Common Abbreviations
In Veterinary Medicine
Instructions
1. American
Hospital
Association
2. Antibody;
antiobiotics
3. Arterial blood
gas
4. Angiotensinconverting enzyme
5. Adrenocorticotropic
hormone
6. Antidiuretic
hormone
1.
2.
3.
4.
Freely, as wanted
Ain’t Doin Right
Antigen
Albumin-globulin
ratio
5. Albumin
6. Alkaline
Phosphatase
7. Alkaline Amino
Transferase
1. Antinuclear
Antibody
2. Anteriorposterior;arterial
pressure
3. Activated partial
thromboplastin time
4. Acute Renal Failure
5. Arrythmia
1. As soon as possible
2. Atrioventricular
3. Atrioventricular as
in first-, second-,
third- degree AV
block
4. Bright, alert, and
responsive
5. Blood-brain barrier
1. Twice daily
2. Bovine leukosis
virus
3. Bowel Movement
4. Basal Metabolic
rate
5. Blood pressure
6. Bovine
respiratory
disease
1. Bovine respiratory
syncytial virus
2. Body surface area
3. Blue tongue
4. Blood urea nitrogen
5. Phenylbutazone
6. Bovine virus
diarrhea
7. Body weight
1. Culture and
sensitivity
2. Cervical spine
3. Calcium
4. Carcinoma;
coronary artery;
cardiac arrest
5. Canine adenovirus
type 1
6. Complete blood
count
7. Cubic centimeter
1. Canine distemper
2. Congestive heart
failure
3. Cholesterol
4. Canine hepatitis
virus
5. Chloride
6. California mastitis
test
7. Central nervous
system
1. Serum creatine
phosphokinase
2. Cardiopulmonary
resuscitation
3. Creatine
4. Chronic renal
failure;
corticotropinreleasing factor
1. Capillary refill time;
cathode-ray tube
2. Cerebrospinal fluid;
colony-stimulating
factor
3. Central venous
pressure
4. Direct bilirubin
5. 5% dextrose in
water
1. Differential
diagnosis
2. Diethylstilbestrol
3. Canine distemperhepatitisleptospirosis
vaccine
4. Disseminated
intravascular
coagulation
1. Degenerative joint
disease
2. Domestic longhair
3. Diabetes mellitus
4. Dimethyl sulfoxide
5. Dead on arrival
6. Domestic Short hair
1. Dermatophyte
test medium
2. Dorsal ventral
3. Diagnosis
4. Extracellular fluid
5. Electrocardiogra
m
6. Echocardiogram
1. Ethylenediaminetetr
a-acetic acid
2. Eastern equine
encephalomyelitis
3. Electroencephelogra
m
4. Eyes, ears, nose,
throat
5. Equine herpes virus
6. Equine infectious
anemia
1. Enzyme-linked
immunoabsorban
t assay
2. Electromyogram
3. Emergency room
4. Electroretinogra
m
5. Fluorescent
antibody; fatty
acids
1. Foreign Body
2. Feline lukemia Virus
3. Feline Infectious
peritonitis
4. Feline
immunodeficiency
virus
5. Feline
panleukopenia virus
1. Follicle
stimulating
hormone
2. Fever of
unknown origin
3. Feline urologic
syndrome
4. Feline viral
rhinotracheitis
5. Fracture
1. Gram
2. Gallon
3. Gastric dilation
volvulus
4. Glomerular filtration
rate
5. Gammaglutamyltransferase
6. Gastrointestinal
1. Gonadotrophinreleasing
hormone
2. Hour
3. Hemoglobin
4. Hit by car
5. Hematocrit
6. Heart Rate
7. History
1. Indirect bilirubin
2. Infectious bovine
rhinotracheitis
3. Intracardiac
4. Intracellular fluid
5. Infectious canine
hepatitis
6. Intensive care
unit
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
7.
8.
