Terms that Defy Word Analysis

Antrum

Cavity within a structure

Borborygmus

Rumbling noise that gas makes as it moves through the stomach and intestines

Bowel

Another name for the intestines

Cachexia

Generalized wasting of the body as a result of disease

Chyme

Semifluid mass of partially digested food that enters the small intestine from the stomach

Cud

Portion of partially digested food that a ruminant returns to the mouth for further mastication before sending it to the omasum

Deciduous

Temporary teeth, milk teeth, baby teeth

Enzyme

Protein produced by living cells that initiates a chemical reaction, but is not affected by the reaction

Eructation

Burp; method by which ruminants continually get rid of fermentation gases

Flatus

Intestinal gas produced by the action of bacteria

Ingest

To take into the body

Ingesta

Ingested material, especially food taken into the body via the mouth

Melena

Passing dark, tarry feces containing blood that has been acted upon by bacteria in the intestines

Occlusion

The way the upper and lower teeth line up against each other

Paralumbar fossa

The dorsal area of the flank; the dorsal, soft, triangular portion of the flank

Peristalsis

Progressive wave of contraction and relaxation of the smooth muscles in the wall of the digestive tract that moves food through the digestive tract

Reflex

Automatic, unthinking reaction or behavior

Relapse

Fall back into a disease state after an apparent recovery

Retrogade

Inverted, reversed, backward, recede, deteriorate

Rumination

Bringing ingesta from the reticulorumen back to the mouth, followed by remastication and reswallowing (usually when resting)

Sphincter

Circular band of voluntary or involuntary muscle that encircles an opening of the body or one of its hollow organs

Viable

Capable of living, workable, capable of being done

Constipation

Bowel movements that are infrequent or hard to pass

Displacement

Movement of one segment of the digestive tract to an abnormal location

Distention

Abnormal enlargement of a part of the digestive tract

Emesis

Vomiting of food from the stomach

Emetic

A substance that causes vomiting

Enema

Injection of a fluid into the rectum to stimulate a bowel movement

Gavage

Tube-feeding through a stomach tube

Ileus

Lack of neuromuscular control of the intestines which prevents ingesta from moving through the intestines at a normal rate

Impaction

Physical blockage of one part of the digestive tract by abnormal amounts of material

Intussusception

Slipping or telescoping of one part of a tubular organ into a lower portion, causing obstruction

Laxative

Substance that induces bowel movements or loosens the stool; mostly taken to relieve constipation

Lesion

Localized pathological change in an organ or tissue; a wound or injury

Nosocomial

Hospital-acquired

Regurgitation

Bringing back to the mouth food that has not yet reached the stomach

Retch

Involuntary spasms of ineffective vomiting; dry heaves

Ruminal tympany

Overdistention of the reticulorumen as a result of rumen gas being trapped in the rumen when the ruminant is unable to eructate; bloat/hoven

Torsion

Twisting or rotating on a long axis

Ulcer

A depressed lesion on the skin or mucous membrane accompanied by inflammation, pus formation, and necrosis

Volvulus

Abnormal twisting of the intestines, causing an obstruction