NORTH AMERICAN VETERINARY LICENSING EXAMINATION
(NAVLE) | 2026/2027 LATEST UPDATED VERSION | QUESTIONS AND
VERIFIED ANSWERS | GRADED A+
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 -
ANSWER
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 -
ANSWER
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) -
ANSWER
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 -
ANSWER
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 -
ANSWER
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 -
ANSWER
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 -
ANSWER
D. 128/191
This is a classic example of a 2x2 table in epidemiology, used to compare a test
(immunochromatographic test kit) to a gold standard test (the CPV test). Sensitivity = a/(a+c).
Which nerve block would most specifically relieve lameness resulting from a fracture of the navicular
bone?
(NAVLE) | 2026/2027 LATEST UPDATED VERSION | QUESTIONS AND
VERIFIED ANSWERS | GRADED A+
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 -
ANSWER
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 -
ANSWER
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) -
ANSWER
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 -
ANSWER
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 -
ANSWER
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 -
ANSWER
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 -
ANSWER
D. 128/191
This is a classic example of a 2x2 table in epidemiology, used to compare a test
(immunochromatographic test kit) to a gold standard test (the CPV test). Sensitivity = a/(a+c).
Which nerve block would most specifically relieve lameness resulting from a fracture of the navicular
bone?
