Common abbreviations used in veterinary medicine
a
aa
AA
AAHA
Ab
ABG
ac
ACD
ACE
ACTH
AD
ADH
ad lib
ADR
A Fib
Ag
A:G
AGID
AL
ALB
ALK PHOS
ALP
ALT
AM
AMA
AMI
amp
ANA
ANS
AP
APC
APTT
ARF
ARR
AS
ASAP
heart
ASD
ASIF
AST
AU
AV
AV block
BAR
(Terms most common to WVRC are in Blue)
Artery
BER
Basal energy requirement
Of each
bid
Twice daily
Amino acid
BLD
Blood
American Animal Hospital Association
BLV
Bovine leukosis virus
Antibody; antibiotics
BM
Bowel movement
Arterial blood gas
BMR
Basal metabolic rate
Before meals
BOL
Large pill (hora)
Acid-citrate-dextrose
BP
Blood pressure
Angiotensin converting enzyme
BRD
Bovine respiratory disease
Adrenocorticotrophic hormone
BRSV
Bovine respiratory syncytial virus
Right ear
BSA
Body surface area
Antidiuretic hormone
BSP
Bromsulphalein
Freely, as wanted
BT
Blue tongue
Active defense reflex;
BUN
Blood urea nitrogen
adverse drug reaction
BUTE
Phenylbutazone
Atrial fibrillation
BV
Bronchovesicular
Antigen
BVD
Bovine virus diarrhea
Albumin-globulin ratio
BW
Body weight
Agar gel immunodiffusion
c
With
Left ear
C&S
Culture & sensitivity
Albumin
C-S
Coughing-sneezing
Alkaline phosphatase
C-spine
Cervical spine
Alkaline phosphatase
Ca
Calcium
Alanine transaminase
CA
Carcinoma; coronary artery;
Antemortem
cardiac arrest
Against medical advice; American
CAE
Caprine arthritis-encephalitis
Medical Association
caps
Capsules
Acute myocardial infarction
CAV-1
Canine adenovirus type 1
Ampule
CBC
Complete blood count
Antinuclear antibody
cc
Cubic centimeter
Autonomic nervous system
CC
Chief complaint
Anterior posterior; arterial pressure
CCM
Congestive cardiomyopathy
Atrial premature contraction
CD
Canine distemper
Activated partial thromboplastin time
CEA
Canine erythrocyte antigen
Acute renal failure
CEM
Contagious equine metritis
Arrhythmia
CFJ
Coxofemoral joint
Aortic stenosis; left ear
CGP
Circulating granulocyte pool
As soon as possible
CHD
Canine hip dysplasia; coronary
Atrial septal defect
Association for the Study of Internal
Fixation
Aspartate aminotransferase
Each ear
Atrioventricular
Atrioventricular as in first-, second-,
third-degree AV block
Bright, alert, and responsive
CHF
CHOL
CHV
Ci
CID
CIN
CITE
disease
Congestive heart failure
Cholesterol
Canine hepatitis virus
Cardiac insufficiency
Combined immunodeficiency
Chronic interstitial nephritis
Concentration immunoassay
technology
BAER
BBB
BE
Brain stem auditory-evoked response
Blood-brain barrier
Barium enema colon only
CNS
COB
CODE E
CPA
CPD
CPK
CPR
CPU
Creat
CRF
Central nervous system
Care of body
Used in emergency for cardiac arrest
Cardiopulmonary arrest
Citrate-phosphate-dextrose
Serum creatine phosphokinase
Cardiopulmonary resuscitation
Central processing unit
Creatinine
Chronic renal failure; corticotropin
releasing factor
Capillary refill time; cathode-ray tube
Cerebrospinal fluid; colony-stimulating
factor
Cervical stenotic myelopathy
Chemoreceptor trigger zone
Cardiovascular accident;
cerebrovascular accident
Central venous pressure
Cardiovscular system
Hundredweight
Chest x-ray
Direct bilirubin
Dextrose in saline
5% dextrose in water
Differential diagnosis
Decrease; diethylcarbamazine
Diethylstilbestrol
Canine distemper-hepatitisleptospirosis vaccine
Disseminated intravascular coagulation
Degenerative joint disease
Domestic longhair
Diabetes mellitus
Dimethyl sulfoxide
Dead on arrival
Disk operating system
Diagnosis-related group
Dose or days not acceptable
Domestic shorthair
Dermatophyte test medium
Dorsal ventral
Diagnosis
Enzootic abortion of ewes
Extracullular fluid
Electrocardiogram
CRT
CSF
CMS
CTZ
CVA
CVP
