in response to sunlight exposure. Also refered to as solar dermatitis. |
| Actinic Keratoses | Areas of thickened, hardened and sometimes red skin that develop in response to sunlight exposure. Also refered to as solar keratosis. |
| Activated Charcoal | Charcoal with has been treated to increase its absorptive power. Used to treat various forms of poisonings. |
| Active Immunity | Immunity produced when an animal's own immune system reacts to a stimulus (e.g. a virus or bacteria) and produces antibodies and cells which will protect it from the disease caused by the bacteria or virus. |
| Active Labor | The stage of birth during which the female pushes to expel the fetus from the womb. |
| Activiated Clotting Time (ACT) | A test that measures the clotting ability of blood. |
| Acute | Having a sudden and generally severe onset. |
| Acute Renal Failure | The sudden loss of the kidneys' ability to perform their normal functions due to infections or toxins. |
| Addison's Disease | The pituitary gland produces a hormone that triggers the adrenal gland to produce corticosteroids. If there is a problem with the adrenal gland, or a pituitary tumor, the process breaks down and not enough corticosteroids are produced. Characterized by weakness, weight loss, anorexia, fatigue, shock and death. |
| Addisonian Crisis | The development of severe vomiting, diarrhea, dehydration, weakness, collapse and possibly death in an undiagnosed Addisonian animal or when a previously well-regulated Addisonian experiences stress. |
| Adduct | To move a structure towards the midline of the animal. |
| Adenitis | Inflammation of a gland. |
| Adenocarcinoma | A type of cancer that either arises from a gland or consists of tissues that have characteristics of a gland. Most are malignant. |
| Adenoma | A type of cancer that either arises from a gland or consists of tissues that have characteristics of a gland. Most adenomas are benign. |
| Adhesion | An abnormal connection that can develop between two tissues after surgery or injury. |
| Adipose Tissue | Tissue that stores energy, maintains body temperature and protects other organs from injury. Otherwise known as body fat. |
| Adjuvant | A substance added to a killed vaccine to stimulate a better immune response by the body. |
| Adrenal | Of, relating to, or derived from the adrenal glands or their secretions. |
| Adrenal Gland | One of the organs that lies near each kidney and produces many hormones essential to normal body function. |
| Adrenalectomy | The surgical removal of an adrenal gland. |
| Adrenaline | A hormone produce by the adrenal glands that increases the heart and respiration rates. Also known as Epinephrine. |
| Adrenocorticotrophic Hormone (ACTH) | A hormone produced by the pituitary gland that stimulates the adrenal glands to secrete other hormones. |
| Adulticide | A drug that kills mature heartworms. |
| Adverse Drug Reaction | Any unwanted response of a patient to a drug that has been administered. |
| Aerobic | Needing oxygen to live. |
| Aerobic Bacteria | Bacteria that require oxygen to survive and grow. |
| Aerophagia | The swallowing of large amounts of air. |
| Aerosol | Small droplets of liquid or small solid particles that can easily move throught the air. |
| Afebrile | Having a normal body temperature. |
| Afterbirth | The placenta and other substances that are expelled from the uterus after a fetus is born. |
| Agalactia | An inability to produce normal amounts of milk. |
| Agglutination | Clumping together. |
| Aggression | The tendency of an animal to attack or act like it will attack other animals or people. Subcategorized into different types of aggression (fear, dominance, food, etc). |
| Agonal | Pertaining to death. |
| Agonal Breathing | A reflex that can cause an animal to take deep breaths at the time of death. |
| Air Bronchogram | A finding on a chest radiograph indicating that some parts of the lung that are normally filled with air are instead filled with fluid. |
| Air Embolism | The introduction of a bubble of air into the bloodstream. Small air emboli generally cause no harm, but if large enough, they can interrupt blood flow to various organs and potentially cause death. |
| Alanine Amniotransferase (ALT) | A substance measured in blood, the levels of which can rise with liver disease or damage. |
| Albino | An animal that is completely white because it lacks the ability to make pigment. The eyes are pale blue or pink. |
| Albumin | A protein in the blood responsible for the maintenance of osmotic (water) pressure in the blood. Also binds to large molecules in the blood and helps to transport them. Produced by the liver, it is also known as serum albumin. |
| Albuminuria | The abnormal presence of albumin in the urine, often indicating kidney dysfunction. |
| Aldosterone | A hormone produced by the adrenal glands that helps maintain fluid and electrolyte balance. Lack of aldosterone production is a key component of Addison's disease. |
