Terminology

Question 1

AETIOLOGY

Answer 1

cause of disease, eg. viaral, bacterial, neoplastic, degenerative

Question 2

Pathology

Answer 2

the study of diseases

Question 3

Pathophysiology

Answer 3

the disordered physiological processes associated with diease or injury

i.e. the way the disease impacts on the animals body function

Question 4

Differential Diagnosis

Answer 4

the distinguishing of a disease or condition from others presenting with similar signs and symptoms.

i.e short list of possible diagnosis made before a definitive diagnosis is reached

Question 5

Definitive Diagnosis

Answer 5

Final diagnosis that is made after getting the results of tests, such as blood tests and niopsies, that are carried out to find out if a certain disease or condition is present.

Question 6

Prognosis

Answer 6

The likely outcome of a medical condition

Question 7

Acute disease

Answer 7

A disease that appears suddenly and lasts for a short amount of time

For example; a fever or acute arthiritis

Question 8

Chronic diease

Answer 8

A long-term health condition that may not have a treatment and may require ongoing medical attention.

For example; diabetes or cushing’s disease

Question 9

Acquired diease

Answer 9

A type of diease that develops after birth and contiues throughout the patient’s life, it could also be a congenital.

For example; myocarditis or degenerative valve disease

Question 10

Inherited disease

Answer 10

A medical condition, where disorders are transmitted from generation to generation.

For example; hip dysplasia, allergies or lymposarcoma

Question 11

Congenital disease

Answer 11

Conditions that an animal is born with, often called ‘birth defects’.
Some of these conditions are inherited and tend to occur within particular breeds, breeding lines or can be caused by chemicals or injury during pregnancy.

For example; heart murmers, cleft palate, umbilicl hernia

Question 12

Nutrional/Metabolic disease

Answer 12

A disease or disorder that disrupts normal metabolism, due to insuffient nutrition.

For example; obesity, rickets, diabetes

Question 13

Infectious diease

Answer 13

Disorders caused by bacteria, viruses, fungi or parasites which are transmitted directly or indirectly from one infected patient to another

For example; kennel cough, parvovirus, ringworm

Question 14

Neoplastic disease

Answer 14

Conditions that cause tumor growth.

A neoplasm is an abnormal growth of cells, known as a tumour. Growth can either be benign (noncancerous) or malignant (cancerous)

Question 15

Degenerative disease

Answer 15

The progrssive loss of function and/or structior of the affected tissues.

For example, degenerative myelopathy, cervical spondylomyelothapy (Wobbler syndrome)

Question 16

Immune meditated disease

Answer 16

Condition that results from an abnormal immune system response. With these diseases the immune system mistakenly targets the body, whihc creates an inflammatoy response that causes damage.

Examples of diseases include, inflammatory bowel disease, Myasthenia Gravis, Thrombocytopenia

Question 17

Idiopathic

Answer 17

Disease or condition which has arisen spontaneously or from an obscure or unknown cause.

For example, idiopathic epilpsy, idiopathic vestibular disease

Question 18

ELISA antibody test

Answer 18

The enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) is a technique used to measure infectious agents, antibodies, antigens, proteins and glycoprotiens.

Antibodies are made in response to infection so ELISA antibody testing can indicate whether or not the patient has been in contact with a certain virus.

Question 19

PCR assay

Answer 19

PCR (polymerase chain reaction) tests are a fast, highly accurate way to diagnose certain infectious diseases and genetic changes. They can find evidence of disease in the earliest stages of infection.

The tests work by finding the DNA or rNA of a pathogen (disease-causing organism) or abnormal cells in a sample.

Question 20

Microscopic Agglutination test

Answer 20

The microscopic agglutination test (MAT) is commonly used for the diagnosis of canine leptospirosis.

Question 21

Anaemia

Answer 21

A condition in which the number of RBC or the haemoglobin concentration the RBC is lower than normal. Anaemia is not a specific disease but rather the result of some other disease process of condition.

Clinical signs - loss of pink colour of the gums, liethargy, as well as signs of blood loss, labored breathing

Question 22

Polydipsia

Answer 22

Excessive water consumptionand urine production. Can be an indication of a serious underlying disease sucha as kidney disease, pyometra or diabetes mellitus.

Question 23

Polyuria

Answer 23

Condition where the body makes more urine than normal, whihc in turn causes polydispia.

