Introduction Flashcards
Physiological
Normal cell/tissue/organ function
Pathological
abnormal cell/tissue/organ function
Clinical sign
Abnormality of structure or function; can be observed by the veterinarian/client. Synonymous to “symptom”
Disease
A recognized abnormal structure or function with a defined set of recognizable clinical signs
Etiology
The cause of the disease (e.g., toxins, genetic mutation, infection…)
Signalment in disease
The population most likely to be affected or most at-risk. For example: parvovirus enteritis is a disease found in unvaccinated dogs less than 1 year of age and more commonly in black and tan breeds; canine mammary neoplasia is most commonly found in intact older females.
Local system affected
Diseases that are local affect a specific organ (e.g., liver failure), part of the body (e.g., wounds), system (e.g., GI tract).
Disseminated
When a local disease has spread elsewhere
Systemic
The disease affects a number of organs/tissues or whole body
Asymptomatic
The patient is affected, but does not appear to be
Subclinical disease
Disease state that is lacking in detectable signs and symptoms on physical exam (i.e., there are no outward signs of disease); however, disease can be detected by either of the following:
i. Decreased production and/or function (e.g., decreased overall milk production; decreased rate of gain; lower reproduction rates over time)
ii. Abnormals on diagnostic testing (radiographic, chemical, haematological, immunological,…)
Clinical disease; symptomatic disease
Disease with recognizable signs and symptoms. Clinical diseases are also described using words such as: mild, moderate, severe.
Peracute
A few hours only from start to finish; tend to be most severe (usually fatal)
Acute
Days to a couple weeks from start to finish
Subacute
Somewhere between acute and chronic
Chronic
Weeks, months, years; usually less severe than acute
Relapse
Clinical symptoms are present
Remission
When clinical signs are absent
Congenital disease
are present from the time of birth. In other words, the disease process affected the embryo or fetus while in the uterus. Congenital diseases can be further classifies as either inherited or non-inherited
Inherited congenital disease
Familial inheritance of a genetic condition from the father and/or mother.
Non-inherited congenital disease
Damage to the embryo or fetus can also occur due to infection (bacteria, virus, fungi), trauma, lack of blood flow, exposure to heat, radiation, toxins. Any agent or factor that causes harm to the embryo/fetus is referred to as a TERATOGEN. The pathological process that results is called teratogenesis