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Veterinary Medical Abbreviations

General

ABx - Antibiotic therapy/treatment

ADR - Ain't doing right - general term for a sick animal

CNS - Central nervous system

CS - Clinical signs

Ddx - Differential diagnoses

Dx - Diagnosis

ECG - Electrocardiogram (heart trace), also called EKG

GI - Gastrointestinal (stomach and intestines)

HBC - Hit by car

Hx - History

IU - International units

LN - Lymph node

NAD - No abnormalities detected

OTC - Over the counter

OVH - Ovariohysterectomy (Female spay operation)

RTA - Road traffic accident

TPR - Temperature, pulse, respiration

Tx - Treatment

Medication Routes

IM - Intramuscular injection (into the muscle)

IV - Intravenous injection (into a vein)

PO - Per os (orally) - give it by mouth

SC - Subcutaneous injection (under the skin), sometimes written as SQ

Medication Frequency

"q" - Every: example q3h = every three hours

sid - Once a day

bid - Twice a day

tid - Three times a day

qid - Four times a day

PRN - As needed

Blood Test Results

ALT - Alanine aminotransferase (a liver enzyme), also called GPT

AST - Aspartate aminotransferase (a enzyme present in many body tissue including liver and muscle), also called GOT

BUN - Blood urea nitrogen (an indicator of kidney function)

CBC - Complete blood count

PCV - Packed cell volume (% of red cells in the blood)

RBC - Red blood cells

WBC - White blood cells

Eyes

OD - Right eye

OS - Left eye

OU - Both eyes

Vaccines

KV - Killed virus vaccine

MLV - Modified live virus vaccine

Diseases

CHF - Congestive Heart Failure

CRF - Chronic Renal Failure (kidney failure)

FCV - Feline Calicivirus

FeLV - Feline Leukaemia Virus (Feline Leukemia Virus)

FHV1 - Feline Herpes Virus 1

FIE - Feline Infectious Enteritis

FIP - Feline Infectious Peritonitis

FIV - Feline Immunodeficiency Virus

FLUTD - Feline Lower Urinary Tract Disease

FUS - Feline Urological Syndrome (now called FLUTD)

HCM - Hypertrophic Cardiomyopathy

PKD - Polycystic Kidney Disease

PUO - Pyrexia of Unknown Origin (fever)

PYO - Pyometra

SCC - Squamous Cell Carcinoma

References

Aiello SE, The Merck Veterinary Manual, New Jersey: Merck & Co, 1998

Blood DC & Studdert VP, Saunders Comprehensive Veterinary Dictionary, Great Britain: W.B. Saunders & Co, 1999

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