Understanding your vet's clinical notes

Recalling an anecdote I had with a client, after transferring her dog back to her vet, and handling her some history for her vet. Basically, the misunderstanding was something like this. At the notes, on my veterinary notes I had written down something like "So&So might have a FB...". On a second visit, back to our OOH service, and with more confidence, my client commented that her dog has no "facebook". We had a bit of laugh after I explained her that FB meant foreign body, not facebook. That made me realize that pets owner would appreciate a little bit of help on understanding their vet's notes.

It is hard enough to understand the main veterinary terms, to add more salt to the wound by adding abbreviations on our patient's notes and history. To help you understand what your vet means in what seems more like a hyeroglyphic, here are the main acronyms used in the UK:

AB: antibiotic
ABD: abdomen

AD: right ear

ADR: ain’t doing right

am: morning
ARF: acute renal failure

AS: left ear
atm: at the moment

AU: both ears

BAR: bright, alert and responsive

BCS: body condition score, from 1(very thin) to 9 (obese)
BDLD: big dog verss little dog, or dog's fight (uneven sizes)

BG: blood glucose

BID: twice daily, every 12 hours

BIOP: born in owners property

Blue juice: injection for euthanasia

BP: blood pressure

BPM: beats or breaths per minute

BUN: urea

BW: body weight

CBC: complete blood count

Chem panel: biochemistry

CHF: congestive heart failure

CNS: central nervous system

CRT: capillary refill time

C-sect: caesarean

D+: diarrhoea

DCM: dilated cardiomiopathy

D/C: discontinue

DUDE: Defecating, urinating, drinking and eating

DV: dorsoventral

Dx/ddx: diagnosis

EENT: eyes, ears, nose and throat

EOD: every other day

FB: foreign body

FE: female entire

FOC: free of charge

FN: female neutered

FNA: fine needle aspirate

FS: spayed female

FUO: fever of unknown origin

Fx: fracture

GDV: gastric dilated volvulus, or gastric torsion

GIT: gastrointestinal tract

HBC: hit by car

HCT: hematocrit

HR: heart rate
HWT: heartworm test

Hx: history

IBD: intestinal bowel disease

IM: intramuscular

IN: intranasal

IO: intraoseo

IV: intravenous
IVC: intravenous catheter

IVFT: intravenous fluid therapy

L: left

LL: laterolateral

LH: left hind leg

MDB: minimum database (PCV, TS, BG, BUN and lactate)

ME: male entire

MN: neutered male

MM: mucose membranes

MP: member practice

NAD: no abnormality detected

NDR: not doing right

NPO: nothing by mouth (nil per os)

NSAID: non-steroidal antiinflammatory, pain relief

NSF: no significant findings

O: owner

OD: right eye

OS: left eye

OU: both eyes
OVH: ovariohysterectomy (spay)

PCV: packed cell volume

PK: pain killer

PE: physical exam

pm: afternoon/evening
PO: by mouth

PTS: put to sleep (euthanasia)

PRN: as needed

PSS: portosystemic shunt

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

QID: four times daily, every 6 hours

QOD: every other day

QOL: quality of life

RBC: red blood cells

ROM: range of motion

Rads: radiography

RF: right front leg

RH: right hind leg

RR: respiratory rate

Rv: revision

Rx: prescription

S/R: suture removal

SC: subcutaneous, under the skin

SID: once daily, every 24 hours

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

SQ or SC: under the skin

STAT: immediately

Sx: surgery

TID: three times daily, every 8 hours

TPR: temperature, pulse and respiration rates

TS: total solids (in a blood test)

Tx: treatment

UA: urinalysis

URI: upper respiratory infection

U/S: ultrasound, scan
UTI: urinary tract infection

V+: vomits

V/D: vomits diarrhoea

VD: ventrodorsal 

WBC: white blood cells

WNL: within normal limits