Intradermal
Intramuscular
Intranasal
Intraocular
pressure
Intraperitoneal
Intratracheal
International unit
Intravenous
1. Intravertebral
disc disease
2. Intravenous
pyelogram
3. Potassium
4. Canine
5. Kilocalorie
6. Keratoconjunctivi
tis sicca
1. Kilogram
2. Left
3. Left bundle branch
block
4. Left displaced
abomasum
5. Lactate
dehydrogenase
6. Lymph node
7. Lactated ringer’s
solution
1. Lymphosarconoma
2. Meter squared
3. Mean arterial
pressure
4. Microgram
5. Microliter
6. Mean corpuscular
hemoglobin
1. Mean corpuscular
hemoglobin
concentration
2. Mast cell tumor
3. Mean corpuscular
volume
4. Mean electrical axis
5. Milliequivalents
1. Magnesium
2. Mitral insufficiency
or myocardial
insufficiency;
myocardial
infarction
3. Minimal inhibitory
concentration
4. Milliliter
5. Modified live virus
1. Mucous membrane
2. Magnetic resonance
imaging
3. Sodium
4. No change
5. Nothing per os
(nothing by mouth)
6. Nucleated red blood
cell
1. No significant
findings
2. Obstetrics
3. Osteochondritis
dissecans
4. Right Eye
(Occulas dexter)
5. Orthopedic
foundation for
animals
1. Ovariohysterecto
my (Spay)
2. Ovine
progressive
pneumonia
3. Left eye (ocular
sinister)
4. Over the counter
5. Both eyes
6. Phosphorous
1. Third phalanx or
coffin bone
2. Premature atrial
contraction
3. Paroxymal atrial
tachycardia
4. Packed cell
volume
5. Patent ductus
arteriosis
1. Physical
examination
2. Orally, or by
mouth
3. Per os
4. Parts per million
5. Progressive
retinal atrophy
6. Persistant right
aortic arch
1. As necessary
2. Porcine
reproductive and
respiratory
syndrome
3. Pseudorabies virus
4. Physiologic saline
5. Parathyroid
hormone
6. Put to sleep
7. Partial
thromboplastin time
1. Penile urethrostomy
2. Premature
ventricular
contraction
3. Every
4. Every 2 hours
5. Every 6 hours
6. Quantitative buffy
coat
7. Every day
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
Every hour
Every other day
Right
Red blood cell
Right displaced
abomasum
6. Reticulocyte
7. Rule out
1. Rabies vaccination;
residual volume
2. Take (prescription)
3. Subcutaneous
4. Squamous cell
carcinoma
5. Sorbitol
dehydrogenase
6. Serum glutamicoxaloacetic
transaminase
1. Serum glutamicpyruvate
transaminase
2. Subjective,
objective,
assessment, plan
3. Specific gravity
4. Statum
(immediately)
5. Signs, symptoms
6. Total Bilirubin
1. Tablet
2. Thromboembolic
meningoencephaliti
s
3. Thrice daily
4. Thoracolumbar
vertebra
5. Tender loving care
6. Total Protein
7. Total parenteral
nutrition
1. Temperature,
pulse, respiration
2. Triglycerides
3. Thyroidstimulating
hormone
4. Treatment
5. Urinalysis
6. Upper respiratory
infection
1. Ultrasound
2. Urinary tract
infection
3. Ventral dorsal
4. Vomiting and
diarrhea
5. Veterinary
Emergency and
Critical Care Society
1. Ventricular
premature
contraction
2. Ventricular septal
defect
3. White blood cell
4. Western equine
encephalomyelitis
5. Within normal limits
American Hospital Association
 AAHA
 Small animal Veterinary association
providing veterinary professionals
with resources
 Back
Antibody; antiobiotics
 Ab
 Destroys the growth of
microorganisms
 The drug that destroys the growth of
microorganisms
 Back
Arterial blood gas
 ABG
 Blood test that determines
concentration of oxygen, carbon
dioxide, and bicarbonate
 Back
Angiotensin-converting enzyme
 ACE
 Group of pharmaceuticals used to
treat hypertension (high blood
pressure), type 2 diabetes, and heart
failure.
