Veterinary Terminology
At the completion of this unit, students will be able to:
A. Match scientific names with their appropriate species
B. Define medical terms related to each body system;
C. Identify prefixes, suffixes, and root words, in order to
define medical terms;
D. Decipher directional terminology
E. Define medical abbreviations
F. Extract and interpret information from realistic
medical documents.
A.
Match scientific names with their appropriate species
Scientific Names of Animals
Common Name
Latin
Species Name
Dog
Cat
Canis
Felis
Canine
Feline
Horse
Cattle
Equus
Bos
Equine
Bovine
Sheep
Goat
Pig
Bird
Mouse
Rat
Ovis
Capra
Sus
Avis
Mus
Rattus
Ovine
Caprine
Porcine
Avian
Murine
Murine
B. Define medical terms related to each body system;
Body System Terms
Your body is made up of many systems, each
having their own vital parts that work together.
This list represents your bodily systems and the
specific parts that comprise them:
B. Define medical terms related to each body system;
Body System Terms
•Skeletal: Bones and joints
•Muscular: Muscles and tendons
•Integumentary: Skin, hair, nails, and glands in
skin
B. Define medical terms related to each body system;
Body System Terms
• Sensory: Eyes, ears, nose, skin receptors, and
mouth
• Cardiovascular: Heart, blood vessels, and blood
• Lymphatic: Tonsils, spleen, thymus, lymph nodes,
lymphatic vessels, and lymph fluid
B. Define medical terms related to each body system;
Body System Terms
• Respiratory: Nose, pharynx, larynx, trachea, bronchi,
and lungs
• Gastrointestinal: Mouth, esophagus, stomach, small
and large intestines, pancreas, liver, and gallbladder
• Endocrine: Hormones, pituitary gland, thyroid,
adrenal glands, pancreas, and gonads
B. Define medical terms related to each body system;
Body System Terms
• Nervous: Brain, spinal cord, ganglia, nerves,
and sensory organs
• Urinary: Kidneys, ureters, bladder, and urethra
• Reproductive: Ovaries, uterine tubes, uterus,
and vagina in females; testes, ducts, penis,
urethra, and prostate in males
C. Identify prefixes, suffixes, and root words, in order to define medical terms;
Medical Terms
• Medical terms are used everyday…
– Offices, newspapers, television, personal
conversations, etc.
• Medical vocabulary is based on Greek or Latin
origin, eponyms (words formed from a persons name),
and modern language terms.
C. Identify prefixes, suffixes, and root words, in order to define medical terms;
Medical Terms
• Medical terms are composed of word part
combinations consisting of:
Prefix
Root
Combining vowel / form
Suffix
C. Identify prefixes, suffixes, and root words, in order to define medical terms;
Medical Terms: Root Words
• ROOT= main part and core meaning of word
• Gives you a general idea of what you’re dealing
with or specify a body part.
C. Identify prefixes, suffixes, and root words, in order to define medical terms;
Medical Terms: Root Words
Abdomin/o:
Abdomen
Col/o
Colon
Aden/o
Gland
Cyt/o
Cell
Audi/o
Hearing
Dent/i, dent/o
Teeth
Bio
Life
Skin
Brachi/o
Arm
Derm/a, derm/o,
dermat/o:
Bronch/i,
bronch/o
Bronchus
Encephal/o
Brain
Gastr/o
Stomach
Carcin/o
Cancer
Gynec/o
Female
Cardi/o
Heart
Hemat/o
Blood
Cephal/o
Head
Hist/o, histi/o
Tissue
C. Identify prefixes, suffixes, and root words, in order to define medical terms;
Medical Terms: Root Words
Intestin/o
Intestine
Lapar/o
Abdomen, loin or flank
Lymph/o
Lymph vessels
Mamm/a,
mamm/o
Mammary gland
Nas/o
Nose
Ophthalm/o
Eye
Ot/o
Ear
Steth/o
Chest
Thorac/o
Thorax
Trache/o
Trachea
C. Identify prefixes, suffixes, and root words, in order to define medical terms;
Medical Terms: Root Words
Write a root word in the middle box in your
notes
C. Identify prefixes, suffixes, and root words, in order to define medical terms;
Medical Terms: Prefixes
• Prefixes consist of one or more syllables and
are always placed at the beginning of word.
