VTNE REVIEW EXAM CORE QUESTIONS AND ANSWERS
SURE A+
✔✔Increased serum _____ is a normal physiologic response in the fasted horse.
a) sorbitol dehydrogenase
b) gamma-glutamyl transferase
c) bilirubin
d) creatine phosphokinase - ✔✔c) bilirubin
Serum bilirubin concentrations will increase dramatically if feed is withheld for more than
24 hours. This condition, which is called fasting hyperbilirubinemia, is a normal
physiologic response in horses and does not indicate liver disease.
✔✔If using an aminoglycoside antimicrobial agent to treat a patient, it is important to
monitor the patient because these agents are known to cause:
a) liver problems.
b) heart problems.
c) kidney problems.
d) an increase in blood pressure. - ✔✔c) kidney problems.
Aminoglycoside antimicrobials (gentamicin, amikacin sulfate) are efficacious against
gram-negative pathogens and can be administered intramuscularly or intravenously.
These antimicrobials are nephrotoxic, so renal function should be monitored during
therapy.
✔✔Lidocaine and bupivacaine are examples of which drug class?
a) a2-Agonists
b) NSAIDs
c) Opioids
d) Local anesthetics - ✔✔d) Local anesthetics
Local anesthetics work by totally disrupting neural transmission of information.
Lidocaine, the most widely used local anesthetic, takes effect in 3 to 5 minutes and is
effective for 60 to 90 minutes. Bupivacaine takes longer to take effect (15 to 20
minutes), but its anesthetic and analgesic effects last 6 to 8 hours.
✔✔Nacho, a dog, is exhibiting dyspnea. The mucous membranes show signs of pallor.
The veterinarian diagnoses this as ______, or deficient oxygenation of the tissues.
a)dyspnea
b) hypoxemia
c) hemoptysis
,d) hypoxia - ✔✔d) hypoxia
Hypoxia is defined as deficient oxygenation of the tissues. It manifests clinically as
tachypnea, cyanosis or pallor, and dyspnea.
✔✔Pepper has an echocardiogram after surgery, and the veterinarian sees shadows
that suggest the possibility of heart disease. Pepper has no symptoms, however, and is
sent home after recovering well from surgery. Because Pepper is asymptomatic, the
veterinarian instructs the owner to monitor for rapid breathing, or _____, which can be
the first sign that heart disease has progressed to heart failure.
a) inadequate tissue perfusion
b) tachypnea
c) bradycardia
d) syncope - ✔✔b) tachypnea
It is recommended that asymptomatic patients be closely monitored. This includes
obtaining periodic echocardiograms and, perhaps more importantly, educating the
owners to monitor the resting respiratory rate at home for tachypnea, one of the earliest
signs of heart failure.
✔✔Variation in the PR interval may occur with:
left atrial enlargement.
a) atrioventricular dissociation.
b) right ventricular enlargement.
c) right atrial enlargement. - ✔✔a) atrioventricular dissociation.
The PR interval indicates conduction time through the AV node. Variation in the PR
interval may occur with changes in vagal tone or with AV dissociation.
✔✔Which of the following types of fluids is most often used for arthroscopic procedures
to aid in visualizing the intraarticular space?
a) 5% Dextrose in water
b) 50% Dextrose in water
c) 0.45% Sodium chloride with 10 ml/L of chlorhexidine added
d) Any sterile, balanced electrolyte solution - ✔✔d) Any sterile, balanced electrolyte
solution
Sterile fluid, usually a balanced electrolyte solution, is infused into the joint under
pressure to maintain distention of the joint capsule, which is essential for visualization of
the intraarticular space.
✔✔Aseptic technique:
,a)requires that all cages be cleaned and thoroughly disinfected between patients.
b) is only used for emergency surgery.
c) includes all steps taken to prevent contamination of the surgical site by infectious
agents.
d) requires all people involved in patient care to wash their hands thoroughly with an
antibacterial soap between patients. - ✔✔c) includes all steps taken to prevent
contamination of the surgical site by infectious agents.
Aseptic technique includes all steps taken to prevent contamination of the surgical site
by infectious agents.
✔✔Hypoalbuminemia may develop from loss through:
a) the gastrointestinal tract.
b) the kidney.
c) decreased production due to liver failure.
d) all of the above.
Hypoalbuminemia may develop from loss through the kidney or gastrointestinal tract or
from decreased production due to liver failure. Both albumin and globulin can decrease
with hemorrhage. - ✔✔d) all of the above.
Hypoalbuminemia may develop from loss through the kidney or gastrointestinal tract or
from decreased production due to liver failure. Both albumin and globulin can decrease
with hemorrhage.
