NAVLE ASSESSMENT
QUESTIONS AND
CORRECT ANSWERS
GRADED A+ 2025-2026
A 2 year-old budgie (parakeet) is presented with a history of limping on his left leg,
which has gotten progressively worse over the last 3 weeks. He is eating and drinking
normally, but has fallen off his perch twice in the last two days. Weakness in the left
leg compared with the right one is observed. He retracts his left more slowly and more
weakly when his toe is pinched. What condition is at the top of the differential
diagnosis list?
A. Pacheco's disease
B. Polyoma virus infection
C. Renal tumor
D. Trauma - broken leg
E. Hypovitaminosis A - ANS-C. Renal tumor
Think renal tumor with progressive unilateral lameness in budgies (and poor
prognosis). The sciatic nerve passes through the renal parenchyma in birds, and
budgies are prone to neoplasia in general.
A 7 year old intact female poodle is presented. The owner has noted a lot of drinking
and some urinary accidents in the house in the last week and that the dog hasn't
seemed herself either. Yesterday, she vomitted twice. On physical exam the dog
appears depressed, listless, has dark injected mucous membranes and a distended
tender abdomen.
T = 104F (99.5-102.5)
HR = 100 bpm (60-120)
,RR = 30 brpm (15-34)
What diagnosis is of most immediate concern?
A. Pregnancy
B. Intestinal foreign body
C. Hepato-splenic tumor
D. Diabetes mellitus
E. Pyometra - ANS-E. Pyometra
Pyometra is a life-threatening emergency which typically requires immediate surgery
(ovariohysterectomy) if the cervix is closed and there is no obvious discharge. Open
cervix pyometras are likely to present with a purulent discharge, simplifying Dx, but
surgical ovariohysterectomy is stll recommended. Pyometra should always be near the
top of your DDX when presented with an older intact female dog or cat with fever and
distended abdomen.
Pyrrolizidine alkaloid toxicity is caused by chronic ingestion of which one of the
following plants?
A. Astragalus spp. (locoweed)
B. Lupinus spp. (lupine)
C. Nerium spp. (oleander)
D. Senecia spp. (ragwort)
E. Persea spp. (avocado) - ANS-D. Senecia spp. (ragwort)
Common plants containing pyrrolizidine alkaloids (PA) are: Senecia vulga jacobea,
Amsinckia intermedius, Heliotropium europaeum, Crotalaria spectabilis. Although
generally not palatable, livestock will eat these plants when on pasture when forage is
scarce. Chronic ingestion allows accumulation oof toxic levels of PA, resulting in
fibrosis. Poisoning is most common in horses and cattle. Sheep and goats are more
resistant to toxic effects.
A 15 year old cat is presented with a 3 week progression of wandering in circles to the
left, standing in corners, and dull mentation. Conscious proprioceptive deficits
,(knuckling) can be elicited in the right thoracic and right pelvic limbs. There is a
decreased menace response on the right, but palpebral and pupillary light reflexes are
normal in both eyes. The rest of the examination is normal. A brain tumor is
suspected. Where is the most likely location of the lesion?
A. Right brainstem
B. Right cerebrum
C. Left brainstem
D. Left cerebrum
E. Cerebellum - ANS-D. Left cerebrum
Conscious proprioception and viscual perception are affecting lesions in the
contralateral cerebral hemisphere. Circling direction is generally toward the side of the
lesion. Visual loss doss not fit with brainstem lesion.
A twelve year old female spayed miniature schnauzer presents with a history of
seisure-like episodes. Physical exam reveals an irregular heart beat, CBC and panel are
unremarkable except for a mild triglyceridemia. ECG shows sinus arrest with
bradycardia and tachycardia. Which one of the following choices is the most likely
diagnosis?
A. Sick sinus syndrome
B. Atrial fibrillation
C. First degree AV block
D. Ventricular tachycardia
E. All of these - ANS-A. Sick sinus syndrome
The seizure-like episodes, after questioning the owner further, were actually syncopal
episodes. Syncope lacks muscle activity and post ictal behavior. Older female miniature
schnauzers are overrepresented with sick sinus syndrome.
Prior to the 1950s, heat pasteurization of milk was done principally to prevent
transmission of one organism to people. Today, that organism is reemerging in bi-
, national communities with ties to Mexico who consume unpasteurized milk products.
What is the organism?
A. Mycobacterium bovis
B. Enterotoxigenic Escherichia coli 0157:H7
C. Mycobacterium avium subspecies paratuberculosis
D. Mycobacterium tuberculosis
E. Mycobacterium avium - ANS-A. Mycobacterium bovis
A century ago, mycobacterium bovis (bovine tuberculosis) used to be a common
zoonotic health threat, transmitted through milk to children through their emerging
teeth at the gums. Today, human cases of M bovis are emerging more in bi-national
communities with ties to Mexico who consume unpasteurized milk products (like fresh
queso). Temperature of pasteurization is set by the toughest, most heat resistant
organism, which is coxiella burnetii, the cause of Q fever. If the temperature is high
enough for long enough to kill Coxiella, it will also kill the other organisms
An immunochromatographic test kit for detection of fecal canine parvovirus (CPV)
antigen is being tested in a local cat shelter where as many as 10% of cats there may
have panleukopenia secondary to infection with canine parvovirus. Here are simulated
test results, compared to a gold standard test for CPV:
Test kit positive: 128 CPV pos., 734 CPV neg., 862 total
Test kit negative: 63 CPV pos., 1575 CPV neg., 1638 total
Totals: 191 CPV pos., 2309 CPV neg., 2500 total
What is the sensitivity of this test kit?