• A prefix can never stand alone it can only be
used to alter a word or create a new word.
• Usually indicates number, location, time, or
status.
•Like the train’s engine with its whistle.
•Leads the train and announces the
coming train.
•Without the box cars, together with the
engine there is not a complete train.
C. Identify prefixes, suffixes, and root words, in order to define medical terms;
Medical Terms: Prefixes
Prefix
Definition
Epi
Upper
Extra
Outside
Hyper
Above, increased, or more than normal
Hypo
Below, under, or decreased
Infra
Below or beneath
Inter
Between
Intra
Within
Meta
Beyond
Per
Throughout
Sub
Below, under, or decreased
Super
Above, increased, or more than normal
Supra
Above, increased, or more than normal
Trans
Across
Ultra
Above, increased, or more than normal
C. Identify prefixes, suffixes, and root words, in order to define medical terms;
Medical Terms: Prefixes
For example: operative
• Pre- means before. Preoperative means
before or preceding an operation.
• Peri- means around. Perioperative means
pertaining to the period around an operation;
before, during, or after.
• Post- means after. Postoperative means after
an operation.
C. Identify prefixes, suffixes, and root words, in order to define medical terms;
Medical Terms: Prefixes
• On the upper right hand corner of the your
notes write a PREFIX in the top box
Medical Terms: Prefixes








a-, an- (without or not having)
anti - (against)
brady- (slow)
contra- (against, opposed)
de- (remove, take away, loss of)
dys- (difficult, troubled)
pyo - (pus)
hyper- (high)
1. ________ biotic
(against life)
2. ________
thermia (high
temperature)
3. ________ horn
(remove the
horn)
C. Identify prefixes, suffixes, and root words, in order to define medical terms;
Medical Terms: Suffixes
• Word part found at the end of a word.
• Usually indicates procedure, condition, disease,
or disorder.
• Like prefixes, they cannot stand alone.
Like a caboose, it’s
always last
C. Identify prefixes, suffixes, and root words, in order to define medical terms;
Medical Terms: Suffixes
-cyte
-ectomy
-pnea
-itis
-logy
-oma
-penia
-scope
Cell
Erythrocyte: red blood cell
To surgically remove
Lobectomy: to surgically remove a lobe
Breathing
Tachypnea: abnormally fast breathing
Inflammation
Arthritis: inflammation of the joints
Study of
Biology: the study of life
Tumor
Carcinoma: cancerous tumor
Deficiency of
Leukopenia: deficiency of white blood cells
Instrument for
examining
Microscope: instrument for examining minute
objects
-tomy
Cutting, incision
Cystotomy: cutting into the urinary bladder
C. Identify prefixes, suffixes, and root words, in order to define medical terms;
Medical Terms: Suffixes
-cyte
Cell
-iasis
Infestation or
infection
-ism
State or condition
-graphy
Recording of
-ist
One who studies
-lysis
Destruction of
-megaly
Abnormally large
-natal
Birth
-osis
Abnormal condition
Erythrocyte: red blood cell
C. Identify prefixes, suffixes, and root words, in order to define medical terms;
Medical Terms: Suffixes
-oxia
Oxygen
-phagia
Eating, swallowing
-spasm
Involuntary
contraction
Poison
-toxin
C. Identify prefixes, suffixes, and root words, in order to define medical terms;
Medical Terms: Practice
• Example:
Prefix
+
Brady +
“slow”
Root Word +
Tonsil
Root Word
cardi/a
“heart”
New word
= bradycardia
slow heart (rate)
Suffix
New word
+-itis
Tonsilitis
inflammation of Inflammation of
the tonsils
C. Identify prefixes, suffixes, and root words, in order to define medical terms;
Medical Terms: Suffixes
• Now write a suffix in the bottom box
C. Identify prefixes, suffixes, and root words, in order to define medical terms;
Medical Terms:
Combining Forms
• Vowel commonly used: “o”
• General Rule 1: If the suffix starts with a consonant, connect
the rootword and the suffix with the vowel “o”.