 Back
Adrenocorticotropic hormone
 ACTH
 Stimulates the adrenal cortex,
essential to growth
 Back
Antidiuretic hormone
 ADH
 Nine amino acid peptide found in
most animals that reduces the
amount of water lost in urine
 Back
Freely-as wanted
 ad lib
 The definition is the name…….
 Back
Ain’t Doin Right
 ADR
 Slang used when you don’t know
exactly what is wrong but the animal
is sick
 Back
Antigen
 Ag
 Stimulates the production of
antibodies
 Back
Albumin-globulin ratio
 A:G
 The ratio of albumin (water soluble
proteins) to globulin (non water
soluble proteins) in the urine, which
indicates a variety of diseases such
as those of the liver and kidneys
 Back
Albumin
 ALB
 Water soluble proteins that make up
about 60% of the plasma in blood,
maintains osmotic pressure
necessary for intravasular blood
transfer
 Back
Alkaline Phosphatase
 ALK PHOS
 ALP
 Group of enzymes found in the liver,
measuring them checks for bone
and liver disease
 Back
Alkaline Amino Transferase
 ALT
 An enzyme which promotes transfer
of an amino group, high levels could
mean liver disease
 Back
Antinuclear Antibody
 ANA
 Antibodies present in higher that
normal numbers in autoimmune
disease
 Back
Anterior-posterior;arterial pressure
 AP
 Front to back
 The difference between the systolic
and diastolic pressures (upper and
lower pressures) for blood pressure
 Back
Activated partial thromboplastin
time
 APTT
 A test that measures how long it
takes blood to clot and if the right
amount of heparin is being used
 Back
Acute Renal Failure
 ARF
 Rapid loss of kidney function due to
damage to the kidneys, results in
retaining urea and creatine that are
normal excreted.
 Back
Arrythmia
 ARR
 When the electrical activity of the
heart (the heart beat) is irregular: as
in faster or slower than regular
 Back
As soon as possible
 ASAP
 As Quickly as you can
 Back
Atrioventricular
AV
Of or pertaining to the atria and
ventricals of the heart
Back
Atrioventricular as in first-, second, third- degree AV block
 AV block
 Occurs when impulses fail to reach
the ventricles or are conducted with
a delay
 Back
Bright, alert, and responsive
 BAR
 When the animal looks healthy and
alert and acts appropriately to
stimulus.
 Back
Blood-brain barrier
 BBB
 Membranic structure that protects
the brain from chemicals in the
blood while maintaining metabolic
function
 Back
Twice daily
 bid
 Two times during the day
 Back
Bovine leukosis virus
 BLV
 Retrovirus that causes malignant
lymphoma, signs are: weight loss, ,
decreased milk production, enlarged
lymph nodes, loss of appetite, rear-limb
weakness or paralysis, fever, protruding
eyeballs, gastrointestinal obstruction,
heart failure, and abnormal blood
lymphocyte count
 Back
Bowel movement
 BM
 Solid feces in the large intestine that
is formed after salts and water are
absorbed
 Back
Basal metabolic rate
 BMR
 Amount of energy expended at rest
in a neutral environment
 Back
Blood pressure
 BP
 The tension of blood on the walls of
the arteries.
 Back
Bovine respiratory disease
 BRD
 Shipping fever or pneumonia
 Back
Bovine respiratory syncytial virus
 BRSV
 A virus causing lung disease in the
bovine and producing syncytial (large
section of cytoplasm containing many
nuclei) lesions
 Back
Body surface area
 BSA
 A calculation of the metabolic mass
of an animal for purposes of
prescribing the correct dose of
medication. Every animal follows a
different formula.
 Back
Blue tongue
 BT
 Insect borne virus of ruminants that
causes fever, facial swelling, a
blueness in the tongue.
 Back
Blood urea nitrogen
 BUN
 Measures the amount of nitrogen in
your blood produced by the waste
product urea, shows how well the
kidneys are working.
 Back
Phenylbutazone
 BUTE
 Used as a non-steroidal antiinflammatory drug for the treatment of
chronic pain, including the symptoms of
arthritis. Its use is limited by such severe
side effects as suppression of white
blood cell production and aplastic
anemia.