CVS
cwt
CXR
D BILI
D/S
D5W
Ddx
DEC
DES
DHL
DIC
DJD
DLH
DM
DMSO
DOA
DOS
DRG
DS
DSH
DTM
DV
Dx
EAE
ECF
ECG or
EKG
Cl
CM
CMT
CNE
EIA
ELISA
EM
EMD
EMG
ER
ERG
ESR
F-A
FA
FB
FD
FeLV
FeSV
FIP
FIV
FPV
FSH
FUO
FUS
FVR
Fx
g
gal
GAS
GDV
GFR
GGT
GI
gm
GnRH
gtt
GU
GUI
h
Hb
HBC
HBs
HC
HCT
HIS
HR
hs
HSA
Hx
I BILI
Chloride
Cardiomyopathy
California mastitis test
Canine distemper encephalitis
Equine infectious anemia
Enzyme-linked immunosorbent
assay
Electron microscopy
Electromechanical dissociation
Electromyogram
Emergency room
Electroretinogram
Erythrocyte sedimentation rate
Fecal analysis
Fluorescent antibody; fatty acids
Foreign body
Feline distemper
Feline leukemia virus
Feline sarcoma virus
Feline infectious peritonitis
Feline immunodeficiency virus
Feline panleukopenia virus
Follicle-stimulating hormone
Fever of unknown origin
Feline urological syndrome
Feline viral rhinotracheitis
Fracture
Gram
Gallon
General adaptation syndrome
Gastric dilation volvulus
Glomerular filtration rate
Gamma glutamyltransferase
Gastrointestinal
Gram
Gonadotropin releasing hormone
Drops (guttae)
Genitourinary
Graphical-user interface
Hour
Hemoglobin
Hit by car
Harsh bronchial sounds
Health certificate
Hematocrit
Hospital information systems
Heart rate
At bedtime (hora somni)
Hemangiosarcoma
History
Indirect bilirubin
ECHO
Echocardiogram
keratoconjunctivitis
EDTA
Ethylenediaminetetraacetic acid
EEE
Eastern equine encephalomyelitis
EEG
Electroencephalogram
EENT
Eyes, ears, nose, throat
EFA
Essential fatty acids
EHV
Equine herpesvirus
IM
Intramuscular
IN
Intranasal
IOP
Intraocular pressure
IP
Intraperitoneal
ISE
Ion-selective electrode
IT
Intratracheal
IU
International unit
IV
Intravenous
IVD
Intervertebral disk disease
IVP
Intravenous pyelogram
K
Potassium
K-9
Canine
Kcal
Kilocalorie
KCS
Keratoconjunctivitis sicca
kg
Kilogram
L or LT
Left
LBBB
Left bundle branch block
LDA
Left displaced abomasum
LDH
Lactate dehydrogenase
LN
Lymph node
LRS
Lactated Ringer’s solution
LSA
Lymphosarcoma
m2
Meter squared
MAC
Minimum alveolar concentration
MAOI
Monoamine oxidase inhibitor
MAP
Mean arterial pressure
p.g
Microgram
p.I
Microliter
mcg
Microgram
MCH
Mean corpuscular hemoglobin
MCHC
Mean corpuscular hemoglobin
concentration
MCT
Mast cell tumor
MCV
Mean corpuscular volume
MEA
Mean electrical axis
mEq
Milliequivalents
MER
Maintenance energy requirements
Mg
Magnesium
MGP
Marginated granulocyte pool
MI
Mitral insufficiency or myocardial
insufficiency; myocardial infarction
MIC
Minimal inhibitory concentration
MIP
Mare’s immunological pregnancy test
IBK
Infectious bovine
IBR
IC
ICF
ICH
ICU
ID
NR
NRBC
NRC
NS
NSF
NSR
NVL
OB
OCD
OD
OFA
OHE
OL
OPP
OS
OSA
OTC
OU
P
P3
PAC
PAT
pc
PCV
PDA
PDQ
PDR
PE
PEA
PEG
Infectious bovine rhinotracheitis
Intracardiac
Intracellular fluid
Infectious canine hepatitis
Intensive care unit
Intradermal
Not remarkable
Nucleated red blood cell
National Research Council
Normal saline
No significant findings
Normal sinus rhythm
No visible lesions
Obstetrics
Osteochondritis dissecans
Right eye (oculus dexter)
per os
PG
PGA
P13
PK
PM
PMSG
PNS
PO
POVMR
PPH
Orthopedic Foundation for Animals
Ovariohysterectomy (spay)
Left eye
Ovine progressive pneumonia
Left eye (oculus sinister)
Osteosarcoma
Over the counter
Both eyes
Phosphorus
Third phalanx or coffin bone
Premature atrial contraction
Paroxysmal atrial tachycardia
After meals
Packed cell volume
Patent ductus arteriosus
Pretty darned quick
Passive defense reflex
Pulmonary edema; physical exam
Phenylethyl alcohol
Percutaneous endoscopic
gastrostomy
Orally, by mouth
Prostaglandin
Polyglycolic acid
