Dictionary of Terms

We have included below some commonly used terms which you may not be familiar with.

A

Absorbed - is the movement of a substance/drug into the bloodstream

Airborne - release into the air

Alcohols - the word alcohol refers to ethanol, the type of alcohol found in alcoholic beverages

Ammonia - is used in commercial cleaning products, is used as fertilizers and is excreted by marine animals

Antacid - substance which counteracts stomach acidity

Antibacterial - antiseptics that have the proven ability to act against bacteria especially if they target systems which kill only bacteria

Antiseptics - antimicrobial substances that are applied to living tissue/skin to reduce the possibility of infection

APVMA - Australian Pesticides and Veterinary Medicines Authority (Australian government authority responsible for the assessment and registration of pesticides and veterinary medicines).

B

Bactericide - is a substance that kills bacteria and, ideally, nothing else. Bactericides are either disinfectants, antiseptics or antibiotics

Biodegradable - the natural chemical breakdown of materials in the environment

Bio-degradable detergent - environmental friendly material intended to assist cleaning

C

Calcium - a major material used in the production of bones and shells. Calcium is an essential mineral in all animals. While the majority of body calcium is contained in the skeleton, the small amount of calcium in the blood and muscle tissue is essential for maintaining an animal's good health. Calcium is important for the normal development and maintenance of bones and teeth and also for:

(a) maintaining essential tone in muscle ligaments and nerves,

(b) maintaining normal heart function,

(c) producing milk in pregnant and lactating bitches.

Calcium carbonate - commonly used medicinally as a calcium supplement or as an antacid

Calcium glubionate - is a mineral supplement

Calcium lactobionate - a food additive used as a stabilizer

Catnip oil - oil from a flowering plant that pleasantly stimulates cats' pheromones typically resulting in temporary euphoria

Chloramine - is commonly used in low concentrations as a disinfectant in municipal water systems as an alternative to chlorination

Chlorine - a chemical used in bleaching and disinfecting (e.g. water)

Chondroitin - is an important structural component of cartilage and provides much of its resistance to compression. Along with glucosamine, chondroitin has become a widely used dietary supplement for treatment of osteoarthritis

Citronella oil - is one of the essential oils obtained from the leaves and stems of perennial grasses and is a renowned plant-based insect repellent

Coagulant - is a process of contact and adhesion whereby the particles form large clusters

Contaminate - the introduction of contaminants into an environment that causes instability, disorder, harm or discomfort to the ecosystem i.e. physical systems or living organisms

Contentment - is the experience of satisfaction and being at ease in one's situation

Crustaceans - include various familiar animals such as crabs, lobsters, crayfish, shrimp, krill and barnacles

D

D-biotin - is necessary for cell growth, the production of fatty acids, and the metabolism of fats and amino acids

Debilitated - unable to function normally due to an injury or disability

Denatonium benzoate - the most bitter chemical known, it deters dogs from chewing or licking

Dermatitis - inflammation of the skin e.g. rashes, etc. In the absence of inflammation, wounds and infections would never heal and progressive destruction of the tissue would compromise the survival of the organism.

Dichlorophen - an anticestodal agent which is a drug used to combat tapeworm infection

Diethylcarbamazine Citrate (DEC) - is an anthelmintic drug that expels parasitic worms (helminths) from the body

Di-n-propyl isocinchomeronate - a common fly repellent

Disinfectants - antimicrobial agents that are applied to non-living objects to destroy microorganisms (such as bacteria, fungi, or protozoans, as well as destroying viruses), the process of which is known as disinfection

Dissipated - the loss of odour over time

E

Ear canker - a localized ulceration caused by weeds and other organic substances entering the ear

Ear mites - mites that live in the ears of animals. Ear mites cause inflammatory symptoms, similar to bacterial and yeast infections. Symptoms include itching and redness of the ears and in severe case can lead to deafness

Eczema - is a disease in a form of dermatitis inflammation of the skin

Ecoteric T80 -

Equine - animals which include horses, donkeys, and zebras

Emollients - substances that soften and soothe the skin. They are used to correct dryness and scaling of the skin. The terms "moisturizer" (something that adds moisture) and "emollient" (something that softens) are sometimes used interchangeably, as they describe different effects of these agents on the skin. However, the term emollient is most often used to describe single ingredients, whereas "moisturizer" describes finished products

Enzymes - are biomolecules that increase the rates of chemical reactions. Nearly all known enzymes are proteins

Essential elements - include elements like e.g. iron, cobalt, chromium, copper, iodine, manganese, selenium, zinc and molybdenum required for healthy growth

Exoskeleton - is an external skeleton that supports and protects an animal's body, in contrast to the internal endoskeleton of, for example, a human

F

Fleas - wingless insects whose mouthparts are adapted for piercing skin and sucking blood. The cat flea, Ctenocephalides felis, is one of the most abundant and widespread fleas on the globe.