Root Word +
CV
Suffix
Cardi
-o-
-logy
“Heart”
+
study of
New word
Cardiology
Study of the heart
C. Identify prefixes, suffixes, and root words, in order to define medical terms;
Medical Terms:
Combining Forms
• General Rule 2: If the suffix starts with a vowel (a,e,i,o,u) DO
NOT USE the vowel “o”. Just attach the suffix to the root word.
Root Word +
Hepat/o
liver
Suffix
-osis
New word
Hepatosis
-disease process
-disease process
in the liver
C. Identify prefixes, suffixes, and root words, in order to define medical terms;
Medical Terms:
Combining Forms
• General Rule 3: If the suffix begins with the same vowel
as the root word, DO NOT repeat the vowel.
Root Word
Cardi
heart
+
Suffix
-itis
-inflammation of
New word
Carditis
- inflammation of the
heart
C. Identify prefixes, suffixes, and root words, in order to define medical terms;
Medical Terms:
Dice Activity
D. Decipher directional terminology
Directional Terminology
D. Decipher directional terminology
Directional Terminology
Caudal – towards the tail
Cranial – towards the head
D. Decipher directional terminology
Directional Terminology
Deep – further from the surface
Superficial – closer to the surface
D. Decipher directional terminology
Directional Terminology
Dorsal – along the back or
uppermost surface
Ventral – along the belly
D. Decipher directional terminology
Directional Terminology
Distal – part of the limb furthest from
the body
Proximal – part of the limb closest to the
body
D. Decipher directional terminology
Directional Terminology
Anterior – front of the animal
Posterior – rear of the animal
D. Decipher directional terminology
Directional Terminology
Median – body plane that divides the
animal into “equal” right and left halves
D. Decipher directional terminology
Directional Terminology
Sagittal – any body plane that is parallel
to the median plane. (doesn’t divide equally)
D. Decipher directional terminology
Directional Terminology
Transverse – body plane that divides the
body into cranial and caudal parts
D. Decipher directional terminology
Directional Terminology
Lateral – side of an animal
Medial -
D. Decipher directional terminology
Directional Terminology
Gummi Bear Lab
Each student needs:
– 1 Lab Sheet
– 1 plastic knife
– 1 Napkin
– 10 Gummy Bears
E. Define medical abbreviations
Medical Abbreviations
Do you know these?
E. Define medical abbreviations
Medical Abbreviations
How about these?
E. Define medical abbreviations
Medical Abbreviations
ad lib
As much as desired
sid
bid
tid
Once time daily
Two times daily
Three times daily
qid
qh
qd
Four times daily
Every hour
Every day
w/o
stat
n
Without
Immediately
Normal
DSH
DLH
Domestic Short Hair
Domestic Long Hair
Dx
Hx
Diagnosis
History
Rx
Sx
FeLV
Prescription
Surgery
Feline Leukemia Virus
FIA
FIP
ECG
Feline Infectious Anemia
ICU
cc
ml
Feline Infectious Peritonitis
Electrocardiogram
Intensive Care Unit
Cubic Centimeter
Milliliter
E. Define medical abbreviations
Medical Abbreviations
wt
HR
PCV
sg
TPR
UA, U/A
IM
IP
IV
Sub-Q
rbc
Weight
Heart Rate
Packed Cell Volume
Specific Gravity
Temp, Pulse, Respiration
Urinalysis
Wbc
DVM
CNS
GI
DOA
DOB
White blood cell
Doctor of Vet. Medicine
Central Nervous System
Gastrointestinal
Dead on arrival
Date of Birth
Intramuscular
Female
Intraperitoneal
Intravenous
Subcutaneous
V/D
NSF
Male
Vomitting & Diarrhea
No Significant findings
Red blood cell
PE
Physical Examination
E. Define medical abbreviations
Medical Abbreviations
L
R
HBC
Bbd
NPO
UTI
CRT
E&D
Left
Right
Hit by car
Bit by dog
Nothing by mouth
Urinary tract infection
Capillary Refill Time
Eating & Drinking
E. Define medical abbreviations
Medical Abbreviations
Practice…
• Administer 2cc per 10lbs, bid
• Rx: 6mL IM qid
• Vaccinate for FIA, FeLV and FIP.
E. Define medical abbreviations
Medical Abbreviations
F. Extract and interpret information from realistic medical
documents.