UNDERSTANDING YOUR VETERINARIAN

Vets have a secret sort of language that is made up of weird abbreviations and acronyms.  And they use this language when they are writing in your medical records.  The reasons why I think they do this are (1) it keeps you from knowing what they are really saying about your medical condition, (2) it's easier and faster than writing out whole words, and (3) it makes them feel like part of a special group or club or something.

But guess what!  I have managed to get hold of a list of this secret code that vets use, and I am going to share it with you.  That way, we will always know what crazy things our doctors are saying about us.  This is important because for instance, one time my mom got to look at my chart while Dr. Patricia was out of the room, and Mom kept seeing NSF written in it.  She got really worried because she thought maybe NSF was some kind of horrible, fatal disease that the vet had not told her about.  So when Dr. Patricia came back, Mom asked what NSF stood for, and it turned out that it meant "No Significant Findings." So it was not a disease at all!

Anyway, here's the list.  It's pretty long, and I am still working on memorizing it, but you can get started doing the same thing, and soon we will be almost as smart as our vets!

AD: right ear

ADR: ain’t doing right

AS: left ear

AU: both ears

BAR: bright, alert and responsive

BCS: body condition score

BID: twice daily, every 12 hours

BPM: beats or breaths per minute

CBC: complete blood count

CHF: congestive heart failure

CNS: central nervous system

CRT: capillary refill time

D/C: discontinue

Dx: diagnosis

EENT: eyes, ears, nose and throat

EOD: every other day

F/S: spayed female

FNA: fine needle aspirate

FUO: fever of unknown origin

Fx: fracture

HBC: hit by car

HCT: hematocrit

HR: heart rate

Hx: history

IM: intramuscular

IN: intranasal

IV: intravenous

M/N: neutered male

NDR: not doing right

NPO: nothing by mouth

NSF: no significant findings

OD: right eye

OS: left eye

OU: both eyes

PCV: packed cell volume

PE: physical exam

PO: by mouth

PRN: as needed

PU/PD: polyuria/polydipsia (i.e., drinking and urinating more than normal)

q: every (e.g., q4hrs means every 4 hours)

QAR: quiet, alert and responsive

QD: once daily, every 24 hours
AD: right ear

QID: four times daily, every 6 hours

QOD: every other day

ROM: range of motion

RR: respiratory rate

Rx: prescription

S/R: suture removal

SC: under the skin

SID: once daily, every 24 hours

SOAP: subjective, objective, assessment, plan – a method of organizing medical records

SQ: under the skin

STAT: immediately

Sx: surgery

TID: three times daily, every 8 hours

TPR: temperature, pulse and respiration rates

Tx: treatment

UA: urinalysis

URI: upper respiratory infection

UTI: urinary tract infection

WNL: within normal limits