Mod 6 - Veterinary Nursing Basics

acute

having a short course with a sudden onset; implies severe

analgesic

substance that relieves pain w/o affecting consciousness

anesthetic

substance that produces a lack of sensation

antiseptic

chemical agent that kills or prevents the growth of microorganisms on living tissue

asepsis

state without infection

Asymptomatic

without signs of disease

chronic

having a long course with a progressive onset; persisting for a long time

clinical

(in reference to disease); visible, readily observed, pertaining to treatment

communicable

contagious disease

contraindication, contraindicate

suggest or indicate that a drug should not be used in case in question

diagnosis, diagnoses, diagnostic

determination of the cause of disease; to "know completely"

disinfectant

chemical agent that kills or prevents the growth of microorganisms on inanimate objects

dosage

amount of medication based on units per weight of animal

dosage interval

time between administrations of a drug (bid or q12h)

dose

amount of medication measured (mg, mL, units, g)

efficacy

extent to which a drug causes the intended effects; effectiveness

endemic

ongoing presence of disease in a group

etiology

study of disease causes

febrile

fever

friable

easily crumbled

hydrophilic

water-loving; ionized form

hydrophobic

water-hating; not soluble

indication, indicate

valid reason to use a certain test, medication, procedures, or surgery for a particular disease or condition

intradermal

w/n the artery

intramuscular

w/n the muscle

intraosseous

w/n the bone

intraperitoneal

w/n the peritoneal cavity (IP)

intravenous

w/n the vein (IV)

lavage

irrigation of tissue with fluid

lethal

causing death

ligate

to tie or strangulate

metabolize

to absorb, process, and break down via chemical processes in the body

morbidity

ratio of diseased animals to well animals in a population

moribund

near death

mortality

ratio of diseased animals that die to diseased animals

necropsy

postmortem examination that consists of a thorough examination of a dead animal to determine the cause and manner of death and to evaluate any disease or injury that may be present

nosocomial infection

disorder caused by pathogenic organisms contracted in a facility or clinic

over-the-counter

medication that may by purchased without a prescription

palliative

able to relieve but not cure a condition

Palpation

Examination by feeling

parenteral

through routes other than the GI tract

Pathogen

microorganism that produces disease

percussion

examination by tapping the surface to determine density of a body area

prescription

drugs that are dispensed only by a licensed professional

prognosis

prediction of the outcome of disease; "to know before"

prophylaxis, prophylactic

prevention

pyrexia

fever

radiograph, radiography

procedure in which film is exposed as ionizing radiation passes through the patient and shows the internal body structures in a profile; study of internal body structures after exposure to ionizing radiation.

recumbent, recumbency

used in reference to positioning

signalment

assists with proper identification of the patient, diagnosis, and predilections to traits and conditions as some conditions may be species, breed, gender, age, and color specific

speculum

instrument used to enlarge the opening of a canal or cavity

sterilize

process of destroying all microorganisms and their pathogenic products in or on a given environment (surface, equipment, medication, etc)

subclinical

without showing signs of disease

subcutaneous

under the skin, or dermal layer, (SQ, SC, subq)

sublingual

under the tongue

suture

to stitch or close an area; also refers to the material used in closing a surgical or traumatic wound with stitches

transdermal

across the skin

turgor

degree of fullness or rigidity caused by fluid content

ultrasound, ultrasonography

the imaging of internal body structures by recording echoes of high-frequency sound waves

venipuncture

withdrawing blood from a vein usually with a needle or syringe

virulence

used to describe the ability of an organism to cause disease

zoonosis, zoonotic

disease that can be transmitted between animals and humans