 Back
Bovine virus diarrhea
 BVD
 Symptoms can be ulcerative mucosal
lesions and diarrhea, can be passed to
the fetus, is often undetectable, and
weakens the immune system making
the animal more vulnerable to other
health issues.
 Back
Body weight
 BW
 The mass of an organism’s body
 Back
Culture and sensitivity
 C&S
 Test that determines the type of
bacteria in a wound and the type of
antibiotic that will best inhibit its
growth
 Back
Cervical spine
 C-Spine
 7 vertebrae that start at the
beginning of the skull
 Back
Calcium
 Ca
 Element and mineral that makes up
the hard part of bones
 Back
Carcinoma; coronary artery;
cardiac arrest
 CA
 Malignant cancer that rises from
epithelial cells
 Left and right arteries that supply blood
to the heart.
 Sudden cessation of blood flow due to
the failure of the heart to contract during
systole (contraction that pushes blood
out)
 Back
Canine Adenovirus type 1
 CAV-1
 Infects major organs causing
hepatitis and other diseases
 Back
Complete Blood Count
 CBC
 Broad screen of the parts of blood
to test for infections, anemia, and
other diseases
 Back
Cubic Centimeter
 cc
 1 centimeter X 1 centimeter X 1
centimeter, equal to 1 milliliter, used
to measure doses of liquid
medication
 Back
Canine Distemper
 CD
 Canine distemper is a contagious,
incurable, often fatal, multisystemic
viral disease that affects the
respiratory, gastrointestinal, and central
nervous systems. It is caused by the
canine distemper virus
 Back
Congestive heart failure
 CHF
 Heart failure: heart cannot pump
enough blood to the other organs
 Back
Cholesterol
 CHOL
 Soft, waxy substance found among the
lipids in the bloodstream and in all your
body's cells. Used to form cell
membranes, some hormones and is
needed for other functions. Too much
can contribute to heart failure
 Back
Canine hepatitis virus
 CHV
 Acute liver infection caused by
adenovirus type 1. Symptoms include
fever, depression, loss of appetite,
coughing, and a tender abdomen
 Back
Chloride
 Cl Anions important to the health of
the central nervous system
 Back
California mastitis test
 CMT
 Measures somatic cells to determine
if an animal has mastitis, mastitis
can occur in all animals including
humans.
 Back
Central nervous system
 CNS
 Made up of the brain and spinal
cord.
 Back
Serum creatine phosphokinase
CPK
An enzyme found in heart brain and
skeletal muscle, when high levels of
this are found in the blood it implies
strain or injury to the heart.
 Back
Cardiopulmonary resuscitation
CPR
 Use of chest compressions and
rescue breathing to either start the
heart beating again or to provide
blood flow and oxygen to the body
 Back
Creatine
 Creat
 Naturally occuring organic acid that
helps supply energy to muscle and
nerve cells
 Back
Chronic renal failure; corticotropinreleasing factor
 CRF
 Failure of the kidneys that slowly
gets worse over time
 Chemical that stimulates the release
of corticotropin, which in turn
stimulates the adrenal cortex
 Back
Capillary refill time; cathode-ray
tube
 CRT
 The rate at which blood refills empty
capillaries
 Glass envelope containing an
electron gun that can project an
image
 Back
Cerebrospinal fluid; colony
stimulating factor
 CSF
 Clear bodily fluid that surrounds the
outside of the brain as well as
between the hemispheres and in all
the ventricular regions
 Glycoproteins that bind to stem
cells and cause them to proliferate
or differentiate
Back
Central venous pressure
 CVP
 Pressure of blood in the thoracic
vena cava near the right atrium of
the heart.
