Veterinary Terminology
106 flashcards by MentisLibrary
Directional anatomy, species and sex terms, word roots, chart abbreviations, and the conditions that walk through the door every week. Built for vet students and veterinary technicians learning to read a record fluently.
- cranial
- Toward the head, used for locations on the body and limbs above the carpus and tarsus
- caudal
- Toward the tail
- dorsal
- Toward the back or spine, and on the limbs the front surface below the carpus or tarsus
- ventral
- Toward the belly or underside
- medial and lateral
- Medial means toward the midline of the body; lateral means away from the midline
- proximal and distal
- Proximal means closer to the point of attachment or the body; distal means farther from it
- palmar and plantar
- Palmar is the back surface of the forelimb below the carpus; plantar is the back surface of the hindlimb below the tarsus
- rostral
- Toward the nose or tip of the muzzle, used only on the head
- superficial and deep
- Superficial means nearer the surface of the body; deep means farther from it
- bovine
- Referring to cattle
- equine
- Referring to horses
- canine
- Referring to dogs
- feline
- Referring to cats
- porcine
- Referring to pigs
- ovine
- Referring to sheep
- caprine
- Referring to goats
- avian
- Referring to birds
- lapine and murine
- Lapine refers to rabbits; murine refers to mice and rats
- parturition
- The act of giving birth
- gestation
- The period of pregnancy from conception to birth
- estrus
- The period of sexual receptivity in the female, commonly called heat
- dystocia
- Difficult or obstructed birth
- ovariohysterectomy
- Surgical removal of the ovaries and uterus, the standard spay procedure
- orchiectomy
- Surgical removal of the testes, the neuter or castration procedure
- cryptorchidism
- Failure of one or both testes to descend into the scrotum
- pyometra
- A hormonally driven bacterial infection filling the uterus with pus, most often in older intact females after estrus
- mastitis
- Inflammation of the mammary gland, usually from bacterial infection
- dermatitis
- Inflammation of the skin
- otitis externa
- Inflammation of the external ear canal
- gastroenteritis
- Inflammation of the stomach and intestines