Solu琀椀on Guide
Table of Contents
Review Questions Multiple Choice Answers..............................................................................................1
Case Study Solutions...................................................................................................................................4
Case 1-1...................................................................................................................................................4
Critical Thinking Questions Solutions.........................................................................................................4
Review Ques琀椀ons Mul琀椀ple Choice Answers
1. What is the correct definition of the term sedation?
a. A drug-induced reversible state of unconsciousness and loss of sensation
b. The state characterized by CNS depression accompanied by sleepiness/drowsiness and
some degree of relaxation
c. A drug-induced state of calm in which anxiety is relieved the patient is relaxed but
remains aware of surroundings
d. The loss of sensation in a discrete area of the body caused by the administration of a local
anesthetic agent
Answer: b
2. What is the correct definition of the term tranquilization?
a. A drug-induced reversible sate of unconsciousness and loss of sensation
b. A drug-induced CNS depression and drowsiness in which the patient is generally
unaware of surroundings but will respond to painful stimuli
c. The administration of any of a group of compounds that calm and relax an anxious
patient but do not induce sleep
d. The loss of sensation in a discrete area of the body caused by the administration of a local
anesthetic agent
Answer: c
3. What do the letters ACVAA stand for?
a. American Congress for Veterinary Anesthesia and Analgesia
b. Association Certification in Veterinary Anesthesia and Analgesia
c. American College of Veterinary Anesthesia and Analgesia
d. American Congress for Veterinary Analgesia and Anesthesia
Answer: c
4. The Academy of Veterinary Technicians in Anesthesia petitioned which veterinary technician
organization in 1998 for recognition as the certifying body for veterinary technician specialists in
anesthesia?
a. Veterinary Support Personnel Network
b. National Association of Veterinary Technicians in America-Committee on Veterinary
Technician Specialties
c. VetMedTeam-Anesthesia Technicians
, d. Veterinary Anaesthesia School for Technicians
Answer: b
5. Which two organizations write anesthesia guidelines?
a. AVMA and AAHA
b. AVMA and NAVTA
c. IVAPM and ACVAA
d. IVECCS and IVAPM
Answer: a
6. The job of working in veterinary anesthesia entails
a. monitoring and recovering the anesthesia patient, caring for all anesthetic equipment, and
administering certain medications.
b. preparing and monitoring surgical patients, autoclaving surgical equipment, and
discharging patients after they recover from anesthesia.
c. monitoring and recovering the anesthesia patient, deciding which medications to
administer, and preparing surgical summary reports.
d. deciding which medications to administer, recording vital signs of the patient while under
anesthesia, and disinfecting surgical equipment.
Answer: a
7. Why is it important to have anesthetic equipment calibrated regularly?
a. Without calibration there is no guarantee that everyone has been properly trained in the
use of anesthesia equipment.
b. Without calibration the equipment will require extensive repairs the next time it is
serviced.
c. Without calibration unqualified veterinary staff may manually alter the anesthetic level.
d. Without calibration the equipment may give incorrect readings and/or operate incorrectly.
Answer: d
8. What does ASA stand for?
a. Anesthetic Society of Anesthetists
b. Association for Safe Anesthesia
c. American Society of Anesthesiologists
d. Anesthesia Safety for Animals
Answer: c
9. What does balanced anesthesia mean?
a. Anesthetic drugs are weighed on a scale before being administered to the patient because
many drugs are administered during the anesthetic event
b. General anesthesia produced by administering several drugs with the goal of utilizing
each drug’s positive actions while avoiding potential adverse effects associated with large
doses of a single drug
c. Anesthesia produced by introducing anesthetic agent into the rectum in an attempt to use
varying administration routes
d. General inhalation anesthesia in which there is no rebreathing of the expired gases
Answer: b
10. What does the term analgesia mean?
, a. Relief of pain without loss of consciousness; absence of pain or noxious stimulation
b. Injection of an agent into the spinal canal, generally either into the subarachnoid or
epidural space
c. A substance used for the control of excessive reaction to or overdosing with a narcotic
d. The combining of pain-relieving agents that act on different mechanisms of nociceptive
modulation to enhance additive and synergistic effects
Answer: a
11. To perform ocular procedures, such as corneal foreign body removal, proparacaine drops are
applied to desensitize the cornea. Which type of anesthesia does this describe?
