a.d. |
Right ear |
a.s. |
Left ear |
a.u. |
Both ears |
Abdominocentesis |
Surgical puncture to remove fluid from the abdomen |
ABG |
Arterial Blood gases |
ACTH |
Adrenocorticotropic hormone test; Adrenal function test |
Addison’s disease |
Insufficient adrenal cortex function |
Analgesic |
Medication given to reduce pain |
Anastamosis |
Surgical reconnection of intestines |
Anemia |
Low level of red blood cells, PCV or hemoglobin |
Anesthesia |
Absence of sensation |
Anisocoria |
Unequal pupil size |
Anorexia |
Lack or loss of appetite |
Apnea |
Absence of breathing |
ARF |
Acute Renal failure |
AUS |
Abdominal Ultrasound |
Azotemia |
Elevated renal (kidney) values |
b.i.d. |
Twice a day |
BAR |
Bright, Alert and Responsive |
BCS |
Body Condition Score ( 1/9 – severely underweight, 9/9 severely overweight) |
BDBD |
Big Dog vs. Big Dog (Dog Fight) |
BDLD |
Big Dog vs. Little Dog (Dog Fight) |
BP |
Blood Pressure |
Bradypnea |
Slow respiratory rates |
Bx |
Biopsy |
Cardiomyopathy |
Disease of the heart muscle |
Cataract |
Opacity of the lens of the eye |
CBC |
Complete Blood Count – Blood test |
CHEM |
Chemistries – Blood test |
CHF |
Congestive heart failure |
CRF |
Chronic Renal failure |
CRT |
Capillary refill time |
Cushing’s disease |
Excessive adrenal cortex function |
CV |
Cardio-Vascular |
CVP |
Central Venous pressure |
Cyanotic/Cyanosis |
Abnormal blue discoloration |
Cystocentesis |
Needle puncture of the urinary bladder |
DCM |
Dialated cardiomyopathy |
Diabetes Mellitus (DM) |
Hyperglycemia; elevated blood glucose due to insufficient secretion of insulin |
DKA |
Diabetic ketoacidosis |
DLH |
Domestic Long Hair (Cat) |
DMH |
Domestic Medium Hair (Cat) |
DSH |
Domestic Short Hair (Cat) |
Dyspnea |
Difficult or labored breathing |
-ectomy |
Surgical removal |
EENT |
Eyes, Ears, Nose and Throat |
Emesis |
Vomiting |
Enterotomy |
Surgical incision into the small intestines |
FB |
Foreign Body |
FeLV |
Feline Leukemia Virus |
FHO |
Femoral Head Osteotomy |
FIP |
Feline Infectious Peritonitis |
FIV |
Feline Immunodeficiency Virus |
FLUTD |
Feline Lower Urinary Tract Disease |
FLUTD-UO |
FLUTD plus urinary blockage (usually male cats) |
FNA |
Fine Needle Aspirate |
FUO |
Fever of Unknown Origin |
Gastropexy |
Surgical fixation of the stomach to the bodywall |
Gastrotomy |
Surgical incision into the stomach |
GDV |
Gastric Dilation Volvus |
Gi / abd |
Gastrointestinal / Abdominal |
Glaucoma |
Increase in ocular pressure |
HBC |
Hit by Car |
HCM |
Hypertrophic cardiomyopathy |
HCT |
Hematocrit |
Hemolyzed/Hemolysis |
Red; related to serum or plasma |
HGE |
Hemorrhagic gastro enteritis |
Hx |
History |
Hyper- |
High |
Hyperglycemia |
Elevated blood glucose |
Hypo- |
Low |
Hypoglycemia |
Decreased blood glucose |
IBD |
Inflammatory Bowel Disease |
IDA |
Iron Deficiency Anemia |
Idiopathic |
Unknown cause |
IM |
Intramuscular |
IMHA/AIHA |
Immune Mediated Hemolytic Anemia |
ITP |
Immune-Mediated Thrombocytopenia |
IV |
Intravenous |
IVDD |
Intervertebral Disc Disease |
Leukocytosis |
Increase in the number of white blood cells |
Leukopenia |
Decrease in the number of white blood cells |
LMOM / LM for O |
Left Message on Machine / Left Message for Owner |
LSA |
Lymphosarcoma Or Lymphoma |
LSA |
Lymphosarcoma |
-megaly |
Enlarged |
MM |
Mucous Membrane |
MPL |
Medial Patellar Luxation |
NPO |
Nos Per Os (Latin) – Nothing by Mouth |
NSF |
No Significant Findings |
O |
Owner |
o.d. |
Right eye |
o.s. |
Left eye |
o.u. |
Both eyes |
-otomy |
Surgical incision |
P |
Patient |
p.o. |
By mouth |
p.r.n. |
pro re nata (Latin) – According to need – Take [item] as needed |
Pancreatitis |
Inflammation of the pancreas |
PC |
Presenting Complaint |
PCV |
Packed cell volume – a measure of red blood cells in the blood |
PD |
Polydypsia – Increase in thirst |
PE |
Physical Examination |
PHT |
Pulmonary Hypertension |
Plasma |
Part of whole blood; Straw colored fluid containing clotting proteins |
PLE |
Protein Losing Enteropathy |
Pleural Effusion |
Abnormal accumulation of fluid in the pleural cavity around the heart |
PLN |
Protein Losing Nephropathy |
PLN |
Pelvic Lymph Nodes |
Pneumonia |
Inflammation and congestions of the lungs |
Pneumothorax |
Abnormal accumulation of air in the chest |
Poly- |
Many |
Proptosis |
Displacement of the eye from the orbit |
PTE |
Pulmonary Thromboembolism |
PTS |
Put To Sleep; Euthanasia |
PU |
Perianal Urethrostomy |
PU |
Polyuria – Increase in urination |
Pulmonary Edema |
Accumulation of fluid in the lung tissue |
q.i.d. |
Four times a day |
q.o.d. / e.o.d. |
Every other day |
QAR |
Quiet, Alert and Responsive |
R & A |
Resection and Anastamosis |
R/O |
Rule Out |
Rads |
Radiographs – X-Rays |
RBC |
Red Blood Cell Count |
RDVM or rDVM |
Routine or Regular Doctor of Veterinary Medicine (Primary Veterinarian) |
RMSF |
Rocky Mountain Spotted Fever |
Rx |
Prescription |
s.i.d. |
Once a day |
Serum |
Straw colored liquid portion of blood with clotting proteins removed |
SPO2 |
Pulse Oxymetry (Measure of oxygen level in the blood) |
SubQ / SQ / SC |
Subcutaneous – Under the skin |
Sx |
Surgery |
Sz |
Seizure |
t.i.d. |
Three times a day |
Tachypnea |
Abnormally rapid respiratory rates |
TE |
Thromboembolism |
Thoracocentesis |
Puncture of the chest wall with a needle to obtain fluid or air from the pleural cavity |
Thrombocytopenia |
Decrease in the number of platelets |
Thrombocytosis |
Increase in the number of platelets |
TPLO |
Tibial Plateau Leveling Osteotomy |
TPR |
Temperature, Pulse and Respiration (vital signs) |
Tx |
Treatment |
UA |
Urinalysis |
Ucath |
Urinary Catheter |
URI |
Upper Respiratory Tract Infection |
US |
Ultrasound |
UTD |
Up to Date |
UTI |
Urinary Tract Infection |
v/d |
Vomiting / Diarrhea |
Vx |
Vaccine |