| Algal Poisoning | A disease caused by ingestion of cyanobacteria that can form large blooms in warm, stagnant water. Toxins produced by the bacteria can cause muscle tremors, neurologic abnormalities, difficulty breathing and rapid death. Supportive treatment is often successful if the animal is quickly removed from the source of the poisioning. |
| Alkaline | Describes a substance with a pH greater than 7. Also called basic. |
| Alkaline Phosphatase (ALP) | A substance measured in blood, the levels of which can rise with liver disease, bone disease or growth, drug therapy, Cushing's disease or age. |
| Allergen | A substance that in some individuals can cause an allergic reaction. Common allergens include pollen, molds, dust mites, and some types of food. |
| Allergy | An abnormal reaction of the body's immune system to substances that often do not incite a similar reaction in other individuals. Allergic symptoms in animals can include itching, hives, skin disorders, couging, and difficulty breathing. |
| Alopecia | Abnormal thinning or lack of hair. Also called hypotrichosis. |
| Altered | 1. Neutered or spayed. 2. Describing a mental state in which an animal does not respond normally to stimuli. |
| Alternative Medicine | A group of therapies including acupuncture, homeopathy and herbal medicine that have not been traditionally utilized in veterinary medicine as it is practiced in western countries. Also called complementary medicine. |
| Alveolar Pattern | A finding on a chest radiograph (x-ray) indicating that some parts of the lung that are normally filled with air are filled with fluid. |
| Alveoli | The tiny microscopic areas of the lung where the actual exchange of oxygen and carbon dioxide into and out of the blood occurs. |
| Ambulatory | Able to walk. |
| American Kennel Club (AKC) | An organization devoted to the registration, advancement and promotion of purebred dogs with an emphasis on conformation. |
| Amino Acid | A molecule that in combination with other amino acids forms proteins. Animals can synthesize many amino acids within their bodies. Some species cannot make certain types (called essential amino acids) and these are required in their diet. |
| Ammonia | A waste product of digestion that is removed from the blood by the liver. |
| Amorphous | Without a recognizable shape. |
| Amphibian | A class of animals that can live on land or in the water, including frogs, toads, and salamanders. |
| Amputation | The surgical removal of an appendage such as a limb, toe, or tail. |
| Amylase | A substance usually measured in blood, the levels of which can rise with pancreatitis, other forms of pancreatic disease or with kidney disease. |
| Amyloidosis | A disease caused by the deposition of amyloid within the kidneys or other parts of the body. If enough amyloid is present the function of the affected organ can be disrupted leading to illness and sometimes death. Treatment is difficult. |
| Anaerobic Bacteria | Bacteria which only live in an environment in which there is little or no oxygen. |
| Anal Gland | The tissue producing the foul smelling material that is stored in anal sacs. |
| Anal Sac | A storage area on either side of the anus that holds foul smelling material released with defecation as a form of territorial marking in some species. If the sacs do not regularly empty, they can become distended, painful and may rupture. |
| Anal Sacculectomy | The surgical removal of one or both anal sacs. |
| Analgesia | Relief or absence of pain. |
| Anaphylaxis | A life-threatening, immediate allergic reaction to something ingested or injected. If untreated, it results in shock, respiratory and cardiac failure, and possibly death. |
| Anaplasmosis | A disease caused by infection with Anaplasma bacteria often transmitted through tick bites. |
| Anatomy | The physical structure of an animal. |
| Anemia | A lower than normal number of red blood cells in circulation. Anemia can be caused by blood loss and destruction or lack of production of red blood cells. Animals that are anemic often have pale mucous membranes, rapid breathing, fast heart rates and are lethargic and weak. |
| Anesthesia | Loss of sensation or feeling. Induced artifically with drugs (injectable or gas) to permit painful procedures such as surgery. |
| Anesthetic Depth | The degree to which an animal is being affected by anesthesia. An animal that is "light" generally is at a lower risk of complications but may be able to feel pain as compared to an animal that is "deep". |
| Anesthetic Risk | The degree to which an animal can be expected to develop complication from anesthesia. In most cases healthy individuals have a lower anesthetic risk than do animals affected by concurrent disease or injury. |
| Anestrus | A period of time during which the female does not cycle in and out of heat. |
| Anisocoria | A condition where the pupils of the eyes are not of equal size. |
