Foundations In Veterinary Medicine

Vocabulary flashcards for key terms and concepts in Veterinary Medicine, focusing on medical terminology, directional terms, and anatomical references.

Rostral

Directed toward the nose (beak); used in anatomical terminology.

Dorsal

Directed toward the back; refers to the upper surface of the body.

Ventral

Directed toward the belly or undersurface of the body.

Disease

An abnormal condition affecting the body of an organism.

Queen

Refers to a female cat, particularly in breeding contexts.

Pinna

The external part of the ear in animals.

Stifle

The joint in the hind leg of an animal; equivalent to the knee in humans.

Benign

Not harmful; refers to a condition not likely to cause serious harm.

Lateral

Positioned away from the midline of the body.

Dog

A domesticated carnivorous mammal known for its companionship with humans.

Caudal

Directed toward the tail or posterior part of the body.

Bitch

A female dog.

Whelping

The process of giving birth to puppies.

Acute

A sudden onset of a condition, often severe.

Chronic

A condition lasting for a long time or recurring frequently.

Carpus

The group of bones in the wrist of an animal.

Medial

Positioned toward the midline of the body.

Hypo-

A prefix meaning under or below normal levels.

Bilaterally

Referring to both sides of the body.

Somethingitis

A nonspecific term often used for inflammation—for example, ‘dermatitis.’

Idiopathic

A disease with no known cause.

Cranial

Directed toward the head.

Lesion

Any abnormal tissue found on or in an organism.

Tumour

An abnormal growth of tissue that can be benign or malignant.

Palmar

Referring to the palm of the forelimb in animals.

Dorsalporsal

From dorsal to ventral aspects of the body.

Transverse Plane

A plane dividing the body into cranial and caudal parts.

Plantar

Referring to the sole of the foot in animals.

Ventral Dorsal

Referring to the front and back surfaces of the body.

Veterinary Medical Terminology

Universal language used in veterinary medicine primarily based on Latin and Greek.

Root Word

The foundational part of a word that gives it meaning.

Prefix

A word part added before a root to modify its meaning.

Suffix

A word part added after a root to modify its meaning.

Combining Vowel

A vowel used to ease pronunciation between roots and suffixes.

Compound Word

A word formed from two or more root words.

Cardi/o

Root word meaning heart.

Cephal/o

Root word meaning head.

Dent/o

Root word meaning tooth.

Mamm/a

Root word referring to mammary glands.

Nas/o

Root word meaning nose.

Ophthalm/o

Root word meaning eye.

Ot/o

Root word meaning ear.

Steth/o

Root word meaning chest.

Thorac/o

Root word referring to thorax or chest.

Abdomin/o

Root word meaning abdomen.

Copr/o

Root word meaning feces.

Cyan/o

Root word meaning blue.

Derm/o

Root word meaning skin.

Erythr/o

Root word meaning red.

Hepat/o

Root word meaning liver.

Hydr/o

Root word meaning water.

Peritone/o

Root word referring to the peritoneum membrane.

Anti-

A prefix meaning against or opposing.

Dys-

A prefix meaning difficult or troubled.

Hyper-

A prefix meaning above normal or excessive.

Hypo-

A prefix meaning below normal or deficient.

Mal-

A prefix meaning bad or poor.

Poly-

A prefix meaning many.

Post-

A prefix meaning after.

Uni-

A prefix meaning one or single.

-cyte

A suffix meaning cell.

-ectomy

A suffix meaning removal of.

-emia

A suffix referring to a blood condition.

-itis

A suffix meaning inflammation.

-logy

A suffix meaning the study of.

-oma

A suffix meaning tumor.

-penia

A suffix meaning deficiency.

-tomy

A suffix meaning cutting or incision.

-phagia

A suffix meaning eating or swallowing.

-spasm

A suffix meaning involuntary contraction.

Directional Terminology

Terms used to describe the locations of structures in the body.

Medial

Positioned toward the midline.

Lateral

Positioned away from the midline.

Cranial

Towards the head.

Caudal

Towards the tail.

Proximal

Closer to the torso.

Distal

Further from the torso.

Median Plane

Divides the body into equal left and right parts.

Sagittal Plane

Divides the body into left and right parts, not necessarily equal.

Dorsal Plane

Divides the body into dorsal and ventral parts.

Frontal Plane

Divides the body into anterior and posterior sections.

Ventrally

Referring to the underside or belly side.

Dorsally

Referring to the upper side.

Palmar surface

The surface of the forepaw or front foot.

Plantar surface

The surface of the hind paw or back foot.

Axial

Referring to the central axis of a limb.

Abaxial

Referring to the side away from the central axis.

Dorsum

The back or upper surface of a part of the body.

Ventrums

Referring to the belly or abdominal area.

Terminology

Words and phrases used for specialized subjects.

Veterinary

Relating to the diagnosis and treatment of diseases in animals.