✔✔You are unsure whether a ferret that has received an adrenalectomy is experiencing
a significant amount of pain. What is the best way to determine whether this patient
needs analgesics?
a) The rule of thumb is that if a procedure would be painful for you to endure, it is likely
that it is painful for the animal.
b) Check the body temperature; if it is more than 2° F above normal less than 12 hours
after the surgery, administer analgesics.
c)Check the respiratory rate; if it is greater than two times normal, administer
analgesics.
d) Check the heart rate; if it is greater than two times normal, administer analgesics. -
✔✔a) The rule of thumb is that if a procedure would be painful for you to endure, it is
likely that it is painful for the animal.
If a procedure or injury would be painful to you, it is likely to be painful to other animals.
✔✔Sarcomas can arise from _____, whereas carcinomas can arise from _____.
a) organs; cartilage
, b) mucous membranes; bone
c)cartilage; lymph nodes
d)skin; connective tissue - ✔✔c) cartilage; lymph nodes
Carcinomas generally spread through both the lymphatic system and the bloodstream,
so regional lymph node and lung metastases are commonly seen. Sarcomas, on the
other hand, arise from mesenchymal tissues, such as cartilage, connective tissue, or
bone.
✔✔The most common breed of alpacas are:
a) huacaya.
b)suri.
c) llama.
d) camel. - ✔✔a)huacaya.
Two breeds of alpacas, the huacaya and the suri, have gained popularity in the United
States. The huacaya breed is the most common; the fiber of this breed is crimped and
shorter than that of the suri.
✔✔In both the horse and dog, what is the most commonly encountered adverse
reaction to NSAIDs?
a) Constipation
b) Diarrhea
c) Gastrointestinal upset
d) Low blood pressure - ✔✔c) Gastrointestinal upset
The most common side effect from NSAIDs in all species is gastrointestinal (GI) upset
and/or ulceration, with large animals more likely to experience ulceration
✔✔Your patient, Miss Marple, a Persian cat, has been sneezing excessively. You most
likely suspect that she has:
a) Throat or lung cancer.
b)inhaled a foreign material.
c) an upper respiratory infection.
d) simply experienced normal, routine expulsion of air in an effort to expel respiratory
irritants. - ✔✔c) an upper respiratory infection.
In dogs, persistent sneezing is most commonly seen with inhalation of foreign material,
whereas with cats, it is most often associated with upper respiratory viral infections
SURE A+
✔✔Increased serum _____ is a normal physiologic response in the fasted horse.
a) sorbitol dehydrogenase
b) gamma-glutamyl transferase
c) bilirubin
d) creatine phosphokinase - ✔✔c) bilirubin
Serum bilirubin concentrations will increase dramatically if feed is withheld for more than
24 hours. This condition, which is called fasting hyperbilirubinemia, is a normal
physiologic response in horses and does not indicate liver disease.
✔✔If using an aminoglycoside antimicrobial agent to treat a patient, it is important to
monitor the patient because these agents are known to cause:
a) liver problems.
b) heart problems.
c) kidney problems.
d) an increase in blood pressure. - ✔✔c) kidney problems.
Aminoglycoside antimicrobials (gentamicin, amikacin sulfate) are efficacious against
gram-negative pathogens and can be administered intramuscularly or intravenously.
These antimicrobials are nephrotoxic, so renal function should be monitored during
therapy.
✔✔Lidocaine and bupivacaine are examples of which drug class?
a) a2-Agonists
b) NSAIDs
c) Opioids
d) Local anesthetics - ✔✔d) Local anesthetics
Local anesthetics work by totally disrupting neural transmission of information.
Lidocaine, the most widely used local anesthetic, takes effect in 3 to 5 minutes and is
effective for 60 to 90 minutes. Bupivacaine takes longer to take effect (15 to 20
minutes), but its anesthetic and analgesic effects last 6 to 8 hours.
✔✔Nacho, a dog, is exhibiting dyspnea. The mucous membranes show signs of pallor.
The veterinarian diagnoses this as ______, or deficient oxygenation of the tissues.
a)dyspnea
b) hypoxemia
c) hemoptysis
,d) hypoxia - ✔✔d) hypoxia
Hypoxia is defined as deficient oxygenation of the tissues. It manifests clinically as
tachypnea, cyanosis or pallor, and dyspnea.
✔✔Pepper has an echocardiogram after surgery, and the veterinarian sees shadows
that suggest the possibility of heart disease. Pepper has no symptoms, however, and is
sent home after recovering well from surgery. Because Pepper is asymptomatic, the
veterinarian instructs the owner to monitor for rapid breathing, or _____, which can be
the first sign that heart disease has progressed to heart failure.
a) inadequate tissue perfusion
b) tachypnea
c) bradycardia
d) syncope - ✔✔b) tachypnea
It is recommended that asymptomatic patients be closely monitored. This includes
obtaining periodic echocardiograms and, perhaps more importantly, educating the
owners to monitor the resting respiratory rate at home for tachypnea, one of the earliest
signs of heart failure.
