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The Merck Veterinary Manual - Available Online
Glossary of Terms
Abscess  

A confined collection of pus

Acute  

Sudden; an acute infection is one that develops rapidly and is usually of short duration

Albumin  

A blood protein which helps to prevent oedema by drawing fluid from the tissues into the blood

Allergenic  

Capable of causing allergy (a sudden inflammatory response)

Alveolus  

One of the network of tiny spaces in the lung - the site where oxygen is presented to the blood and waste gases are removed for exhalation

Anaemia  

Condition of low blood concentration of haemoglobin, the oxygen-carrying protein in red blood cells. Haemoglobin must contain iron to function properly. Continual blood loss can cause iron deficiency anaemia by depleting body iron stores.

Anorexia  

Loss of appetite

Anterior  

Anterior

Anthelmintic  

Drug used to eliminate helminth parasites from the host

Arachnid  

Arthropod with two body segments, a fused head and thorax, and an abdomen. The life cycle is one of incomplete metamorphosis. Adults have four pairs of legs and lack both wings and antennae.

Arthropod  

Animals with jointed legs and hard external skeletons, includes insects, arachnids, centipedes, crustaceans (crabs, shrimps) and others

Ascites  

Fluid accumulation in the abdominal (peritoneal) cavity

Bronchi  

Larger sized airways of the lungs, which connect the trachea with the smaller airways

Bronchitis  

Inflammation of the inner lining of the bronchi

Buccal capsule  

Mouth cavity of a nematode

Bursa  

A system of expansions of the cuticle at the posterior end of male strongyle nematodes, The bursa is involved in holding the male and female together in copulation; its shape is species characteristic and is used to identify nematodes.

Capillary  

One of the tiny blood vessels which form a network in the body tissues

Carrier  

An apparently healthy animal, which is infected with pathogenic organism, the carrier, can transmit the organism to other animals, which may then develop disease.

Cestode  

Tapeworm

Chronic  

Long standing, a chronic disease is one of that develops slowly and persists for a prolonged time.

Colostrum  

The first milk secreted at the end of the pregnancy. Colostrum is rich in naturally derived antibiotics, which can transfer temporary immunity to neo-nates.

Complete metamorphosis  

The process of development involving dissimilar larval, pupal, and adult stages; occurs in parasitic flies and fleas.

Copulation  

Mating

Cutaneous  

Pertaining to the skin

Cuticle  

Outer layer ("skin") of parasite

Definitive or principle host  

Animal in which a parasite reaches sexual maturity

Dermatitis  

Inflammation of the skin

Direct life cycle  

Life cycle in which parasites do not require development within an intermediate host

Ear Canker  

Acute inflammation of the ear and auditory canal

Ectoparasite  

A parasite that lives on the body surface of its host

Eczema  

Inflammation of the skin, often accompanied by itching, crusting and scaliness

Edema  

Accumulation of fluid in the tissues or body cavities

Embyronated egg  

Egg which contains a formed lava

Emphysema  

Increased size of the tiny air spaces (alveoli) of the lung to destruction of their walls, a condition which interferes with oxygen uptake by the blood.

Endemic  

Present continually in a region or among a certain groups of animals.

Endoparasite  

A parasite that lives within the body of its host

Engorgement  

Distension of a feeding tick with blood - cannot occur in male hard ticks, which are totally covered by a hard body surface.

Enteritis  

Inflammation of the intestine

Epithelium  

The tissue layer which covers the skin and lines the inner walls of many body organs, including the digestive tract.

Exudate  

Leaking of fluid which covers the skin and lines the inner walls of many body organs, including the digestive tract.

Festoon  

Rectangular raised areas separated by grooves - occurs on the posterior edge of hard ticks of certain species

Fibrosis  

The formation of fibrous tissue, often as a response to tissue damage

Gastritis  

Inflammation of the stomach

Generation time  

The time required for completion of the entire life cycle of an organism

Gravid proglottid  

A mature tapeworm segment filled with eggs

Helminth  

General term for parasite worms, including nematodes, cestodes and trematodes

Haemorrhage  

Bleeding

Hermaphroditism  

The presence of both male and female productive organs in the same organism which may be capable of reproducing singly

Heterogonic  

Alternation of sexual and asexual reproduction in successive generations of an organism

Hexacanth  

(synonym: onchosphere) The motile, six hooked, first stage larva of certain tapeworms, stage which hatches from the cestode egg and infects the intermediate host.

Homogonic  

Successive generations of an organism, which reproduce in the same manner

Host-specific  

Able to parasitise only certain species of animals

Immunity  

Resistance to a disease or infection

Incomplete metamorphosis  

The development of some arthropods from eggs to adult like nymphs, which moult to become adults. Characteristic of ticks, mites, and lice.

Indirect life cycle  

Life cycle in which immature parasitic forms must develop to the infective stage inside an intermediate host

Inflammation  

General response of organisms to irritation or injury. The process if characterised by increases blood supply to the area, signs include reddening, swelling, raised temperature and pain.