 Back
Direct bilirubin
 D BILI
 Product of the breakdown of
hemoglobin in the liver, used to
diagnose liver or gall bladder
problems
 Back
5% dextrose in water
 D5 W
Nonionic liquid used in place of
saline due to its ability to be used in
almost any body space and absorb
easily
 Back
Differential diagnosis
 The distinguishing of a disease or
condition form others presenting
similar signs and symptoms
 Back
Diethylstilbestrol
 A colorless crystaline synthetic
compound used as a potent
estrogen but contraindicated in
pregnancy for it’s tendency to cause
cancer or birth defects in offspring
 Back
Canine distemper-hepatitisleptospirosis vaccine
 A vaccine for distemper (a high
contagious virus marked by fever,
respiratory, gastrointestinal
symptoms; hepatitis marked by
inflammation of the liver)
 Back
Disseminated intravascular
coagulation
 Widely dispersed in a tissue, organ
or the entire body
 Situated, performed, or occuring
within or entering by way of vein
 To become thickened into a mass
 Back
Degenerative joint disease
 Causing degeneration or wearing
away of the joint
 Back
Domestic long hair
 Breed of cat characterized by long
hair
 Back
Diabetes mellitus
 A variable disorder of carbohydrate
metabolism caused by a
combination of hereditary and
environmental factors
 Back
Dimethyl sulfoxide
 A compound obtained as a by
product in wood-pulp manufacture
and is used as a solvent
 used in medicine as an antiinflammatory
 Back
Dead on arrival
 DOA
 Indicates that the animal was dead
on arrival to the hospital
 Back
Domestic short hair
 A breed of cat characterized by
short hair
 Back
Dermatophyte test medium
 A parasitic fungus on the skin, hair
or fingernails
 Back
Dorsal ventral
 Near the back and lower surface of
an animal
 Back
Diagnosis
 The act of identifying a disease
based on signs or symptoms
 Back
Extracellular fluid
 The fluid outside of a cell or cells in
the body
 Back
Electrocardiogram
 The tracing of an electrocardiograph
used for recording the changes of
electrical potential occurring during
the heartbeat
 Back
Echocardiogram
 The visual record makde by and
echocardiograph used for
examining the function the heart for
abnormalities
 Back
Ethylenediaminetetraacetic acid
 A white crystalline acid used as a
chelating agent, a preservative, and
in medicine as an anti-coagulant
and in the treatment of lead
poisoning
 Back
Eastern equine encephelomyelitis
 Viral disorder carried by mosquitos
 contagious to horses and humans
 fatal disease of the central nervous
system
 Back
Electroencephelogram
 The tracing of brain waves made by
an electroencephalograph
 Back
Eyes, ears, nose, throat
 Specialized light-sensitive sensory
structure of animals that in nearl all
vertebrates is the image-forming organ of
sight
 The characteristic vertebrate organ of
hearing
 the part of the face that bears the nostrils
and covers the anterior part of the nasil
cavity
 the passage through the neck to the
stomach and lungs
 Back
Equine herpes virus
 Back
Equine infectious anemia
 Back
Enzyme-linked immunoabsorbant
assay
 Back
Electromyogram
 Back
Emergency room
 Back
Electroretinogram
 Back
Fluorescent antibody; fatty acids
 Back
Foreign body
 Back
Feline lukemia virus
 Back
Feline infectious peritonitis
 Back
Feline immunodeficiency virus
 Back
Feline panleukopenia virus
 Back
Follicle stimulating hormone
 Back
Fever of unknown origin
 Back
Feline urologic syndrome
 Back
Feline viral rhinotracheitis
 Back
Fracture
 Back
Gram
 Back
Gallon
 Back
Gastric dilation volvulus
 Back
Glomerular filtration rate
 Back
Gamma-glutamyltransferase
 Back
Gastrointestinal
 Back
Gonadotrophin-releasing hormone
 Back
Hour
 Back
Hemoglobin
 Back
Hit by car
 Back
Hematocrit
 Back
Heart rate
 Back
History
 Back
Indirect bilirubin
 Back
Infectious bovine rhinotracheitis
 Back
Intracardiac
 Back
Intracellular fluid
 Back
Infectious Canine Hepatitis
 Back
Intensive care unit
 Back
Intradermal
 Back
Intramuscular
 Back
Intranasal
