This summer, we created a series about veterinary careers on the LazyPaw Animal Hospitals blog. We talked about vets who specialize in pets, zoo animals, horses, livestock, and research, plus explained a little about their day-to-day work and how much effort went into their education.
However, just because you have an interest in something doesn’t mean it’s an ideal career choice. That’s why to celebrate the upcoming start of the fall school season, we’re launching a series about the ABCs of VETs, which will deliver some interesting glossary terms from veterinary medicine. Some are simple and some are scientific, but all are interesting (at least to us geeks!).
Abrasion
Commonly called a scrape, an abrasion is an injury that causes superficial damage to the skin. The most important part of healing abrasions is to stop any bleeding quickly and clean the wound well to prevent infection. If your pet gets an abrasion the vet will likely trim the hair around the injury, clean the wound, and prescribe a topical antibiotic.
Bar pad
No, it’s not a special seat cushion to keep you comfortable on Friday nights. A bar pad, also called a bar shoe, is a horseshoe that keeps a horse from slipping. Shoes have a closed heel with a bar of steel or aluminum welded across. Bar shoes can come in different styles including strait bar, egg bar, and heart bar.
Circadian rhythm
The circadian rhythm describes a physiological process that rotates every 24 hours. The changes can be physical, mental, or behavioral. Essentially, the term describes a living being’s internal biological clock. Animals’ rhythms are mostly triggered by light and dark, which is why many birds chirp in the morning and rodents forage at night.
Dorsal
This word likely makes you think of dolphins or other sea life with “dorsal fins.” The term, from the Latin word dorsum (back), refers to the posterior or upper plane of an animal.
Ectothermic
Ectothermic isn’t a particularly well insulated version of the Ghostbuster’s classic car. It’s the way reptiles pull heat from outside the body. From the Greek words “ektos” (outside) and thermos (hot), ectothermic creatures such as butterflies, turtles, and snakes don’t control their internal temperature. Instead, they pull heat from the sun or other outside sources.