| Ankylosis | A partial or complete fusion of a joint. |
| Anorexia | Loss of appetite. |
| Anterior | Directional term; positioned in front of another body part, or towards the head of the animal. Opposite of posterior. |
| Anthropomorphism | The tendency to attribute human characteristics to animals. |
| Anti-Inflammatory | Type of medication that reduces pain, swelling, heat, and redness. |
| Antibiotics | Usually refers to drugs administered to kill or inhibit the growth of bacteria. They are not effective against viral infections. |
| Antibody | Proteins produced by the immune system in response to antigens; an important component of the immune system. |
| Anticoagulant | A substance that decrease the ability of blood to clot. |
| Anticoagulant Rodenticide Toxicity | Ingestion of some types of poisons that are used to kill mice and rats and hinder the ability of blood to clot. |
| Anticonvulsant | A drug used to prevent or decrease the severity of seizures. |
| Antiemetic | An medication that decreases or stops vomiting. |
| Antifungal | Drugs administered to kill or inhibit the growth of fungi. |
| Antigen | A foreign substance that stimulates an immune response, such as pollen, dust, grasses, food. |
| Antihistamine | A medication that eases the sypmtoms of allergies. Some can also be used to treat motion sickness or as a sedative. |
| Antipiretic | Having properties to reduce fevers. |
| Antiseptic | A substance which inhibits the growth of bacteria, but does not kill them. |
| Antitussive | Cough suppressant. |
| Anuria | The condition of complete failure in the function of the kidneys such that no urine is produced. |
| Anus | A muscular opening at the end of the digestive tract where fecal waste is expelled. |
| Anxiety | Feeling of nervousness, uneasiness, or apprehension. |
| Aorta | Large blood vessel existing in the heart that carries blood into other arteries. |
| Aortic Stenosis | Obstruction of the blood flowing from the left ventricle to the aorta. |
| Apnea | A lack or breathing. |
| Aqueous Humor | The fluid found within the eyeball which provides nourishment to the interior eye structures and keeps the eyeball inflated. |
| Arcade | Commonly refers to the rows of teeth located around the upper and lower jaws. |
| Arrhythmia | A variation from normal heart rhythm. |
| Arteries | A vessel carrying blood away from the heart. |
| Arthritis | Inflammation of a joint. Caused by abnormal stress on a normal joint, or by normal stress on an abnormal joint. Polyarthritis is arthritis in multiple joints. |
| Arthrocentesis | Inserting a needle into a joint to remove a sample of fluid for analysis. |
| Artificial Insemination | The placement of semen into the female's reproductive tract via an instrument rather than using natural mating. |
| Artificial Respiration | Manually breathing for an animal when breathing has stopped. |
| Artificial Tears | A lubricant used when tear production is not significant to protect the health and comfort of the eye. |
| Artificial Vagina | An apparatus used to collect semen from a male animal that simulates natural breeding and leads to ejaculation. |
| Ascites | Fluid accumulation in the abdomen. |
| Aseptic | Not involving infection or contamination with organisms. |
| Aspirate | 1. Withdraw a sample through the use of suction, often with a needle. 2. Also the breathing in of a fluid or foreign substance. |
| Asthma | A disease most commonly seen in cats that is characterized by recurring episodes of constricted airways. |
| Ataxia | Unsteady or irregular walking movements that are caused by neurologic abnormalities. |
| Atopic Dermatitis | (Atopy) Allergic reaction characterized by severe itching. |
| Atrium | The two chambers of the heart that receive blood. The right atrium receives blood from the body. The left atrium receives oxygenated blood from the lungs. |
| Atrophy | An abnormal decrease in size of an organ or tissue. |
| Attenuated | Weakened. An attenuated virus is one which has been changed such that it will no longer cause disease. |
| Auditory | Related to the sense of hearing. |
| Auscultate | To listen for sounds produced within the body, usually with the aid of a stethoscope. |
| Autoimmune Disease | A condition in which the immune system attacks cells in it's own body. |
| Autoimmune Hemolytic Anemia | The body produces antibodies directed against its own red blood cells, causing their destruction. |
| Autosomal | Any of the chromosomes other than the sex pair, the "X" or "Y" chromosomes. |
| Avian | Pertaining to birds. |
| Avian Influenza | Contagious virus affecting poultry and other species of birds. |
| AVID Microchip | A microchip made by a particular company that can be injected under the skin and scanned to help identify the animal. |
| Axilla | Referring to the region one would consider the armpit of the forelegs. |
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