Allergen
An allergen is any substance that triggers an abnormal immune response in a sensitive pet. Common pet allergens include pollen, dust mites,…
Anemia
Anemia is a condition in which a pet has an abnormally low number of red blood cells or insufficient hemoglobin to carry oxygen effectively…
Antiparasitic
An antiparasitic is any medication or treatment that kills, repels, or prevents parasites — including fleas, ticks, heartworms, intestinal…
Atopy (Atopic Dermatitis)
Atopy, or atopic dermatitis, is a chronic allergic skin disease caused by an overactive immune response to environmental allergens such as…
Benign
In veterinary medicine, benign describes a tumour or growth that is not cancerous, does not invade surrounding tissue, and does not spread…
Bloat / GDV (Gastric Dilatation-Volvulus)
Bloat, or gastric dilatation-volvulus (GDV), is a life-threatening emergency in which the stomach fills with gas and then twists on its…
Brachycephalic
Brachycephalic refers to animals with a shortened, flattened skull that compresses the airway, nasal passages, and facial structures. The…
Castration (Neutering)
Castration, commonly called neutering in males, is the surgical removal of the testes. It permanently eliminates the production of…
Chronic
In veterinary medicine, chronic describes a condition that develops slowly, persists for a long time (generally three months or more), and…
Congenital
A congenital condition is one that is present at birth, whether inherited genetically or caused by developmental problems during pregnancy.…
Dehydration
Dehydration is a deficiency of total body water that occurs when fluid losses exceed fluid intake. In pets, it is commonly caused by…
Desensitisation
Desensitisation is a behaviour modification technique that gradually reduces a pet's fear or anxiety response to a specific trigger by…
Dysplasia
Dysplasia means abnormal development or growth of a tissue or organ. In companion animal medicine, the term most commonly refers to hip…
Ectoparasite
An ectoparasite is a parasite that lives on the external surface of its host — on or in the skin, coat, or ears — rather than inside the…
Euthanasia
Euthanasia in veterinary medicine is the deliberate, painless ending of an animal's life to relieve suffering when quality of life has…
Feline Idiopathic Cystitis (FIC)
Feline idiopathic cystitis (FIC) is a painful inflammation of the bladder in cats with no identifiable infectious cause. Stress is the…
Flea Allergy Dermatitis (FAD)
Flea allergy dermatitis (FAD) is the most common allergic skin disease in both dogs and cats. It is caused by an immune hypersensitivity to…
FLUTD (Feline Lower Urinary Tract Disease)
FLUTD is an umbrella term for conditions affecting the bladder and urethra of cats, including feline idiopathic cystitis (FIC), urinary…
Heartworm Disease
Heartworm disease is a serious, potentially fatal parasitic infection caused by Dirofilaria immitis, a worm transmitted through mosquito…
Hepatic Lipidosis (Fatty Liver Disease)
Hepatic lipidosis, or fatty liver disease, is the most common serious liver disease in cats and is caused by rapid fat mobilisation when a…
Hyperthyroidism
Hyperthyroidism is a condition in which the thyroid gland produces excessive thyroid hormone, causing the metabolic rate to accelerate…
Hypothyroidism
Hypothyroidism is a deficiency of thyroid hormone caused by underactive thyroid glands. It is the most common endocrine (hormonal) disorder…
Idiopathic
Idiopathic means arising spontaneously from an unknown cause. In veterinary medicine, a condition labelled idiopathic has been investigated…
Immunosuppression
Immunosuppression is a reduction in the effectiveness of the immune system, either caused by disease or deliberately induced by medication.…
Intoxication (Pet Poisoning)
Intoxication in pets means poisoning — exposure to a substance that causes harmful effects through its chemical action on the body. Common…
Kennel Cough (Infectious Tracheobronchitis)
Kennel cough is a highly contagious respiratory infection in dogs characterised by a harsh, honking cough that sounds like a goose honking.…
Lyme Disease
Lyme disease is a tick-borne bacterial infection caused by Borrelia burgdorferi, transmitted by infected Ixodes (deer) ticks that have been…
Lymphoma
Lymphoma is a cancer of the lymphatic system — originating in lymphocytes (a type of white blood cell) found in lymph nodes, the spleen,…
Malignant
Malignant describes a tumour or growth that is cancerous — it has the ability to invade surrounding tissues and spread (metastasise) to…
Microchip (Pet Microchipping)
A pet microchip is a tiny radio-frequency identification (RFID) device, about the size of a grain of rice, implanted under the skin between…
Neoplasia
Neoplasia means abnormal and uncontrolled growth of cells. It is the formal medical term for cancer or tumour formation, though not all…
Neutering (Spaying and Castration)
Neutering is the surgical removal of an animal's reproductive organs to prevent reproduction. In females, it is called spaying…
Obesity (in Pets)
Pet obesity is defined as body weight 20% or more above ideal weight. It affects 50–65% of dogs and cats in developed countries, making it…
Operant Conditioning
Operant conditioning is the learning process in which behaviour is modified by its consequences. Animals (and humans) repeat behaviours…
Orectic
Orectic means relating to appetite or desire. It comes from the Greek word orexis, meaning appetite. In veterinary medicine it usually…
Parvovirus
Parvovirus (CPV-2) is a highly contagious, often fatal viral disease in dogs that attacks the gastrointestinal tract and bone marrow. It…
Prognosis
Prognosis is a prediction of the likely outcome and course of a disease or condition, based on the diagnosis, severity, available…
Pyometra
Pyometra is a life-threatening bacterial infection of the uterus that occurs in intact (unspayed) female dogs and cats. The uterus fills…
Rabies
Rabies is a fatal viral disease of the nervous system caused by the rabies virus, transmitted through the saliva of an infected animal —…
Ringworm (Dermatophytosis)
Ringworm is a fungal skin infection, not a worm, caused by dermatophyte fungi (most commonly Microsporum canis in pets). It causes circular…
Seizure
A seizure is a sudden, uncontrolled electrical disturbance in the brain that temporarily disrupts normal function, causing involuntary…
Socialisation
Socialisation is the process by which young animals learn to interact confidently with other animals, people, environments, and stimuli…
Spay (Ovariohysterectomy / Ovariectomy)
Spaying is the surgical sterilisation of female dogs and cats through the removal of the ovaries (ovariectomy) or ovaries and uterus…
Tapeworm
Tapeworms are flat, segmented intestinal parasites that live in the small intestine of dogs and cats. The most common species in pets is…
Titer Test
A titer test (also written as titre test) measures the concentration of antibodies in a pet's blood to a specific pathogen — such as…
Vaccination
Vaccination is the process of introducing an antigen (a killed, modified-live, or recombinant pathogen) into an animal's body to stimulate…
Vestibular Disease
Vestibular disease is a sudden disruption to the vestibular system — the balance and spatial orientation apparatus located in the inner ear…
Whelping
Whelping is the process of a dog giving birth. Normal whelping occurs in three stages: preparation (the cervix dilates over 12–24 hours),…
Xylitol Toxicity
Xylitol is a sugar alcohol sweetener used in many sugar-free products — chewing gum, some peanut butters, baked goods, vitamins, and oral…
Yeast Infection (Malassezia Dermatitis)
Yeast infection in pets — most commonly caused by Malassezia pachydermatis — is an overgrowth of naturally occurring yeast on the skin and…
Zoonosis (Zoonotic Disease)
A zoonosis (plural: zoonoses) is a disease that can be transmitted between animals and humans. Examples relevant to pet owners include…
Important Note
This glossary is for educational purposes only and is not a substitute for professional veterinary advice, diagnosis, or treatment.