Veterinary Medical Applications
Lesson Title: Veterinary Terminology/Directional Terms
TEKS Addressed in Lesson:
130.6. (c)(4) The student communicates the importance of medical terminology, evaluates veterinary
terms to discover their meanings, and demonstrates the ability to use terms correctly.
(A) Analyze veterinary terms to discover their meanings and recognize common Greek and Latin
prefixes, suffixes and root words
(B) Develop appropriate use of directional anatomical terms
(C) Identify anatomical structures of animals
(D) Describe the major body systems by using appropriate medical terminology
(E) Recognize, pronounce, spell and define medical terms relating to diagnosis, pathology, and
treatment of animals
Lesson Objectives:
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Recognize common root words, prefixes, suffixes, and combining vowels used in veterinary
medical applications.
Demonstrate the function and uses of root words, prefixes, suffixes, and combining vowels.
Divide simple and compound words into their respective parts in order to determine the
meaning.
Students will be able to list abbreviations commonly used in veterinary medicine.
Apply appropriate terms to common practices during veterinary course work
Students will develop a vocabulary of directional anatomical terms and will be able to identify
anatomical structures of animals.
Key Terms/Vocabulary
Suggested Terms
Prefix/Suffix
Meaning
Example
a-
not, without
atypical
ab-
from, away
abnormal
acantho-
spine
Acanthocephalan
-ad-
to, toward
dorsad, adhere
albi-
white
albino
-algia
pain
neuralgia
an-
not, without
anhydrous
angio-
vessel
angiocarditis
ante-
before, in front of
anterior
anti-
against, opposed to
antitoxin, antibody
apo-
off, from, away from
apoplexy
aqua-
water
aquatic
-ase
designating an enzyme
amylase
auto-
self
Autosuggestion, autoimmune
bi-
two, twice
biceps, bifocal
bio-
life
biology
brachy-
short
brachycardia
brady-
slow
bradycardia
calor-
heat
calorimeter
-cara
head
Toxocara
cardia-
Heart
bradycardia
-cephal-
head
Acanthocephalan, cephalic
-cera
horn
Brachycera
-cerca
tail
Onchocerca
cerebro-
brain
cerebrospinal
-chezia
defecate
hematochezia
chrom-
color
chromosome
-cidal
killing
bactericidal
corpus-
body
corpuscle
-cyst
bladder
oocyst
-cyte, cyto-
cell
cytoplasm
De-dermic
skin
hypodermic
di-
two, twice
dichromic
dia-
through, between
diaphragm
dys-
bad, difficult
dyspepsia
-ectomy
cut out
appendectomy
em-, en-, endo-
in, into
embolism, endoskeleton
-emia
blood
anemia
entero-
intestine
enterokinase
epi-
on, above, upon
epiglottis
erythro-
red
erythrocyte
-fer-
to carry, to transport
afferent, efferent
-fract-
to break
fracture, refraction
-gastro-
stomach
pneumogastric
-gen-
to produce, to begin
genetics, glycogen
-glosso-
tongue
hypoglossal
glyc-
glucose, sugar
glycosuria
-gnath-
jaw, cheek
Gnathostoma
-gnosis
knowledge, to know
diagnosis
-graph
to write
cardiograph
-helminth
worm
anthelminthic
hemo-
blood
hemorrhage
hetero-
different, other
heterozygous
homo-
alike, same
homozygous
hydro-
water
hydrolytic
hyper-
over, more than
hypersecretion
hypo-
under, less than
hyposecretion
-iasis
infestation
onchocerciasis
inter-
between, together
intercostal
intra-
within
intrathoracic
ir-
not
irregular
-itis
inflammation
appendicitis
kata-, cata-
down
catabolism
kin-
to move or activate
kinetic
-lac-
milk
lactase, prolactin
leuco-, leuko-
white
leucocyte
-ology
science, knowledge
physiology
lymph-, lympho-
lymph
lymphocyte
-lysin, -lysis, -lytic
dissolve, destroy
hemolysis
macro-
large
macrophage
Malmelan-, melen-
black
melanoma, melena
-meter
measure
manometer
micro-
small
microorganism
-monas
a unit
Trichomonas
mono-
one
monocyte, monosaccharide
myo-
muscle
myosin, myoglobin
nema-
thread
nematode
neur-
relating to nerves
neurilemma
nephr-
kidneys
nephritis
-oid
like
lymphoid, amoeboid
-ole
small
bronchiole
-oma
swelling, tumor
sarcoma
oo-
egg
oocyst
-opia
sight
myopia, hyperopia
-osis
condition or process
cyanosis, phagocytosis
os-, oste-, osteo-
bone
osteology, osteocyte
ovi-
egg
oviduct, ovipositor
para-
near, by, beside
parathyroid
patho-
disease, suffering
pathology
peri-
around, near
pericardium
phago-
to eat
phagocyte
-phil-
loving
basophil, eosinophil
-plasm-
substance
cytoplasm, plasmolysis
platy-
broad
Platyhelminthes
-pnea
breathing
dyspnea
pneumo-
air, lungs
pneumonia
-ped
foot
pseudoped
poly-
many
polysaccharide
post-
after, behind
postganglionic
pro-
before, giving rise to
proenzyme
pseudo-
false
pseudopod
psycho-
mind
psychology
pulmo-
lung
pulmonary
-renal
kidney
adrenal
-rrhea
flow
diarrhea
sarco-
flesh, muscle
sarcoplasm
seta, setae
bristle
trailing setae
soma-
body
somatic cell
-some
body
chromosome
-stadial
stage, period
Trans-stadial
steato- , stea-
fat
steatorrhea
stercor-
feces
stercorolith, stercoralis
stoma-
mouth
Ancylostoma
-strongyle
cylinder
Trichostrongylus
arrangement, directional
movement in response to a
phototaxis
Tachy-taxis
stimulus
-thrombo- clot,
coagulation
thrombosis
toxi-, toxo-
poison
toxin
trans-
across, over, through
transstadial
tri-
three
triploid
tricho-
hair-like
Trichostrongylus
-trophic, tropho-
feeding
autotrophic
-tropic, tropism
turning
phototropic
-uria
pertains to urine
glycosuria
-uris
tail
Trichuris
Common Veterinary Abbreviations
Abbreviation
Meaning
aa
(over lined) of each
ab
antibody
a.c.
