Abbreviations
Instructions
- You should know and be able to use or interpret the BOLD FACED Latin abbreviations and their English meaning.
The complete Latin equivalent is not required. This list has been selected from the typical Latin abbreviation listing and represents those abbreviations widely used in veterinary medicine. - You should know and be able to use the various terms for weights and measures for the Metric and Apothecaries’ systems.
For the Apothecaries’ system, you need only know the term “grain” and the relationship between “fluid ounces” and “pint”. - You should be able to interconvert between the systems, those relations that are printed below in bold typeface, using the approximate equivalencies. These conversions are commonly used in veterinary medicine and/or everyday living.
Latin Abbreviations
| Abbreviation | Meaning | Latin |
| ad.lib. | freely as wanted |
ad libitum |
| aq. | water | aqua |
| b.i.d. | twice a day | bis in die |
| cap. | capsule | capula |
| c with bar on top |
with | cum |
| div. | divide | divide |
| eq.pts. | equal parts | equalis partis |
| gtt. | a drop | gutta |
| h. | hour | hora |
| no. | number | numero |
| O. | pint | octarius |
| p.r.n. | as occasion requires |
pro re nata |
| q.s. | a sufficient quantity |
quantum sufficiat |
| q4h | every 4 hours | quaque 4 hora |
| q6h | every 6 hours | quaque 6 hora |
| q1d | every day | quaque 1 die |
| q1w | every week | |
| q.i.d. | four times a day |
quater in die |
| s.i.d. | once a day | semel in die |
| Sig., S. | write on the label | signa |
| stat. | immediately | statim |
| tab. | a tablet | tabella |
| t.i.d. | three times a day |
ter in die |
Weights and measures used in prescribing and toxicology
| Weight | |
| 1 picogram (pg) | 10-12 gram |
| 1000 picograms | 1 nanogram (ng) or 10-9 gram |
| 1000 nanograms | 1 microgram (ug) or 10-6 gram |
| 1000 micrograms | 1 milligram (mg) or 10-3 gram |
| 1000 milligrams | 1 gram (g) |
| 1000 grams | 1 kilogram (kg) |
| Volume | |
| 1000 milliliters (ml) |
1 liter (L) |
| Be able to interconvert all of these valuesPrefixes for volumes correspond to those for weight. |
|
| IMPORTANT: Know that 1 part per million (ppm) is a frequently used term in toxicology and drug residue discussions. For example, the following are 1 ppm:1 mg / kg, 1 mcg/g. An analogy is “Percent” that represents 1 part per hundred, i.e., 1 g/100 g = 1% w/w. The expression “w/w” indicates that the amount of both substances is on a weight basis. It is assumed that ppm is w/w unless otherwise specified. |
| Weight | |
| 20 grains (gr) | 1 scruple ( ) |
| 3 scruples | 1 dram( ) = 60 grains |
| 8 drams | 1 ounce ( ) = 480 grains |
| Volume | |
| 60 minims (m) | 1 fluid dram () |
| 8 fluid drams | 1 fluid ounce () |
| 16 fluid ounces |
1 pint(O.) |
| Know eqivalents in bold faced typed |
|
Conversion Equivalents
| Approximate | Exact | |
| 1 milligram |
1/60 grain | 1/65 grain |
| 1 gram | 15 grains | 15.432 grains |
| 1 kilogram |
2.2 pounds* | 2.2 pounds* |
| 1 milliliter |
15 minims | 16.23 minims |
| 1 liter |
1 quart | 1.06 quarts or 33.8 fluid ounces |
| 1 grain |
60 milligrams | 65 milligrams |
| 1 dram | 4 grams | 3.88 grams |
| 1 ounce |
30 grams | 31.1 grams |
| 1 pound* |
450 grams | 454 grams |
| 1 minim | 0.06 milliliter | 0.062 milliliter |
| 1 fluid dram | 4 milliliters | 3.7 milliliters |
| 1 fluid ounce |
30 milliliters | 29.57 milliliters |
| 1 pint | 500 milliliters | 473 milliliters |
| 1 quart |
1000 milliters | 946 milliliters |
| 1 drop | 1 minim | |
| 1 teaspoonful |
5 milliliters | |
| 1 dessertspoonful |
8 milliliters | |
| 1 tablespoonful |
15 milliliters | |
| Know equivalents in bold faced type.Note: Where possible, use suitable units rather than decimal fractions, e.g., 10 mg not 0.010 g. When a decimal fraction is used the decimal point must be preceded by a zero, e.g., 0.5 not .5.* = avoirdupois pound (the one used in the USA!) |
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Conversion factors for obtaining approximate equivalents
| To convert | To | Multiply by |
| gr/lb | mg/lb | 60 |
| gr/lb | mg/kg | 143 |
| mg/lb | gr/lb | 0.015 |
| mg/lb | mg/kg | 2.2 |
| mg/kg | gr/lb | 0.007 |
| mg/kg | mg/lb | 0.45 |
