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Veterinary Medicine vocabulary · Clinical Examination

Vital signs

Meaning in veterinary medicine, with examples

/ˈvaɪtəl saɪnz/nounCore term

In veterinary medicine, vital signs means: The basic measurements that show how well an animal's body is working: temperature, heart rate, pulse and breathing rate.

In Turkish: vital bulgular, yaşamsal bulgular

How it is used

Often summed up as TPR (temperature, pulse, respiration). Nurses check the vital signs of hospitalised patients several times a day, and vets say they are within normal limits or stable.

Example sentences

  1. His vital signs were stable overnight, so he can go home today.

  2. Record her vital signs every four hours.

Common collocations

  • check vital signs
  • monitor vital signs
  • stable vital signs
  • record vital signs
  • physical examinationA systematic check of an animal's body by looking, feeling and listening: temperature, heart and lungs, eyes, ears, mouth, skin, lymph nodes and abdomen.
  • mucous membranesThe moist pink linings inside the mouth, eyelids, nose and genitals. Vets look at their colour, especially on the gums, to judge circulation and oxygen levels.
  • capillary refill timeThe time it takes for colour to return to the gum after it is pressed with a finger. It shows how well blood reaches the tissues; under two seconds is usually normal.
  • triageQuickly assessing sick or injured animals as they arrive to decide how urgent each case is and which one should be seen first.

This word in other fields

The same English word can have a different meaning in another field:

More terms: Clinical Examination

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This page explains English vocabulary for learners. It is not medical advice.