Folic acid - is especially important during periods of rapid cell division and growth

Formaldehyde - an aqueous solution of formaldehyde can be useful as a disinfectant as it kills most bacteria and fungi (including their spores)

Fungal ringworm - is a fungal infection of the skin in humans and domestic animals

G

Gelatin - is classified as a foodstuff and is a translucent, colourless, brittle, nearly tasteless solid substance, derived from the collagen inside animals' skin and bones

Germicidal - substances that are capable of destroying microbes

Glucosamine - Oral glucosamine is commonly used for the treatment of osteoarthritis (degeneration of the joints)

Glycerine - improves smoothness, providing lubrication and acts as a humectant (prevents drying)

Greasy heel - a disease causing irritation and dermatitis in the lower limbs of horses

H

Heartworm - a parasitic roundworm (Dirofilaria immitis) that is spread from host to host through the bites of mosquitoes

Hookworm - is a parasitic nematode worm that lives in the small intestine of its host, which may be a mammal such as a dog, cat, or human

Hydatid tapeworm - a cestode that parasitizes the small intestine of dogs as an adult, but which has important intermediate hosts such as livestock and humans, where it causes hydatid disease

Hydrogen peroxide - is used to bleach hair when mixed with ammonia

Hypersensitivity - refers to undesirable (damaging, discomfort-producing and sometimes fatal) reactions produced by the normal immune system.

I

Immune system - a collection of biological processes within an organism that protects against disease by identifying and killing pathogens (disease-causing) and tumour cells

Infestation - colonization of the hair and skin by parasitic insects

Insecticidal - a pesticide used against insects

Intestinal - is the segment of the alimentary canal extending from the stomach to the anus

Iodophor - is a preparation containing iodine combined with a solubilizing agent, such as povidone (forming povidone-iodine). 

Irritant - something that causes a state of inflammation or painful reaction to allergy or cell-lining damage

Ivermectin - is a broad-spectrum antiparasitic medication traditionally used against worms, but more recently found to be effective against mites and some lice too

Ixodes holocyclus - the paralysis tick, is usually found in a 20-kilometre wide band following the eastern coastline of Australia. As this area also contains the majority of Australia's most densely populated regions, incidents of paralysis-tick bites on people, pets and livestock are relatively common.

K

Kelp - are large seaweeds (algae), belonging to the brown algae, are rich in iodine and alkali and are used as a nutritious food source

L

Lice - also known as fly babies or nits, are an order of over 3,000 species of wingless insects; three of which are classified as human disease agents

Lungworm - are parasitic nematode worms that infest the lungs of animals

Lustre - is a description of the way light interacts with the surface

M

Manganese ascorbate - a vitamin cofactor and mineral

Melaleuca oil - has beneficial medical properties (including antiseptic, antifungal and antibacterial action)

Methyl nonyl ketone - because of its strong odour it is primarily used as an insect repellent or animal repellent

Mineral deficiencies - is a type of nutrition disorder that is associated with inadequate nourishment (food intake) in the daily diet

MSM - a natural source of sulphur and used in conjunction with chondroitin and glucosamine for the treatment of osteoarthritis

Moult - signifies the manner in which an animal routinely casts off a part of its body (often but not always an outer layer or covering), either at specific times of year, or at specific points in its life-cycle. Hermit crabs do it regularly when the carapace (upper part of exoskeleton) is outgrown

Mucus - a slippery secretion produced by, and covering, mucous membranes. It is a viscous substance containing antiseptic enzymes and immunoglobulins (antibodies which identify and neutralize foreign objects) that serves to protect skin cells in the respiratory, gastrointestinal, urogenital, visual, and auditory systems in mammals

N

Nepetalactone - a cat attractant containing odorants and constituents of essential oils that have an apparent effect on cat behavior

Neutralize - renders a substance harmless or non-offensive

New Zealand green-lipped mussel - also known as the New Zealand mussel or the greenshell mussel is endemic to New Zealand and contain a unique combination of fatty acids that are not found in any other marine or plant life. One of these acids, glycosaminoglycan, can assist in the repair of damaged joint tissues

N,n-diethyltoluamide - (DEET) a common insect repellent that is effective against ticks and other insects

N-octyl bicycloheptene dicarboximide - is an ingredient in some common pesticides. It has no intrinsic pesticidal activity itself, but rather is a synergist enhancing the potency of pyrethroid ingredients.

