Commonly Used Terms in Vet Med

Anthelmintic

A product that kills helminths or worms.

Antiseptic

A substance that can be applied to a surface to make it free from germs.

Arrhythmia

A heart beat that does not have a normal rhythm.

Ascites

An abnormal build up of fluid in the abdomen often causing it to look distended.

Ataxia

An abnormal gait when walking or running.

Aural

Relating to the ears.

Benign

word used to describe tumours which do not spread.

Bilateral

Meaning on both sides.

Cardiac

Relating to the heart.

Cestodes

Tapeworms

Chronic

Used to describe an illness that has been going on for a prolonged period of time.

Colitis

Inflammation of the large intestine producing diarrhoea, often with blood.

Congenital

A condition that has been present since birth.

Cryptorchid

One or both testicles have not descended and are retained in the abdomen.

Cystitis

Inflammation of the bladder resulting in discomfort when urinating.

Cytology

The study of cells through a microscope.

Debride

Removing dead tissue from a wound.

Defecation

The act of passing faeces.

Diuretics

Drugs used to prevent or reduce water retention in the body.

Dyspnoea

Difficulty with breathing.

Dystocia

Difficulties in giving birth or whelping.

Ectoparasites

Parasites that live on the skin such as fleas, lice and ticks.

Endocrine

Relating to hormones.

Endoscopy

Using a small light source and sometimes camera to visualise the inside of the stomach, lungs, nasal cavity or colon.

Extra-cranial

Anything outside the skull.

Faeces

Solid waste produced from the rectum

Fibrosis

Replacing normal body tissues with scar tissue

FLUTD

Feline Lower Urinary Tract Disease

Flystrike

When blowfly lay larvae on damaged skin which hatch into maggots and cause tissue damage, often extensive

Gastric

relating to the stomach eg. Gastritis is inflammation of the stomach.