Animal Science: Avian, Canine, Feline, Genetics, Reproduction, and Invertebrate Husbandry

Comprehensive vocabulary flashcards covering avian taxonomy and housing, comparative canine/feline anatomy, small animal clinical nutrition, Mendelian and non-Mendelian genetics, mammalian and non-mammalian reproduction, and arthropod husbandry.

Passeriformes

The largest bird order, encompassing over half of all avian species (perching birds or songbirds), distinguished by an anisodactyl foot arrangement.

Psittaciformes

The bird order containing parrots, cockatoos, macaws, and parakeets; they have curved beaks, zygodactyl feet, and represent the most common pet bird order with the widest variety of pet species.

Anseriformes

The avian order comprising waterfowl such as ducks, geese, and swans, characterized by webbed feet.

Galliformes

The avian order comprising landfowl such as chickens, turkeys, pheasants, and quail, characterized as heavy-bodied ground birds.

Zygodactyl Foot

A toe arrangement found in psittacines where two toes point forward (toes 2 and 3) and two toes point backward (toes 1 and 4), functioning like a hand for climbing and grasping food.

Anisodactyl Foot

A toe arrangement found in passerines where three toes point forward and one toe points backward (the hallux) to provide a strong grip for perching.

Cage Binding

A territorial condition occurring when a pet bird rarely leaves its cage, viewing it as its sole territory and exhibiting extreme anxiety or aggressive behaviors (such as lunging or biting) when approached.

Bumblefoot

A foot condition in captive birds that is prevented by supplying perches of natural branch textures and varied diameters.

Undernutrition

A nutritional deficiency state caused by inadequate total food intake or calories, resulting in starvation and weight loss.

Malnutrition

A nutritional deficiency state occurring when total caloric intake is sufficient but specific essential nutrients are lacking (such as an all-seed bird diet lacking calcium and vitamin A).

Dolichocephalic

A canine skull shape characterized by a long, narrow snout with laterally placed eyes (e.g., Greyhounds), providing an expansive visual field of approximately $270^\circ$.

Brachycephalic

A canine skull shape characterized by a short, flat face with forward-facing eyes (e.g., Pugs), providing greater binocular overlap but a narrower visual field of approximately $200^\circ$.

Chondrodystrophy

A genetic condition affecting cartilage formation and long bone limb growth, producing characteristically shortened, curved, or bowed limbs (seen in Dachshunds, Basset Hounds, and Corgis).

Intervertebral Disc Disease (IVDD)

A spinal degenerative disorder to which chondrodystrophic dog breeds with elongated backs and shortened legs are exceptionally predisposed.

Axial Skeleton

The skeletal division forming the central axis of the body, comprising the skull, vertebral column (spine), ribcage, and sternum.

Appendicular Skeleton

The skeletal division comprising the pectoral and pelvic girdles (shoulders and hips) and the appendages (limbs).

Natural Bobtail

A condition in certain breeds (such as Pembroke Welsh Corgis or Australian Shepherds) where individuals naturally possess as few as $3$ caudal vertebrae rather than the standard $20\text{ to }23$.

Floating Clavicle

A reduced, non-rigid, muscular or fibrous remnant of the collarbone in dogs and cats that allows for an extended running stride and passage of the shoulders through narrow spaces.

Onychectomy

The surgical declawing procedure consisting of the amputation of the distal phalanx ($P3$ bone) at the terminal joint of each digit.

Digitigrade

A locomotory posture of walking on the toes or digits (as seen in cats), which alters joint weight distribution following an onychectomy.

Hip Dysplasia

An abnormal, loose formation of the hip joint where the femoral head does not smoothly seat into the acetabulum, predisposing the joint to friction, inflammation, and arthritis.

Body Condition Score (BCS)

A standardized touch and visual evaluation system used to determine whether an animal is underweight, ideal, or overweight by palpating the ribs, waist, and abdominal tuck.