Causes of polydispia (PD)/ polyuria (PU) - hyperadrenocorticism (Cushing’s disease), hyperthyroidism

Question 24

Petechiation

Answer 24

Petechiae are formed when capillaries haemorrhages, they are small pinpoint- sized red or purple spots found on the dogs skin, prepuce, vulva, mucous membranes.

Causes of petechiae - trauma, blood-clotting disorder such as thrombocytopenia, and tick borne diseases.

Question 25

Epistaxis

Answer 25

Defined as an accute hemorrhage (bleeding) from the nostrul, nasal cavity or the nasopharnynx.

Common cause can be trauma or nasal tumours, however other serious conditions such as liver failure, infection, tooth rot, rodenticide

Question 26

Ataxia

Answer 26

A group of neurological conditions that affect balance and coordination, there are many types of ataxia. Some causes of ataxia are, tumours, infection or inflammation, hypothyroidism, hypoglycemia and nutritnal imbalances.

Symptoms of ataxia include, abnormal gait, lethargy, decreased appetite, loss of balance

Question 27

Rhinitis

Answer 27

Inflammation of the mucous membranes of the nose, can be acute or chronic and may have bacterial, viral or allergic cause. Rhinitis is one of the most common upper respiratory tract malfunctions.

Signs of rhinitis - nasal discharge, sneezing, open-mouth breathing, laboured breathing

Causes - trauma, foreign bodies, inflammatory disease, viral infection, canine distemper, canine parainfluenza, allergic rhinitis is associated with pllen production, molds and dust

Question 28

Lymphadenopathy

Answer 28

Lymphadenopathy refers to the swelling of lymph nodes, it can be localised or generalised.

The most common cause of lymphoadenopathy in the dog is mrimary lymphiod neoplasia affecting the node, however other causes such as recative hyperplasia, inflammation of the node, lymph node haemorrhage

Question 29

Polyphagia

Answer 29

Also known as hyerphagia is defined as an excessive intake of food, presenting as an increased appetite. Polyphagi can be either physiological or pathological.

It can occure with highly palatbale diets or for behavioural reasons or with certain medications.

Causes of polyphagia- overfeeding, boredom, excercise, pregnancy, inflammatory bowel disease, diabetes mellitus

Question 30

Pulmonary oedema

Answer 30

Condition caused by abnormal accumulation of fluid in the lung tissue, airways or air sacs, may occur with ciculatory disorders, some allergic reactions or infectious diseases, airway constructions, trauma. The condtion is usually divided into cardiogenic and non-cardiogenic

Signs- laboured or open-mouthed breathing, hesitant to lay down or preference to sit up, coughing, cyanosis

Question 31

Syncope

Answer 31

A loss of consciousness for a short period of time.

This occurs when there is a sudden change in the blood flow to the brain where it does not recieve enough oxygen.

Question 32

Tachycardia

Answer 32

Tachycardia - increaed heart and pulse rates. This can be seen with exercise, stress, disease and drug administration.

Question 33

Bradycardia

Answer 33

Bradycardia - reduced heart and pulse rates. These can either be drug induced or seen in animals that are asleep, very fut or stuggling from cardiac arrythmias.

Exotic animals which hibernate have a low pulse rate during the winter months.

Question 34

Ascites

Answer 34

Ascites- accumulation of fluid in the abdominal cavitiy causing a distension of the abdomen

Question 35

Jaundice

Answer 35

Jaundice- elevated levels of bilirubin in the tissues and circulation, resulting in a yellowing of the skin and mucous membranes.

Question 36

Dyspnoea

Answer 36

Dyspnoea is diffuculty in breathing. It can be very distressing, worsen rapidly and is life-threathening

Question 37

Cyanosis

Answer 37

Cyanosis is a bluish/purplish discolouration of the mucous membranes and skin whihc occurs as a result of reduced oxygen in the body as not enough is being carried by RBCs.

Question 38

Apnoea

Answer 38

Apnoea is the cessation of breathing

Question 39

Haematuria

Answer 39

Haematuria is blood in the urine that occurs due to bleeping in the urinary system or reproductive tracts.

Question 40

Haematemesis

Answer 40

Haematemesis is defined as the vomiting of blood and indicates an upper gastrointestinal site of bleeding