before meals
Ad lib
as much as desired
Aq
water
A/P
anterior/ posterior
BAR
bright, alert, responsive
BCS
body condition score
Bid
twice a day
b.i.d
twice a day
BM
bowel movement
BP
blood pressure
bpm
beats per minute
c
with
CBC
complete blood count
cc
cubic centimeter
CRT
capillary refill time
C&S
culture and sensitivity
DEA
drug enforcement association
D/V
dorsal/ ventral
FDA
food and drug administration
F
female
Fx
fracture
GSW
gun shot wound
gt
drop
gtt
drops
h
hour
hr
hour
HR
heart rate
hs
at bedtime
IC
intracardiac
ID
intradermal
IM
intramusclar
IN
intravenous
IP
intraperitoneal
IV
intravenous
L (circled)
left
M
male
MM
mucous membrane
N/M
neutered male
NPO
nothing by mouth (nothing by os)
NSAID
non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drug
OHE
ovariohysterectomy
OVH
ovariohysterectomy
p.c.
after meals
PCV
packed cell volume
PE
physical exam
PO
orally
Per Os
orally
PRN
as required
q
every
qd
every day
qh
every hour
qid
four times a day
qod
every other day
q12h
every 12 hours
RBC
red blood cell
r (circled)
right
SC
subcutaneously
SQ
subcutaneously
subq
subcutaneously
subcu
subcutaneously
SID
once a day
s.i.d
once a day
S/F
spayed female
Sig
label; prescription
Stat
immediately
tab
tablet
tid
three times a day
t.i.d
three times a day
TPR
temperature, pulse, respiration
UA
urinalysis
VD
ventral/dorsal
WBC
white blood cell
WNL
within normal limits
Common Directional Terms
Directional Term
Meaning
Anterior
Front of the animal
Caudal
Towards the tail of an animal
Cranial
Towards the head of an animal
Deep
Further from the surface
Distal
part of the limb furthest from the body
Dorsal
Along the back or uppermost surface
Frontal plane
body plane that divides the animal into dorsal and
ventral parts
Lateral
Side of the animal
Median
body plane that divides the animal into “equal”
right and left halves
Posterior
Rear of the animal
Proximal
part of the limb closest to the body
Sagittal
Any body plane that is parallel to the median plane
Superficial
closer to the surface
Transverse
body plane that divides the body into cranial and
caudal parts
Ventral
Along the belly surface
Interest Approach/Anticipatory Set
Display several terms, demonstrate the meaning by dissecting the word into prefix, suffix, and root
word. Some examples should include words students will be familiar with and when given thought, they
can define on their own (example: diarrhea, mastitis, etc...)
Display several examples of the uses of veterinary terms or abbreviations such as a pill bottle, chart, xray, etc. so that students may see the importance of knowledge of veterinary terminology.
Teaching Plan and Strategy Presentation of New Material
Students should receive a copy of Prefixes and Suffixes, Abbreviations, and Directional Terms for the
purpose of this lesson.
Many veterinary terms have abbreviations or acronyms. Using acronyms and abbreviations allows
veterinarians to communicate efficiently in a small amount of space, such as on a patient’s chart or a
cage card.
Root - A root is the foundation of a word. Adding a prefix or a suffix to the root modifies its meaning.
Select a paragraph from a medical journal and have students read aloud, as you come to a term, call
upon a student to dissect and determine the meaning of the word based on the terminology presented
in class.
Activity/Application/Student Engagement/Laboratory
Activity
As a class, perform Gummi Bear/Animal Cracker Dissections to illustrate the various directional terms
associated with veterinary terminology.
Give each student a variety of gummi bears, a plastic knife and a blank sheet of construction or
computer paper.
As a class, define each directional term and dissect and label the gummi bear to depict each
term.
Dissect and define word sleuth activity
http://www.cteonline.org/portal/default/Curriculum/Viewer/Curriculum?action=2&view=viewer&cmob
jid=177862
Create a word die
http://www.cteonline.org/portal/default/Curriculum/Viewer/Curriculum?action=2&view=viewer&cmob
jid=177862
Terminology Matching Game
Evaluation/Summary
Word Drills –CORNELL
Terminology Practice Drills
Terminology Test
Write a paragraph and have students find 10 words within the paragraph that can be abbreviated. The
paragraph could also include terminology to be defined.
References/Additional Materials/Extended Learning Opportunities/Enrichment
Cornell
Merck Veterinary Manual
Merriam Webster Veterinary Dictionary
http://www.cteonline.org/portal/default/Curriculum/Viewer/Curriculum?action=2&cmobjid=178291&vi
ew=viewer&refcmobjid=177862
College and Career Readiness Standards:
Cross Disciplinary
I. E.
English
II. B