Overweight (Canine Threshold)

The clinical condition reached when a canine exceeds its optimal body weight by $10\text{--}15\%$, at which point health issues begin to appear.

Obesity (Companion Animal)

A nutritional state defined as exceeding normal body weight by $20\text{--}25\%$, affecting up to $55\%$ of dogs and an even higher percentage of cats.

Sprinter Canine Diet

A specialized diet tailored for dogs performing brief, high-intensity bursts of work (such as racing Greyhounds), requiring low-fiber, highly concentrated energy and protein.

Long Distance Runner Canine Diet

A dietary protocol for endurance sled dogs requiring $40\%$ fat and $40\%$ protein during training, shifting to $50\text{--}65\%$ fat, $30\text{--}35\%$ protein, and $10\text{--}15\%$ carbohydrates during racing.

Copper Storage Disease

A metabolic disorder observed in Bedlington Terriers that necessitates management via a low-copper, high-zinc diet.

Uric Acid Excretion (Dalmatian)

A breed-specific metabolic variation in Dalmatians where purines are excreted as uric acid rather than urea, predisposing them to urinary stones and requiring increased water intake.

Owner Effect

The correlation where owner lifestyle choices and high human obesity rates ($55\%$ in Americans) contribute to $25\text{--}40\%$ of domestic pets being overweight or obese.

Natural (AAFCO)

A pet food labeling term regulated by AAFCO that defines how an ingredient or product is grown, processed, and handled, rather than denoting specific health benefits.

Organic (USDA)

A pet food labeling term regulated by the USDA indicating compliance with specific farming, handling, and processing guidelines, unrelated to medicinal or health claims.

95% Rule

The pet food labeling regulation applied when an ingredient is stated directly in the product title (without qualifiers), requiring that ingredient to comprise at least $95\%$ of the product weight excluding water.

25% Rule (Dinner / Platter / Entrée)

The pet food labeling regulation requiring named ingredients to make up at least $25\%$ (or up to $94\%$) of the total weight when accompanied by terms like 'Dinner', 'Platter', or 'Entrée'.

3% Rule ('With')

The pet food labeling rule stipulating that an ingredient preceded by the word 'With' (e.g., 'Cat Food With Tuna') must comprise at least $3\%$ of the total product weight.

Essential Feline Nutrients

Specific nutrients obligatory in cat diets due to their carnivorous metabolic pathways: arginine, taurine, arachidonic acid, preformed vitamin A, and niacin.

Genotype

The specific allelic combination or genetic code possessed by an organism (e.g., $BB$, $Bb$, or $bb$).

Phenotype

The observable physical traits or measurable characteristics expressed by an organism.

Incomplete Dominance

An inheritance pattern in which neither allele is fully dominant, producing a blended or intermediate phenotype in heterozygous individuals (e.g., red and white flower parents yielding pink offspring).

Gene Linkage

The tendency of DNA sequences or genes that are situated close to each other on the same chromosome to be inherited together during meiosis.

Crossing Over

The reciprocal exchange of genetic material between homologous chromosomes during meiosis that can break gene linkages and generate new allelic combinations.

Polygenic Inheritance

A mode of inheritance where an individual phenotypic trait is controlled by the cumulative effect of multiple separate genes (e.g., height or coat color intensity).

Double Merle (Lethal White)

A homozygous dominant ($MM$) genetic state in dogs that produces lack of pigment, frequent congenital deafness due to inner ear cell deficiencies, and ocular defects such as microphthalmia.

Male Calico (XXY)

A male cat exhibiting both black and orange coat pigmentation due to the presence of an extra X chromosome ($XXY$, or Klinefelter syndrome).

Inbreeding

The mating of closely related individuals (such as siblings or parent-offspring) aimed at increasing homozygosity and uniformity.

Linebreeding

A controlled form of inbreeding designed to maintain a high degree of genetic relationship to a single admired ancestor.