✔✔Variation in the PR interval may occur with:
left atrial enlargement.
a) atrioventricular dissociation.
b) right ventricular enlargement.
c) right atrial enlargement. - ✔✔a) atrioventricular dissociation.
The PR interval indicates conduction time through the AV node. Variation in the PR
interval may occur with changes in vagal tone or with AV dissociation.
✔✔Which of the following types of fluids is most often used for arthroscopic procedures
to aid in visualizing the intraarticular space?
a) 5% Dextrose in water
b) 50% Dextrose in water
c) 0.45% Sodium chloride with 10 ml/L of chlorhexidine added
d) Any sterile, balanced electrolyte solution - ✔✔d) Any sterile, balanced electrolyte
solution
Sterile fluid, usually a balanced electrolyte solution, is infused into the joint under
pressure to maintain distention of the joint capsule, which is essential for visualization of
the intraarticular space.
✔✔Aseptic technique:
,a)requires that all cages be cleaned and thoroughly disinfected between patients.
b) is only used for emergency surgery.
c) includes all steps taken to prevent contamination of the surgical site by infectious
agents.
d) requires all people involved in patient care to wash their hands thoroughly with an
antibacterial soap between patients. - ✔✔c) includes all steps taken to prevent
contamination of the surgical site by infectious agents.
Aseptic technique includes all steps taken to prevent contamination of the surgical site
by infectious agents.
✔✔Hypoalbuminemia may develop from loss through:
a) the gastrointestinal tract.
b) the kidney.
c) decreased production due to liver failure.
d) all of the above.
Hypoalbuminemia may develop from loss through the kidney or gastrointestinal tract or
from decreased production due to liver failure. Both albumin and globulin can decrease
with hemorrhage. - ✔✔d) all of the above.
Hypoalbuminemia may develop from loss through the kidney or gastrointestinal tract or
from decreased production due to liver failure. Both albumin and globulin can decrease
with hemorrhage.
✔✔You are unsure whether a ferret that has received an adrenalectomy is experiencing
a significant amount of pain. What is the best way to determine whether this patient
needs analgesics?
a) The rule of thumb is that if a procedure would be painful for you to endure, it is likely
that it is painful for the animal.
b) Check the body temperature; if it is more than 2° F above normal less than 12 hours
after the surgery, administer analgesics.
c)Check the respiratory rate; if it is greater than two times normal, administer
analgesics.
d) Check the heart rate; if it is greater than two times normal, administer analgesics. -
✔✔a) The rule of thumb is that if a procedure would be painful for you to endure, it is
likely that it is painful for the animal.
If a procedure or injury would be painful to you, it is likely to be painful to other animals.
✔✔Sarcomas can arise from _____, whereas carcinomas can arise from _____.
a) organs; cartilage
, b) mucous membranes; bone
c)cartilage; lymph nodes
d)skin; connective tissue - ✔✔c) cartilage; lymph nodes
Carcinomas generally spread through both the lymphatic system and the bloodstream,
so regional lymph node and lung metastases are commonly seen. Sarcomas, on the
other hand, arise from mesenchymal tissues, such as cartilage, connective tissue, or
bone.
✔✔The most common breed of alpacas are:
a) huacaya.
b)suri.
c) llama.
d) camel. - ✔✔a)huacaya.
Two breeds of alpacas, the huacaya and the suri, have gained popularity in the United
States. The huacaya breed is the most common; the fiber of this breed is crimped and
shorter than that of the suri.
✔✔In both the horse and dog, what is the most commonly encountered adverse
reaction to NSAIDs?
a) Constipation
b) Diarrhea
c) Gastrointestinal upset
d) Low blood pressure - ✔✔c) Gastrointestinal upset
The most common side effect from NSAIDs in all species is gastrointestinal (GI) upset
and/or ulceration, with large animals more likely to experience ulceration
✔✔Your patient, Miss Marple, a Persian cat, has been sneezing excessively. You most
likely suspect that she has:
a) Throat or lung cancer.
b)inhaled a foreign material.
c) an upper respiratory infection.
d) simply experienced normal, routine expulsion of air in an effort to expel respiratory
irritants. - ✔✔c) an upper respiratory infection.
In dogs, persistent sneezing is most commonly seen with inhalation of foreign material,
whereas with cats, it is most often associated with upper respiratory viral infections