Insect  

Arthropod with distinct head, thorax and abdomen. One pair of antennae is present on the head and three pairs of legs on the thorax. Wings may or may not be present.

Intermediate host  

A host that is necessary for part of the development of an immature parasite.

Iron deficiency anaemia  

Anaemia produced by lack of sufficient iron reserves to replace the iron in lost blood.

Jaundice  

A condition which can result from damage to the liver, characterised by yellowish skin and whites of the eyes.

Lumen  

The space in the interior of a hollow organ

Lymph  

A clear fluid that normally seeps from capillaries into body tissues, flows in the lymph vessels and is eventually returned to the blood

Mange  

Skin disease caused by mites, often produces an expanding area of scabby skin which has lost its hair

Metacestode  

Immature tapeworm which develops from the hexacanth embryo and grows in the intermediate host (mammal)

Molting  

Process of growth in which a new, expanding skin if formed beneath the old one; the original skin is shed, allowing the parasite to expand in its new skin

Morbidity  

The amount of sickness caused by a disease

Mortality  

The death rate caused by a disease

Mucosa  

The inner layers of the wall of the digestive tract, mucous membranes

Necropsy  

Autopsy; postmortem examination

Nematodes  

Parasitic worms of the class NEMATODA, which includes intestinal roundworms, filarial worms, lungworms, kidney worms, heartworms etc.

Nit  

Louse egg

Occult infection  

Hidden infection, one in which no eggs or larvae are produced. For example, infections can be occult when only worms of one sex are present of a species that requires mating to produce eggs or larvae. (See hypobiosis)

Osmotic pressure  

The force exerted by proteins to draw tissue fluids into the blood

One host tick  

Tick that completes all its moult on the same individual host animal

Operculum  

Lid of cap like structure at one of both ends of certain worm eggs, ie, Trichuris, and fluke; the larval parasite emerges from the egg at the operculum.

Organophosphate  

A substance that can interfere with the function of the nervous systems of some parasites and host animals by inhibiting the enzyme cholinesterase.

Ovoviviparous  

Laying or deposition of an egg which contains larva

Parasite worry  

Annoyance and nervousness caused by parasites

Paratenic host  

An animal that carries a parasite principal host. The parasite does not develop inside the paratenic host. The principal; host may become infected by eating the infected paratenic host.

Parthenogenesis  

The laying of fertile eggs by a female without the need for fertilisation by a male

Parturition  

Giving birth

Prepatent disease  

Disease produced by a larval or immature adult parasites before the parasites are producing eggs

Prepatent period  

The period from the time the larvae enter the host until the time the adult female worms begin to lay eggs

Proboscis  

The structure at the anterior end of an organism permitting the attachment and / or feeding

Proglottid  

Tapeworm segment

Rays  

Finger like structures which support the copulatory bursa

Scolex: (pl scolices)  

The "head" of a cestode; the part which attaches to the host and generates proglottids

Sebaceous glands  

Oil glands of the skin and hair follicles

Seed ticks  

Tiny tick larvae before their first blood meal

Segmented egg  

Egg within which the inner mass has divided into cells

Self cure  

Elimination of parasites from a host as the result of the development of immunity to the parasites

Sheath  

Outer protective layer; ensheathed larvae retain an unshed cuticle from a previous moult

Site of predilection  

The location in a host animal of adults of a given parasite type

Somatic  

Pertaining to the body tissues

Somatic migration  

Migration of larvae through the tissues of a host's body

Spicules  

Long, slender, rigid structures at the posterior end of male nematodes, serve to align the male with the female and to keep the female genital pore open

Sputum  

Mucus coughed from the lungs

Strobila  

Body of a tapeworm; composed of maturing proglottids

Strongyle-type egg  

Egg form laid by a number of nematodes of the Order STRONGYLOIDEA, characterised by oval shape, thin, smooth wall, and an inner segmented cell mass

Subcutaneous  

Under the skin

Systemic  

Distributed throughout the body, as in the blood

Therapeutic index  

The margin of safety of a drug; the difference between the dose that kills parasites and the dose that harms the host

Toxin  

Poisonous or noxious material

Trachea  

Windpipe; extends from the mouth area to the lungs, where it connects with the bronchi

Tracheal migration  

Migration pattern characteristic of many nematode species. Larvae in the blood break through the long alveoli walls into the airways and are coughed up and swallowed

Transovarian transmission  

Passage of a micro organism into eggs within an infected female host

Transfer host  

Paratenic host

Trematode  

Any parasitic animal organism belonging to the Class TREMATODA, including flukes

Two host ticks  

Tick that remains on one host for the larval and nymphal stages, drops off to moult on an adult, and seeks a second h host on which to take another blood meal and copulate

Unthrifty  

Failing to grow or develop normally, because of disease

Ventral  

Lower, or toward the belly

Viviparous  

Giving birth toliving young

 

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