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Cachexia
Extreme weight loss.
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Calcified
The hardening of tissue through the influx of calcium, usually as a result of chronic inflammation.
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Calcivirus
A virus involved in feline upper respiratory infections which can also cause painful oral lesions
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Calculus
(Plural calculi) Abnormal stone-like structure(s) usually composed of mineral salts, e.g., a bladder calculus is the same thing as a bladder stone.
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Calorie
The unit of measurement of energy derived from digested food. Fat contains about twice as many calories per gram as protein or carbohydrate.
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Cancer
A group of diseases caused by transformation of normal cells into malignant ones. When these cells shed and travel to other areas of the body, the cancer is said to metastasize.
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Canine
Pertaining to dogs.
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Canine Distemper
A viral disease that caused a severe and often fatal systemic illness in dogs and their close relatives. Distemper is also fatal in animals such as raccoons, and mustelids including skunks, mink and ferrets.
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Canine Herpes Virus
Herpesvirus infection in dogs causes primarliy reproductive problems including resorption of puppies, abortion, still birth or death shortly after birth. Transmission is through direct contact
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Carbohydrate
Compounds made up of chains of sugar units. Simple carbohydrates include table sugar (sucrose), milk sugar (lactose), and fruit sugar (fructose). Complex carbohydrates are very long chains held together by bonds that may not be digestible in the stomach a
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Carcinogen
A substance which causes cancer.
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Carcinoma
A malignant cancer that arises from the epithelial tissues of the body such as the skin, intestinal tract, and bladder.
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Cardiac
Related to the heart.
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Cardiomyopathy
Diseases of the heart muscle; does not include diseases of the valves of the heart or congenital defects.
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Cardiopulmonary
Relating to the heart and lungs.
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Cardiovascular
Related to the heart and blood vessels.
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Carnivore
An animal whose natural diet includes meat.
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Carpus
The wrist (front leg) of dogs and cats.
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Carrier
An animal which harbors an infectious organism, such as a virus, bacteria, or parasite. The animal does not appear ill, but can still transmit the organism to other animals by direct contact or releasing the organisms (bacteria, protozoa, viruses) into th
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Castration
The removal of the sex organs making the animal incapable of reproduction; the correct use of the word can be used to describe both male and female animals, but it is commonly used to describe only males.
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