Common Veterinary Medical Abbreviations and Acronyms
p.c.
after meals
A/P
anterior/ posterior
ab
antibody
Ad lib
as much as desired
PRN
as required
hs
at bedtime
bpm
beats per minute
a.c.
before meals
BP
blood pressure
BCS
body condition score
BM
bowel movement
BAR
bright, alert, responsive
CRT
capillary refill time
CBC
complete blood count
cc
cubic centimeter
C&S
culture and sensitivity
DOA
dead on arrival
D/V
dorsal/ ventral
gt
drop
gtt
drops
DEA
drug enforcement association
q
every
q12h
every 12 hours
qd
every day
qh
every hour
qod
every other day
F
female
FDA
food and drug administration
qid
four times a day
Fx
fracture
GSW
gun shot wound
HR
heart rate
HBC
hit by car
h
hour
hr
hour
Stat
immediately
IC
intracardiac
ID
intradermal
IM
intramusclar
IP
intraperitoneal
IN
intravenous
IV
intravenous
Sig
lable; prescription
L (circled)
left
M
male
MM
mucous membrane
N/M
neutered male
NSAID
non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drug
NPO
nothing by mouth (nothing by os)
aa (over lined)
of each
SID
once a day
s.i.d
once a day
PO
orally
Per Os
orally
OHE
ovariohysterectomy
OVH
ovariohysterectomy
O (line over)
owner
PCV
packed cell volume
PE
physical exam
RBC
red blood cell
r (circled)
right
S/F
spayed female
SC
subcutaneously
SQ
subcutaneously
subcu
subcutaneously
subq
subcutaneously
tab
tablet
TPR
temperature, pulse, respiration
t.i.d
three times a day
tid
three times a day
Bid
twice a day
b.i.d
twice a day
UA
urinalysis
VD
ventral/dorsal
Aq
water
WBC
white blood cell
c
with
WNL
within normal limits