PrintThis is a quick explanation of abbreviations and terminology used for common diagnostic tests ordered by the veterinarian. It does not attempt to describe every scenario in which the tests might be performed. In parentheses is the primary purpose of the test.
| Ab | antibody test for exposure to a particular antigen |
| ACT | activated clotting time (bleeding disorders) |
| ACTH | adrenocorticotropic hormone (adrenal gland function) |
| Ag | antigen test for proteins specific to a disease causing organism or virus |
| Alb | albumin (liver, kidney and intestinal disorders) |
| Alk Phos, ALP | alkaline phosphatase (liver and adrenal disorders) |
| Allergy Testing | intradermal or blood antibody test for allergen hypersensitivity |
| ALT | alanine aminotransferase (liver disorder) |
| Amyl | amylase enzyme – non specific (pancreatitis) |
| ANA | antinuclear antibody (systemic lupus erythematosus) |
| Anaplasmosis | Anaplasma spp. (tick-borne rickettsial disease) |
| APTT | activated partial thromboplastin time (blood clotting ability) |
| AST | aspartate aminotransferase (muscle and liver disorders) |
| Band | band cell – type of white blood cell |
| Baso | basophil – type of white blood cell |
| Bile Acids | digestive acids produced in the liver and stored in the gall bladder (liver function) |
| Bili | bilirubin (bile pigment responsible for jaundice from liver disease or RBC destruction) |
| BP | blood pressure measurement |
| BUN | blood urea nitrogen (kidney and liver function) |
| Bx | biopsy |
| C & S | aerobic / anaerobic bacterial culture and antibiotic sensitivity test (infection, drug selection) |
| Ca+2 | calcium ion – unbound calcium (parathyroid gland function) |
| CBC | complete blood count (all circulating cells) |
| Chol | cholesterol (liver, thyroid disorders) |
| CK, CPK | creatine [phospho]kinase (muscle disease, heart disease) |
| Cl- | chloride ion – unbound chloride (hydration, blood pH) |
| CO2 | carbon dioxide (blood pH) |
| Contrast Radiograph | x-ray image using injected radiopaque contrast media |
| Cortisol | hormone produced by the adrenal glands (adrenal gland function) |
| Coomb’s | anti- red blood cell antibody test (immune-mediated hemolytic anemia) |
| Crea | creatinine (kidney function) |
| CRT | capillary refill time (blood pressure, tissue perfusion) |
| DTM | dermatophyte test medium (ringworm – dermatophytosis) |
| EEG | electroencephalogram (brain function, epilepsy) |
| Ehrlichia | Ehrlichia spp. (tick-borne rickettsial disease) |
| EKG, ECG | electrok[c]ardiogram (electrical heart activity, heart arryhthmia) |
| Eos | eosinophil – type of white blood cell |
| Fecal,flotation,direct | intestinal parasite exam |
| FeLV | Feline Leukemia Virus test |
| FIA | Feline Infectious Anemia: aka Feline Hemotrophic Mycoplasma, Haemobartonella felis test |
| FIV | Feline Immunodeficiency Virus test |
| Fluorescein Stain | fluorescein stain uptake of cornea (corneal ulceration) |
| fT4, fT4ed, freeT4ed | thyroxine hormone unbound by protein measured by equilibrium dialysis (thyroid function) |
| GGT | gamma-glutamyltranferase (liver disorders) |
| Glob | globulin (liver, immune system) |
| Glu | blood or urine glucose (diabetes mellitus) |
| Gran | granulocytes – subgroup of white blood cells |
| Hb, Hgb | hemoglobin – iron rich protein bound to red blood cells that carries oxygen (anemia, red cell mass) |
| HCO3- | bicarbonate ion (blood pH) |
| HCT, PCV, MHCT | hematocrit, packed-cell volume, microhematocrit (hemoconcentration, dehydration, anemia) |
| K+ | potassium ion – unbound potassium (kidney disorders, adrenal gland disorders) |
| Lipa | lipase enzyme – non specific (pancreatitis) |
| LYME | Borrelia spp. (tick-borne rickettsial disease) |
| Lymph | lymphocyte – type of white blood cell |
| MCHC | mean corpuscular hemoglobin concentration (anemia, iron deficiency) |
| MCV | mean corpuscular volume – average red cell size (anemia, iron deficiency) |
| Mg+2 | magnesium ion – unbound magnesium (diabetes, parathyroid function, malnutrition) |
| MHCT, HCT, PCV | microhematocrit, hematocrit, packed-cell volume (hemoconcentration, dehydration, anemia) |
| MIC | minimum inhibitory concentration – part of the C&S that determines antimicrobial selection |
| Mono | monocyte – type of white blood cell |
| MRI | magnetic resonance imaging (advanced tissue imaging) |
| Na+ | sodium ion – unbound sodium (dehydration, adrenal gland disease) |
| nRBC | nucleated red blood cell – immature red blood cell (bone marrow damage, lead toxicity) |
| PCV, HCT, MHCT | packed-cell volume, hematocrit, microhematocrit (hemoconcentration, dehydration, anemia) |
| PE | physical examination |
| pH | urine pH (urinary tract infection, urolithiasis) |
| Phos | phosphorus (kidney disorders, ketoacidosis, parathyroid function) |
| PLI | pancreatic lipase immunoreactivity (pancreatitis) |
| PLT | platelet – cells involved in clotting (bleeding disorders) |
| PT | prothrombin time (bleeding disorders) |
| PTH | parathyroid hormone, parathormone (parathyroid function) |
| Radiograph | x-ray image |
| RBC | red blood cell count (anemia) |
| REL | Rocky Mountain Spotted Fever / Ehrlichia / Lyme combination test |
| Retic | reticulocyte – immature red blood cell (regenerative vs. non-regenerative anemia) |
| RMSF | Rocky Mountain Spotted Fever |
| SAP | serum alkaline phosphatase (liver disorders) |
| Schirmer Tear Test | tear production test (keratoconjunctivitis sicca – dry eye,) |
| Seg | segmented neutrophil – type of white blood cell |
| USG | Urine specific gravity (urine concentration, kidney function) |
| spec cPL | specific canine pancreatic lipase (pancreatitis) –replaces the PLI test |
| spec fPL | specific feline pancreatic lipase (pancreatitis) –replaces the PLI test |
| T4 | thyroxine hormone – total (thyroid gland function) |
| TLI | trypsin-like immunoreactivity (exocrine pancreatic insufficiency) |
| TP | total protein (hydration, liver disorders) |
| TPR | temperature / pulse / respirations (physical exam vital signs) |
| Trig | triglycerides (fat metabolism, liver disorders) |
| TSH | thyroid stimulating hormone (thyroid gland function) |
| UA | urinalysis (kidney function, urinary tract infection, diabetes) |
| Urine Cortisol-Crea Ratio | urine cortisol-creatine ratio (screening test for adrenal gland disease) |
| Urine Protein-Crea Ratio | urine protein-creatinine ratio (kidney disorders) |
| VWF | VonWillebrands factor (bleeding disorder) |
| WBC | white blood cell count (infection, inflammation, bone marrow suppression) |
