Vet Terminology starting with D on Bruning.com – from DEA to Dysuria

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DEA –
Drug Enforcement Administration. The federal agency which regulates the manufacture, dispensing, storage, and shipment of controlled substances including medications with human abuse potential.

Decontaminate –
Remove injurious material.

Defecation –
The elimination of feces from the rectum.

Dehydration –
A condition in which the body loses more water than it t
akes in.

Dermal –
Relating to the skin.

Dermatitis –
An inflammation of the skin.

Dermatophyte –
Fungus that causes ringworm; include Trichophyton, Microsporum, and Epidermophyton.

Descenting –
The removal of the anal sacs of a carnivore to prevent the animal from releasing the very strong-smelling secretion.

Dextrose –
A commonly used name for glucose (sugar) solutions given intravenously to treat fluid or nutrient loss.

Diabetes mellitus –
A metabolic disease caused by failure of the pancreas to produce insulin, a hormone that allows blood sugar (glucose) to be taken up by cells that require it for function.

Diagnostic tests –
Procedures run to find the cause of disease or discomfort; tests used to make a diagnosis.

Dialysis –
A process which involves removing waste products from the body.

Diarrhea –
A condition in which the movement of food through the digestive system is faster than normal; often results in the frequent passing of abnormally loose or watery stool.

Diestrus –
The stage of the estrus cycle which occurs after the animal goes out of heat (also called Diestrous).

Dietary indiscretion –
Eating what one should not. Dogs with dietary indiscretion eat garbage, dead fish on shore, etc.

Digestibility –
Expressed as a percent, is a measure of the content of food that is retained in the body after food is eaten. The difference between the weight of food eaten and the weight of stool produced, divided by the weight of the food.

Digestive system –
The organ system including the mouth, teeth, tongue, esophagus, stomach, intestines, and various glands that functions to ingest, digest, and absorb nutrients.

Digitalis glycosides –
Class of drugs including digitoxin and digoxin, which are drugs derived from the Digitalis purpurea plant, and used in the treatment of congestive heart failure.

Dilated cardiomyopathy –
A heart condition in which the heart enlarges, but the heart muscle becomes thinner.

Dinoflagellate –
Single-celled algae, mainly marine and often with a cellulose shell; some species may be luminescent, and some cause the red tides that are extremely toxic to marine life.

Disinfection –
The act of using chemicals or heat to kill germs.

Distemper –
Canine distemper is a viral disease that causes a severe and often fatal systemic illness in dogs and their close relatives. Distemper is also fatal in animals such as raccoons, and mustelids including skunks, mink, and ferrets.

Diuresis –
Increase in urine production.

Diuretic –
Agent which increases the secretion of urine, ridding the body of excess fluid.

Diurnal –
Active during the day, opposite of nocturnal, which means active during the night.

DNA –
Deoxyribonucleic acid, the chemical compound that occurs in cells and is the basic structure for genes.

Domestic animal –
An animal that has been housed and fed by man for generations and has little fear of man as a result. Some domestic animals learn to depend on human provision so completely that they have little ability to survive if returned to a natural habitat.

Dry Eye –
Keratoconjunctivitis sicca (KCS) is the technical term for a condition also known as ‘dry eye.’ It occurs because of inadequate tear production. Symptoms include a thick, yellowish discharge from the eye.

Duodenum –
The first portion of the small intestine extending from the stomach to the jejunum; most chemical digestion and absorption of nutrients occurs here.

Duration of immunity –
Length of time an animal is protected from a disease. Vaccines for some diseases provide long durations of immunity (years), while vaccines for some other diseases only provide immunity that lasts for 6 months.

Dysecdysis –
Abnormal shedding of the skin in reptiles.

Dysphagia –
Difficulty swallowing.

Dysplasia –
An abnormal tissue development, common in the bones of the canine

.
Dyspnea –
Shortness of breath.

Dystocia –
Difficult birth.

Dystrophic –
Disorder caused by incorrect nutrition.

Dysuria –
Difficult or painful urination.