VEG Initial Exam - Emergency and Critical Care

Vocabulary and abbreviations flashcards for veterinary technician students specializing in emergency and critical care.

abdominocentesis

puncture through the abdominal wall to remove fluid from the abdomen

Abrasion

Scrape of the skin due to something abrasive

Acute

New, usually of rapid onset and of concern

Ambulate

The ability to walk from place to place

Analgesic

Medication given to reduce pain

Anemia

Decreased level of hemoglobin, red blood cells or packed cell volume

Anisocoria

Unequal pupil size

Anorexia

Loss or lack of appetite

Anterior

Located towards the front of the body

Apnea

absence of breathing

Artery

blood vessel carrying blood away from the heart

Azotemia

elevated kidney (renal) values

Benign

Normal, of no danger to health

Bradycardia

slow heart rate

Cardiomegaly

enlarged heart

Chronic

Long standing, constant. Opposite of acute

Cyanosis/Cyanotic

Abnormal blue discoloration due to poor circulation or inadequate oxygenation of the blood

Cystocentesis

puncture of the urinary bladder through the abdominal wall

Distal

farther from the trunk of the body

Dyspnea

Problems with breathing

Edema

swelling

Emesis

Vomitting

Enterotomy

surgical incision into the small intestine

Epistaxis

nosebleed

Erythema/Erythematous

Redness/Red

Febrile

elevated body temperature, fever, indicative of infection

Gastropexy

surgical fixation of the stomach to the body wall

gastrotomy

surgical incision into the stomach

glaucoma

increased ocular pressure

grossly

obviously; a lot; wholly

Hematemesis

large amounts of blood in the vomit

Hematuria

very large amounts of blood in the urine

hemoptysis

coughing up very large amounts of blood

hemorrhage

excessive bleeding

hepatomegaly

enlarged liver

hyperglycemia

elevated blood sugar

hypertension

high blood pressure

hypoglycemia

decreased blood sugar

hypotension

low blood pressure

hypoxia

low oxygen saturation of the body, not enough oxygen in the blood

idiopathic

unknown cause

inferior

lower on the body, farther from the head

icteric

yellowing of the skin or whites of the eyes, arising from excess of the pigment bilirubin

laceration

splitting of the skin due to trauma

lateral

away from the midline of the body

medial

towards the midline of the body

melena

black tarry stool

nystagmus

a condition in which the eyes make repetitive and uncontrolled movements

pancreatitis

inflammation of the pancreas

pleural effusion

abnormal accumulation of fluid in the pleural cavity around the heart

pneumonia

inflammation and congestion of the lungs

pneumothorax

abnormal accumulation of air in the chest

posterior/dorsal

rear of backside of the body

proptosis

displacement of the eye from the orbit

proximal

nearer to the trunk of the body

pruritic

itchy

pulmonary edema

accumulation of fluid in the lung tissue

purulent

pus-like

renal

relating to the kidneys

rhinorrhea

clear nasal discharge

sepsis

dangerous infection of the blood

tachycardia

fast heart rate

tachypnea

increased breathing rate

thoracocentesis

puncture of the chest wall with a needle to obtain fluid or air from the pleural cavity

thrombocytopenia

decrease in the number of platelets

Abd

Abdomen, abdominal

Abx

Antibiotics

AFAST/TFAST

abdominal/thoracic focused assessment with sonography for trauma

BCS

body condition score

AXR

abdominal x-ray

BG

blood glucose

BID

Twice daily

Bilat LE

bilateral lower extremities

BP

blood pressure

CA

Cancer, carcinoma

CBC

complete blood count

CKD

Chronic kidney disease

CT or CAT

computerized tomography

CHEM

chemistry blood panel

CHF

congestive heart failure

CPR

Cardiopulmonary resuscitation

CRT

capillary refill time

CSF

Cerebrospinal fluid

CXR

Chest x-ray

DKA

Diabetic ketoacidosis

DM

diabetes mellitus

DOA

dead on arrival

Dx

Diagnosis

Dz

Disease

EKG/ECG

Electrocardiogram

FB

foreign body

FHO

femoral hear osteotomy

FIP

feline infectious perironitis

FIV

feline immunodeficiency virus

FeLV

Feline leukemia virus

FLUTD

feline lower urinary tract disease

Fx

fracture

GDV

gastric dilation-volvulus

GI

gastrointestinal

GU

genitourinary