 Back
Intraocular pressure
 Back
Intraperitoneal
 Back
Intratracheal
 Back
International Unit
 Back
Intravenous
 Back
Intravertebral disc disease
 Back
Intravenous pyelogram
 Back
Potassium
 Back
Canine
 Back
Kilocalorie
 Back
Keratoconjunctivitis sicca
 Back
Kilogram
 Back
Left
 Back
Left bundle branch block
 Back
Left displaced abomasum
 Back
Lactate dehydrogenase
 Back
Lymph node
 Back
Lactated ringer’s solution
 Back
Lymphosarconoma
 Back
Meter squared
 Back
Mean arterial pressure
 Back
Micogram
 Back
Microliter
 Back
Mean corpuscular hemoglobin
 Back
Mean corpuscular hemoglobin
concentration
 Back
Mast cell tumor
 Back
Mean corpuscular volume
 Back
Mean electrical axis
 Back
Milliequivalents
 Back
Magnesium
 Back
Mitral insufficiency or myocardial
insufficiency; myocardial infarction
 Back
Minimal inhibitory concentration
 Back
Milliliter
 Back
Modified live virus
 Back
Mucous membrane
 Back
Magnetic resonance imaging
 Back
Sodium
 Back
No change
 Back
Nothing per os (nothing by mouth)
 Back
Nucleated red blood cell
 Back
No significant findings
 Back
Obstetrics
 Back
Osteochondritis dissecans
 Back
Right Eye (occulas dexter)
 Back
Orthopedic foundation for animals
 Back
Ovariohysterectomy (spay)
 Back
Ovine progress pneumonia
 Back
Left eye (occular sinister)
 Back
Over the counter
 Back
Both eyes
 Back
Phophorous
 Back
Third phalanx or coffin bone
 Back
Premature atrial contraction
 Back
Paroxymal atrial trachycardia
 Back
Packed cell volume
 Back
Patent ductus arteriosis
 Back
Physical examination
 Back
Orally, or by mouth
 Back
Per os
 Back
Parts per million
 Back
Progressive retinal atrophy
 Back
Persistant right aortic arch
 Back
As necessary
 Back
Porcine reproductive and
respiratory syndrome
 Back
Pseudorabies virus
 Back
Physiologic saline
 Back
Parathyroid hormone
 Back
Put to sleep
 Back
Partial thromboplastin time
 Back
Penile urethrostomy
 Back
Premature ventricular contraction
 Back
Every
 Back
Every 2 hours
 Back
Every 6 hours
 Back
Quantitative buffy coat
 Back
Every day
 Back
Every hour
 Back
Every other day
 Back
Right
 Back
Red blood cell
 Back
Right displaced abomasum
 Back
Reticulocyte
 Back
Rule out
 Back
Rabies vaccination; residual
volume
 Back
Take (prescription)
 Back
Subcutaneous
 Back
Squamous cell carcinoma
 Back
Sorbitol dehydrogenase
 Back
Serum glutamic-oxaloacetic
transaminase
 Back
Serum glutamic-pyruvate
transamine
 Back
Subjective, objective, assessment,
plan
 Back
Specific gravity
 Back
Statum (immediately)
 Back
Signs, symptoms
 Back
Total bilirubin
 Back
Tablet
 Back
Thromboembolic
meningoencephalitis
 Back
Thrice daily
 Back
Thoracolumbar vertebra
 Back
Tender loving care
 Back
Total protein
 Back
Total parenteral nutrition
 Back
Temperature, pulse, respiration
 Back
Triglycerides
 Back
Thyroid-stimulating hormone
 Back
Treatment
 Back
Urinalysis
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Upper respiratory infection
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Ultrasound
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Urinary tract infection
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Ventral dorsal
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Vomiting and diarrhea
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Veterinary Emergency and Critical
care society
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Vetricular premature contraction
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Ventricular septal defect
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White blood cell
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Western Equine encephalomyelitis
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Within normal limits
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Instructions
 You will be resonsible for
abbreviations, spelling of terms, and
definitions.
 Click on the links to go to the
information.
 Good luck!
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