Pet Care

Glossary

• Adrenal

  small glands above the kidneys that produce hormones affecting the metabolism.

• Alopecia

  hair loss.

• Anaemia

  a condition in which the oxygen-carrying haemoglobin pigment levels are below normal in the blood. Signs include pale gums and listlessness.

• Bronchi

  tiny air passages of the lungs that conduct air from the windpipe into the lungs and then into the blood stream.

• Cage

  a self-contained pet cage with a wipe-clean base that can be used as a safe sleeping area for your puppy. Available through pet stores in various sizes to suit different size breeds. Can also be used to transport dogs safely in cars when travelling.

• Canine parainfluenza virus

  causes flu-like symptoms and a high temperature of 30C/102F or more.

• Cat shampoo

  don't use a human shampoo on your cat as it could irritate her skin. Look for a specific feline product instead.

• Cataract

  the lens of the eye gradually becomes less transparent.

• Colitis

  inflammation of the bowel.

• Conjunctivitis

  a bacterial or viral eye infection that causes a sticky discharge and irritation.

• Cysts

  blocked sebaceous glands on the skin's surface.

• Ecto-parasiticide

  a strong insecticidal formula used for external parasites.

• Electro-magnetic

  relating to the interrelation of electric currents or fields and magnetic fields.

• Elizabethan collar

  a plastic cone-shaped ruff worn round the neck that prevents the cat nibbling or licking any part of their body or paws.

• Entire female

  a cat that hasn't been spayed and is, therefore, capable of becoming pregnant and having kittens.

• Gingivitis

  gum disease characterised by reddened or bleeding gums at the base of the teeth.

• Haemoglobin

  cells that carry oxygen around the body.

• Haemorrhage

  an internal bleed.

• Halti

  a head collar for dogs that tend to pull on a normal lead and choke themselves.

• Harness

  designed to fit around the dog's body and legs, attaching on the back, in between the shoulder-blades. Designed to stop a dog pulling harshly on his lead.

• Haunches

  hind quarters/legs.

• Hock

  the joint in a dog's hind leg between the knee and the fetlock, the angle of which points backwards.

• Hypersensitivities

  extreme physical sensitivities to particular substances or conditions.

• Hypo-allergenic

  relatively unlikely to cause an allergic reaction.

• Infectious canine hepatitis

  a liver disease that a dog can pass on in his urine for up to six months after being cured.

• Inguinal

  affecting the groin.

• Insecticides

  chemical substances used for killing insects.

• Ketones

  substances made when the body breaks down fat or energy.

• Kong

  a cone-shaped, hard rubber toy which has spaces to insert treats.

• Larynx

  voice box.

• Leptospirosis

  carried by rats and foxes and passed from dog to dog in infected urine.

• Metaldehyde

  a form of insecticide used to kill slugs.

• Microchip

  a tiny device that's injected in the scruff of the neck and holds personal information about the pet permanently.

• Neutered

  a cat or dog that's had an operation to make it sterile i.e. unable to make a female pregnant or to have kittens, if female.

• Neutering

  a routine operation to stop a dog or cat being able to make a female pregnant or to stop a bitch from ever conceiving puppies. Male dogs are castrated, that is, they have their testes removed while a bitch will have the uterus and ovaries removed.

• Ophthalmic

  concerned with the eye and treatment of the disorders that affect it.

• Otitis externa

  outer ear canal.

• Over-bite

  in a dog, the teeth should mesh together when the animal bites but if the upper or lower jaw juts out further, this is an under-bite or an over-bite.

• Periodontal

  concerning the structures that support the teeth.

• Pharynx

  throat.

• Plaque

  a rough, sticky coating on the teeth that consists of saliva, bacteria and food debris, usually found at the margins of teeth and gums.

• Puppy crate

  a self-contained pet cage with a wipe-clean base that can be used as a safe sleeping area for your puppy.

• Rex

  the coat has a thick velvety feel due to the structure of the hairs being bred differently.

• Satin

  the coat has a rich, satin sheen and is due to selective breeding changing the structure of the coat.

• Tartar

  a hard, crust-like deposit found on the crowns and roots of teeth, formed when mineral salts from saliva are deposited in existing plaque.

• Toxoplasmosis

  a parasitic infection in cats that can be passed on via their faeces if left unwormed.

• Training pad

  an absorbent, waterproof-backed sheet that can be laid on the floor for your dog to wee on and thrown away after use. Available through pet stores and some vets.

• Umbilical

  the navel.

• Urethra

  the tube that carries urine out of the body from the bladder.

• Warfarin

  used as rat poison, causes massive internal bleeding