Outcrossing

The mating of unrelated individuals belonging to the exact same breed to increase genetic diversity and reduce the emergence of recessive defects.

Positive Assortative Breeding

A phenotypic mating strategy pairing individuals exhibiting similar physical traits ('like to like').

Negative Assortative Breeding

A phenotypic mating strategy pairing individuals with opposing or dissimilar characteristics to balance traits in offspring.

Crossbreeding

The mating of individuals belonging to two distinct pure breeds to generate heterosis, commonly known as hybrid vigor.

Oviparous

A reproductive strategy wherein development of the embryo occurs outside the maternal body inside an egg (e.g., all birds, chelonians, most amphibians, and most fish).

Ovoviviparous

A reproductive mode wherein eggs develop and hatch internally within the female tract without a placental attachment, resulting in live birth (e.g., Massasauga Rattlesnake and certain fish).

Viviparous

A reproductive mode wherein embryos receive maternal nutrients directly via a placenta or uterine wall and are born live (e.g., mammals and Northern Watersnakes).

Proestrus

The initial phase of the female estrous cycle involving follicular development; characterized by bloody vaginal discharge in canines ($6\text{--}9\text{ days}$) and restlessness in felines.

Estrus

The period of sexual receptivity ('standing heat') during which ovulation takes place; typically lasts $\sim 9\text{ days}$ in dogs and $4\text{--}14\text{ days}$ in cats.

Metestrus

The stage of sexual refusal following estrus during which the reproductive tract repairs or initiates progesterone ($P_4$) secretion.

Anestrus

A phase of reproductive quiescence lasting $100\text{--}150\text{ days}$ in canines, or occurring during short photoperiods ($<12\text{ hours/day}$ of light) in seasonally polyestrous felines.

Superfecundity

The fertilization of two or more ova from the same cycle by sperm from different males, resulting in a single litter with multiple sires.

Superfetation

The conception of a secondary litter during an existing pregnancy when an animal returns to estrus, mates, and ovulates (occurring in $\sim 10\%$ of cats).

Flehmen Reaction

A reproductive behavioral display in males involving curling back the upper lip to facilitate pheromone detection through the vomeronasal organ.

Dystocia

Difficult or obstructed labor resulting from mechanical barriers or uterine inertia.

Spaying

The surgical removal of the ovaries and uterus in female animals, eliminating hormone production and reproductive cycling.

Tubal Ligation

The surgical tying or severing of the fallopian tubes in females to cause sterility while preserving gonadal hormone production and heat cycles.

Castration

The surgical excision of the testicles in male animals, removing testosterone sources and related reproductive behaviors.

Vasectomy

The surgical severing or occlusion of the vas deferens in males, preventing sperm emission while keeping the testicles and circulating testosterone intact.

Chelicerata (Arachnida)

An arthropod subphylum and class featuring $2$ primary tagmata (body segments) and specialized mouthparts termed chelicerae (e.g., tarantulas).

Hexapoda

The arthropod subphylum representing insects, characterized anatomically by $3$ body segments and $3$ pairs of legs.

Diplopoda

The arthropod class under Myriapoda representing millipedes, characterized by multi-segmented bodies bearing $2$ pairs of legs per segment.

Chilopoda

The arthropod class under Myriapoda representing centipedes, distinguished by having $1$ pair of legs per segment and venomous forcipules.

Ecdysis

The biological process of shedding the rigid exoskeleton in arthropods to allow for structural growth and physical development.

Urticating Hairs

Barbed, irritating setae situated on the abdomen of New World tarantulas that are kicked toward perceived threats as an antipredator mechanism, lowering the immediate likelihood of a bite.

Spiracular Hissing

A unique antipredator defense utilized by the Madagascar Hissing Cockroach (Gromphadorhina portentosa) achieved by forcing air through modified respiratory spiracles.

Thanatosis

A defensive survival strategy exhibited by certain invertebrates involving tonic immobility or feigning death to dissuade predators.