A. 734/862
B. 128/734
C. 1575/2309
D. 128/191
E. 1575/1638 - ANS-D. 128/191
QUESTIONS AND
CORRECT ANSWERS
GRADED A+ 2025-2026
A 2 year-old budgie (parakeet) is presented with a history of limping on his left leg,
which has gotten progressively worse over the last 3 weeks. He is eating and drinking
normally, but has fallen off his perch twice in the last two days. Weakness in the left
leg compared with the right one is observed. He retracts his left more slowly and more
weakly when his toe is pinched. What condition is at the top of the differential
diagnosis list?
A. Pacheco's disease
B. Polyoma virus infection
C. Renal tumor
D. Trauma - broken leg
E. Hypovitaminosis A - ANS-C. Renal tumor
Think renal tumor with progressive unilateral lameness in budgies (and poor
prognosis). The sciatic nerve passes through the renal parenchyma in birds, and
budgies are prone to neoplasia in general.
A 7 year old intact female poodle is presented. The owner has noted a lot of drinking
and some urinary accidents in the house in the last week and that the dog hasn't
seemed herself either. Yesterday, she vomitted twice. On physical exam the dog
appears depressed, listless, has dark injected mucous membranes and a distended
tender abdomen.
T = 104F (99.5-102.5)
HR = 100 bpm (60-120)
,RR = 30 brpm (15-34)
What diagnosis is of most immediate concern?
A. Pregnancy
B. Intestinal foreign body
C. Hepato-splenic tumor
D. Diabetes mellitus
E. Pyometra - ANS-E. Pyometra
Pyometra is a life-threatening emergency which typically requires immediate surgery
(ovariohysterectomy) if the cervix is closed and there is no obvious discharge. Open
cervix pyometras are likely to present with a purulent discharge, simplifying Dx, but
surgical ovariohysterectomy is stll recommended. Pyometra should always be near the
top of your DDX when presented with an older intact female dog or cat with fever and
distended abdomen.
Pyrrolizidine alkaloid toxicity is caused by chronic ingestion of which one of the
following plants?
A. Astragalus spp. (locoweed)
B. Lupinus spp. (lupine)
C. Nerium spp. (oleander)
D. Senecia spp. (ragwort)
E. Persea spp. (avocado) - ANS-D. Senecia spp. (ragwort)
Common plants containing pyrrolizidine alkaloids (PA) are: Senecia vulga jacobea,
Amsinckia intermedius, Heliotropium europaeum, Crotalaria spectabilis. Although
generally not palatable, livestock will eat these plants when on pasture when forage is
scarce. Chronic ingestion allows accumulation oof toxic levels of PA, resulting in
fibrosis. Poisoning is most common in horses and cattle. Sheep and goats are more
resistant to toxic effects.
A 15 year old cat is presented with a 3 week progression of wandering in circles to the
left, standing in corners, and dull mentation. Conscious proprioceptive deficits
,(knuckling) can be elicited in the right thoracic and right pelvic limbs. There is a
decreased menace response on the right, but palpebral and pupillary light reflexes are
normal in both eyes. The rest of the examination is normal. A brain tumor is
suspected. Where is the most likely location of the lesion?
A. Right brainstem
B. Right cerebrum
C. Left brainstem
D. Left cerebrum
E. Cerebellum - ANS-D. Left cerebrum
Conscious proprioception and viscual perception are affecting lesions in the
contralateral cerebral hemisphere. Circling direction is generally toward the side of the
lesion. Visual loss doss not fit with brainstem lesion.
A twelve year old female spayed miniature schnauzer presents with a history of
seisure-like episodes. Physical exam reveals an irregular heart beat, CBC and panel are
unremarkable except for a mild triglyceridemia. ECG shows sinus arrest with
bradycardia and tachycardia. Which one of the following choices is the most likely
diagnosis?
A. Sick sinus syndrome
B. Atrial fibrillation
C. First degree AV block
D. Ventricular tachycardia
E. All of these - ANS-A. Sick sinus syndrome
The seizure-like episodes, after questioning the owner further, were actually syncopal
episodes. Syncope lacks muscle activity and post ictal behavior. Older female miniature
schnauzers are overrepresented with sick sinus syndrome.
Prior to the 1950s, heat pasteurization of milk was done principally to prevent
transmission of one organism to people. Today, that organism is reemerging in bi-
, national communities with ties to Mexico who consume unpasteurized milk products.
What is the organism?
A. Mycobacterium bovis
B. Enterotoxigenic Escherichia coli 0157:H7
C. Mycobacterium avium subspecies paratuberculosis
D. Mycobacterium tuberculosis
E. Mycobacterium avium - ANS-A. Mycobacterium bovis
A century ago, mycobacterium bovis (bovine tuberculosis) used to be a common
zoonotic health threat, transmitted through milk to children through their emerging
teeth at the gums. Today, human cases of M bovis are emerging more in bi-national
communities with ties to Mexico who consume unpasteurized milk products (like fresh
queso). Temperature of pasteurization is set by the toughest, most heat resistant
organism, which is coxiella burnetii, the cause of Q fever. If the temperature is high
enough for long enough to kill Coxiella, it will also kill the other organisms
An immunochromatographic test kit for detection of fecal canine parvovirus (CPV)
antigen is being tested in a local cat shelter where as many as 10% of cats there may
have panleukopenia secondary to infection with canine parvovirus. Here are simulated
test results, compared to a gold standard test for CPV:
Test kit positive: 128 CPV pos., 734 CPV neg., 862 total
Test kit negative: 63 CPV pos., 1575 CPV neg., 1638 total
Totals: 191 CPV pos., 2309 CPV neg., 2500 total
What is the sensitivity of this test kit?
A. 734/862
B. 128/734
C. 1575/2309
D. 128/191
E. 1575/1638 - ANS-D. 128/191