Non-contraceptive - prevents fertilization of the ovum by sperm cells

Nutrition - is the provision, to cells and organisms, of the materials necessary (in the form of food) to support life

O

Oestrus - a cycle that is induced by reproductive hormones in most mammalian placental females

Organic solvents - solvents which have organic (carbon-containing) chemicals

Otodectes cynotis - the cat ear mite, responsible for canker

Oxantel embonate -

P

Palatable - is the reward provided by foods or fluids that are agreeable to the "palate"

Palm Oil - is an edible plant oil derived from the fruit and kernels (seeds) of the oil palm. is also an important component of many soaps and is used to treat wounds

Parasitism - is a type of relationship between two different organisms where one organism, the parasite, takes favor from the host, sometimes for a prolonged time

Pedigree - are cultivated varieties or cultivars of an animal species, achieved through the process of selective breeding

Permethrin - is a common synthetic chemical, widely used as an insecticide, acaricide, and insect repellent. Permethrin is toxic to cats and many cats die after being given flea treatments intended for dogs, or by contact with dogs who have recently been treated with permethrin.

Piperazine - was first introduced as an agent to kill parasitic worms in 1953. A large number of piperazine compounds have anthelmintic action. Their mode of action is generally by paralysing parasites, which allows the host body to easily remove or expel the invading organism

Piperonyl butoxide -  does not, by itself, have pesticidal properties however when added to insecticide mixtures (like pyrethrin insecticides), their potency is increased considerably

Povidone-iodine - has been broadly used for the prevention and treatment of skin infections, and the treatment of wounds

Praziquantel - is a drug that kills parasitic flatworms

Proteins - are essential parts of organisms and participate in virtually every process within cells

Pyrantel embonate - is used as a deworming agent in the treatment of hookworms (all species) and roundworms in domesticated animals such as horses, cattle, sheep, pigs, cats, dogs, and many other species

Pyrethrins - natural organic compounds that have potent insecticidal activity

Q

Queensland itch - also known as sweet itch, summer Itch or more technically, Culicoides hypersensitivity it is a medical condition in equines caused by an allergic response to the bites of Culicoides midges (small flies)

R

Roundworms - or "nematodes" are one of the most diverse of all animals

S

Sanitizer - a sanitizer must be capable of killing 99.999%, known as a 5 log reduction, of a specific bacterial test population, and to do so within 30 seconds. The main difference between a sanitizer and a disinfectant is that at a specified use dilution, the disinfectant must have a higher kill capability for pathogenic (disease-causing) bacteria compared to that of a sanitizer

Sarcoptic mange mite - is a parasitic animal which burrows into skin and causes scabies, and is a cause of mange. Sarcoptic mange is a highly contagious infestation of a burrowing mite.

Soluble - the ability of a solid, liquid, or gaseous chemical substance to dissolve in a liquid

Sudsing - ability to form a soapy foam

Supplement - is a preparation intended to provide nutrients, such as vitamins, minerals, fibre, fatty acids or amino acids, that are missing or are not consumed in sufficient quantity in a diet

T

Tapeworm - live in the digestive tract of vertebrates as adults and often in the bodies of various animals as juveniles

Tea Tree Oil - has beneficial medical properties (including antiseptic, antifungal and antibacterial action), and is also believed to have beneficial cosmetic properties.

Tetracycline - is a broad-spectrum antibiotic for use against many bacterial infections

Ticks - are ectoparasites (external parasites), living off the blood of mammals and birds

Toxicity - is the degree to which a substance is able to damage an exposed organism

U

Urbanization - is the physical growth of urban areas from rural areas as a result of population immigration to an existing urban area.

V

Vitamins - is an organic compound required as a nutrient in tiny amounts by an organism

Vitamin A - important in vision and bone growth

Vitamin B1 - are present in all cells of the body, thus, a thiamine deficiency would seem to adversely affect all of the organ systems

Vitamin C - or L-ascorbic acid is an essential nutrient for a small number of other mammalian species (notably guinea pigs and bats)

Vitamin D - regulates the calcium and phosphorus levels in the blood and is also necessary for bone growth and bone remodelling

Vitamin E - protects cell membranes from the harmful effects of oxygen (an anti-oxidant)

W

Water hardness - water that has high mineral content (mainly calcium and magnesium ions)

Whipworm - is a roundworm, which causes a parasitic disease when it infects a human large intestine.