Glossary with audio assistance

the movement of a fluid or a dissolved substance across a cell membrane, for example the soluble products of digestion pass through the mucus membrane of the small intestine into the blood stream

maintenance of the normal pH within the body systems

excess growth of bones after the epiphyses have closed, caused by excess secretion of growth hormone

a contractile protein found in muscle fibres

a disease that has a rapid onset, short duration and pronounced clinical signs

feeding performed with freedom. Sometimes called free-choice or Ad lib

disease caused by insufficient adrenocortical hormones; hypoadrenocorticism

a substance purposely put into food to give a desirable characteristic (e.g. color, flavor, texture, resistance to spoilage etc)

requiring oxygen for life and growth

the enzymatic release of energy from the oxidation of organic compounds in living cells in a process requiring oxygen

carry nerve impulses towards the central nervous system

a terminal breathing pattern where the animal appears to be gasping for breath

something which increases a response

one of two or more different forms of a gene. Different alleles of a gene occupy the same locus on a pair of homologous chromosomes.

these are alternative forms of a gene, showing different options for the same gene e.g. red, black, white coat coloring. Each has a specific place or ‘locus’ on the chromosome.

A partial or complete loss of hair in areas where it is normally present

a reaction in which chemical substances are built up and energy is used

a deficiency in the number of circulating red blood cells or haemoglobin concentration in the blood

not requiring oxygen

the partial oxidation of organic compounds in the cell to release energy, in a process which does not require oxygen

an artificial or naturally occurring connection between two structures, which are normally separate, for example between blood vessels or loops of intestine

a group of male sex hormones e.g., testosterone

a negatively charged particle

Pupils that are not symmetrical in size. i.e. one pupil may be constricted and the other dilated.

a positively charged electrode to which electrons are attracted

loss of appetite for food

something which prevents or decreases a response

a disease which can be spread from humans to animals

a globular protein or immunoglobulin, made by plasma cells and secreted into the plasma in response to a specific antigen, in order to destroy and eliminate the antigen from the body

a substance that is foreign to the body and stimulates an immune response

movement of food material up the digestive tract. This is in the opposite direction to peristalsis.

a chemical use to control, prevent or destroy pathogens present on living tissues/skin

lack of urine output

decreased level of anxiety

absence of breathing

an abnormal heart rhythm

any mark on a radiograph which decreases the quality

blood vessel carrying blood away from the heart

the concentration of a nutrient in the food as it is fed to the animal, which includes the water content of the food

excess fluid in the abdominal cavity

freedom from infectious material

the complete absence of bacteria, viruses or fungi that could cause disease. Asepsis is the ideal situation for the performance of surgical or other invasive procedures, and is achieved by sterilisation techniques

reproduction which involves only one parent and produces offspring which are identical to the parent

the residue left after combustion of the food - generally the mineral content

no electrical activity in the heart – a ‘flat line’ on the ECG

adenosine triphosphate, a high energy phosphate molecule used to store and release energy for work within the body

a technique used for listening to the sounds of the body with the use of a stethoscope, for example the heart beat and respiratory sounds within the thoracic cavity

part of the peripheral nervous system that supplies stimulation to the cardiac and smooth muscles and the glands of the body, involved in unconscious control

all the chromosomes within the nucleus of the cell except the sex chromosomes

increased levels of nitrogenous by-products in the bloodstream