Acetabulum. Hip socket.

After-­‐birth. Placenta, fetal membrane.

AI. Artificial Insemination. Sperm can be from fresh, chilled, preserved, or frozen-­‐thawed semen.

Antigen. Substance stimulating production of antibodies.

Ascarid. Type of intestinal parasite; e.g., roundworm.

Aspirate (to). To remove liquids or gases.

Breech birth or presentation. Puppy delivered rear-­‐end first. Not abnormal.

Breeder. Owner or lessee of dam on date dam was bred.

Breeding age limits. AKC rules on age at mating: sire -­‐ 7 months to 12 years; dam -­‐ 8 months to 12 years.

Brucella canis. Causative agent of brucellosis resulting in spontaneous abortion.

C-­‐section. Cesarean section. Surgical incision through abdominal wall and uterus to extract puppies. Clumbers in top 10% of breeds requiring procedure.

Cervix. Lower end of uterus.

Colostrum. Dam's first milk, continuing for few days. High in protein and protective antibodies.

Cornification. Formation of a horny layer of skin

Cross-­‐breeding. Mating of two dogs each of a different breed. Cf. in-­‐breeding, line-­‐breeding, out-­‐crossing.

Cryptorchid. Adult dog with one or both testicles not descended into scrotum.

Cull (to). To kill.

E Coli. One of many species of bacteria in the gastrointestinal tract.

Eclampsia. Also called milk fever. Nursing of pups causing low level of calcium, with muscle tremors to even life-­‐threatening seizures in dam.

Ectropion. Loose lower eyelid drooping outward.

Embryonic. Still in uterus or egg.

Encyst. To be enclosed in a cyst (e.g., roundworms).

Endometritis. Infection or inflammation of inner glandular lining of uterus.

Entire. Dog with both testicles intact.

Entropion. Eyelid turning inward.

Estrus. Period when bitch can be mated. Also called endocrine cycle, estrous cycle, heat, oestrus, season.

Fading puppy syndrome. Dies after having lost 10% or more of birth weight in first 24 hours. False pregnancy. Bitch having hormonal changes similar to pregnancy without a fertilized egg. Fetal reabsorption. Disintegration of fetus in uterus.

Flagging. Instinctive response of bitch in season: elevation of tail and holding it aside exposing vulva.

Gestation. Period between mating and whelping of litter. Average 63 days; range 59-­‐70 days.

Get. Offspring, progeny.

Haploid. Pertaining to single set of chromosomes.

HD. Hip dysplasia, dysplastic.

Hematoma. Mass of blood escaped from blood vessel and trapped within tissue.

Hypoglycemia. Abnormally low level of sugar in blood.

In-­‐breeding. Mating of parents to offspring, brother to sister. Cf. cross-­‐breeding, line-­‐breeding, out-­‐crossing.

In-­‐breeding depression. Loss of vigor, indicated by a lack of disease resistance and/or infertility.

In-­‐utero. In the uterus, not yet whelped

Lactation. Production of milk by dam.

Line-­‐breeding. Mating of dog to granddam, bitch to grandsire, etc. Cf. cross-­‐breeding, in-­‐breeding, out-­‐crossing.

Lock. Same as tie.

Luxated patella. Patella displaced from normal position.

Mastitis. Inflammation of the mammary gland.

Meconium. First fecal excretion of a whelp.

Mismating. Mating not intended by breeder.

Monorchid. Dog with only one testicle descended into scrotum.

Necropsy. Animal autopsy.

Out-­‐crossing, out-­‐breeding. Mating of unrelated individuals of same breed, with no common ancestors in at least four or more generations. Cf. cross-­‐breeding, in-­‐breeding, line-­‐breeding. Ova (singular: Ovum). Bitch's eggs or egg cells.

Ovaries. Female sex glands.

Ovulation. Eggs released from ovaries, with watery lubricating fluid secreted into lower genital tract causing bitch to be receptive to dog.

Oxytocin. Hormone responsible for uterine contraction and milk letdown.

Parturition. Act or process of whelping.

PDP1. Pyruvate dehydrogenase deficiency -­‐ exercise intolerance. Occurs only if both sire and dam

-­‐ who may be asymptomatic -­‐ are carriers.

Pig rail. Protective railing about 3 inches from base, around inner perimeter of whelping box -­‐ to prevent dam from inadvertently smothering whelps.

Pit. Pituitary extract -­‐ stimulates contractions of uterus.

PRA. Progressive Retinal Atrophy.

Pyometra. Infection of uterus, filled with pus.

Rh factor. Antigens present on surface of red blood cells.

Section (to). To perform a C-­‐section.

Septicemia. Bacterial infection of bloodstream spread throughout body.

Streptococcus. Type of bacteria affecting throat and/or lungs.

Swimmer. Non-­‐walking puppy. Prone, legs extended, moving about in a swimming fashion, sometimes using head to pull forward.

Theriogenology. Branch of veterinary medicine concerned with reproduction.

Three. Generally agreed: the top number of litters for a given bitch.

Three C's of improper breeding. "Close, Convenient, Cheap."

Tie, lock. Act of insemination. Penile bone enables dog to enter bitch, and then erection occurs preventing withdrawal. Usually lasts 5 to 60 minutes.

Titer. Lab test measuring level of antibodies in blood sample.

Turgidity. Swollenness, distension.

Uterine inertia. Sluggishness or inactivity of dam to expel whelps from uterus. "Lazy whelper."

Uterus. Same as womb.

Vagina. Birth canal.

Vaginal cytology. Study of surface cells lining vagina..

Vaginitis. Infection or inflammation of vagina.

Vulva. Bitch's external genitalia.

Water puppy. Extremely large whelp, dead well before whelping occurs.

Whelp. Unweaned puppy. In whelp -­‐ pregnant. To whelp -­‐ to give birth.

Zygote. Bitch's fertilized egg.

 

Cynology (cynologist, cynological) - study of dogs 

Most people appear to be fully aware of:

Entomology – study of insects

Ichthyology – study of fish

Lepidoptery – study of butterflies

Ornithology – study of birds

but even many dog fanciers seem unaware of the term for the study of canines, though they have encountered it in French in what is the name of most of the world’s equivalent to the AKC, the Fédération Cynologique Internationale (FCI).