Parainfluenza-3
Pigmentary keratitis
Postmortem
Pregnant mare serum gonadotropin
Parasympathetic nervous system
Postoperative, per os
Problem-oriented veterinary
medicine
Pertinent past history
ml
Milliliter
MLV
Modified live virus
MM
Mucous membrane
MRI
Magnetic resonance imaging
Na
Sodium
NC
No change
NCC
Nucleated cell count
NMR
Nuclear magnetic resonance
non rep Do not repeat
NPL
No palpable lesions
NPO
Nothing per os (nothing by mouth)
PSS
Physiologic saline
PTA
Prior to admission
PTH
Parathyroid hormone
PTS
Put to sleep
PTT
Partial thromboplastin time
PU
Penile urethrostomy
PVC
Premature ventricular contraction
PWD
Powder
q
Every
q2h
Every 2 hours
q6h
Every 6 hours
QBC
Quantitative buffy coat
qd
Every day
qh
Every hour
qid
Four times a day
qns
Quantity not sufficient
qod
Every other day
qs
Quantity sufficient
R or RT
Right
RACL
Ruptured anterior cruciate ligament
RADs
Radiographs
RAM
Random access memory
RAS
Reticular activating system
RBBB
Right bundle branch block
RBC
Red blood cell
RDA
Right displaced abomasum
RER
Resting energy requirement
Retic
Reticulocyte
RHF
Right heart failure
RID
Radical immunodiffusion
R/O
Rule out
RTG
Ready to go
RV
Rabies vaccination; residual volume
Rx
Take (prescription)
s
Without (sine)
SC or SQ
Subcutaneous
SCC
Squamous cell carcinoma
SDH
Sorbitol dehydrogenase
SGOT
Serum glutamic-oxaloacetic
transaminase
ppm
PPM
PPN
PPV
PRA
PRAA
prn
PRRS
PRV
PS
Sx
T BILI
tab
TAT
TBW
TDN
TEME
TGC
TGE
TGEV
TI
tid
T-L
TLC
TP
TPN
TPP
TPR
TR
TRF
TRH
TRIG
TS-FIPV
TSH
TSI
TT
Tx
U
UA
UG
UGI
ung
UO
URI
US
USG
Parts per million
Persistent pupillary membrane
Partial parenteral nutrition
Porcine parvovirus
Progressive retinal atrophy
Persistent right aortic arch
As necessary
Porcine reproductive and
respiratory syndrome
Pseudorabies virus
Pulmonic stenosis
Signs, symptoms
Total bilirubin
Tablet
Tetanus antitoxin
Total body water
Total digestible nutrients
Thromboembolic
meningoencephalitis
Time gain compensation
Transmissible gastroenteritis
Transmissible gastroenteritis virus
Tricuspid insufficiency
Thrice daily
Thoracolumbar vertebra
Tender loving care
Total protein
Total parenteral nutrition
Total plasma protein
Temperature, pulse, respiration
Trace
Thyrotropin-releasing factor
Thyrotropin-releasing hormone
Triglycerides
Temperture-sensitive feline
infectious peritonitis virus
Thyroid-stimulating hormone
Triple sugar iron
Tetanus toxoid
Treatment
Unit
Urinalysis
Urogenital
Upper gastrointestinal tract
(includes esophagus, stomach
and duodenum)
Ointment
Urinary obstruction
Upper respiratory infection
Ultrasound
Urine specific gravity
SGPT
Sig
SIM
SMEDI
SNS
SOAP
SOB
S/P
sp.
sp. gr.
SR
ss
stat
VPC
VS
VSD
VSV
WBC
WEE
WNL
XRT
Serum glutamic-pyruvate transaminase
Label (prescription)
Sulfide-indole-motililty (medium)
Stillbirths, mummified fetuses,
embryonic death, and infertility
Sympathetic nervous system
Subjective, objective, assessment, plan
Shortness of breath
Status post
Species
Specific gravity
Suture removal
One half
Statum (immediately)
Ventricular premature contraction
Vital signs
Ventricular septal defect
Vesicular stomatitis virus
White blood cell
Western equine encephalomyelitis
Within normal limits
Radiation therapy
UT DICT
UTI
v.
V TACH
vc
VD
V-D
VECCS
VEE
VER
VES
VMDB
As directed (ut dictum)
Urinary tract infection
Vein
Ventricular tachycardia
Vital capacity
Ventral dorsal
Vomiting and diarrhea
Veterinary Emergency and
Critical Care Society
Venezuelan equine
encephalomyelitis
Visual evoked response
Ventricular extrasystole
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