a. Regional
b. Surgical
c. Local
d. Dissociative
Answer: c
12. By which routes is general anesthesia most commonly administered?
a. Intravenously, intramuscularly, and subcutaneously
b. Intravenously, subcutaneously, and intraperitoneally
c. Inhalation, intramuscularly, and intraperitoneally
d. Inhalation, intravenously, and intramuscularly
Answer: d
13. A dog is given anesthetic agents and becomes unconscious and does not have any pain
perception. Which type of anesthesia does this describe?
a. Dissociative
b. General
c. Regional
d. Local
Answer: b
14. A sedated horse is given a maxillary nerve block in order to perform dental work on the upper
incisors. Which type of anesthesia is a nerve block?
a. General
b. Regional
c. Dissociative
d. Tranquilization
Answer: b
15. Which organization offers the Certified Veterinary Pain Practitioner for veterinarians and
veterinary technicians?
a. AVMA
b. IVAPM
c. AAHA
d. NAVAS
Answer: b
, Case Study Solu琀椀ons
Case 1-1
You have accepted a position at a small animal veterinary hospital. One of your duties according to your
job description will be to work on surgical cases assisting with anesthesia. List your top four
responsibilities in assisting with anesthesia.
Solution
1. Preparing, operating, and maintaining anesthetic equipment
2. Administering anesthetic drugs under the veterinarian’s direction
3. Monitoring the patient
4. Recovering the patient
Cri琀椀cal Thinking Ques琀椀ons Solu琀椀ons
1. Jada is a veterinary technician student who has done well in her previous courses, yet is anxious
about taking the anesthesia course because it is one of the more advanced courses in her program.
To be successful, she knows she will need to utilize information and skills she learned in previous
courses and apply it, along with content she is currently learning, to perform advanced skills such
as administering anesthesia to patients. As she reads the introductory chapter to prepare for her
anesthesia class, she begins to feel overwhelmed with the amount of information she will need to
learn in order to become a competent anesthetist. Jada texts one of her classmates to ask if she is
the only one stressed about taking the anesthesia course. Jada learns that many other students are
also concerned about whether they will be able to learn all of the information needed to
administer anesthesia safely to their patients. Jada and her classmates decide to have a group chat
about how they can be better prepared for their anesthesia class and less anxious when they have
to perform anesthesia on patients. What are some things Jada and her classmates can do now to
help them prepare for their anesthesia class?
Solution
Ways Jada and her classmates can start preparing for their anesthesia course include the
following:
Committing normal values to memory will allow them to differentiate, in both awake and
anesthetized animals, if a particular value is normal or abnormal. Without this knowledge,
they will not know if they need to make adjustments to the level of anesthetic agent given to
their patients. Memorizing the vital sign values in Appendix K is a good place to start.
Concentrating on changes in anesthetized patients requires being a good observer and a
detail-oriented person. Reminding classmates to be precise when learning anesthesia
terminology will help them become more detail-oriented in their approach to becoming
competent anesthetists. Holding each other to high standards of learning and how each of
them works with and cares for veterinary patients will help them all through their anesthesia
course.
Communicating concerns to the veterinarian is important for the patient’s health and safety;
therefore, all professionals involved with anesthesia need to know the status of the patient at
all times. Students should know the status of their patient before they administer any drug
which means they need to be proficient at performing physical examinations in their patients.
Reviewing how to perform a detailed patient evaluation in Appendix E (Patient Evaluation) is
another good idea for Jenna and her classmates.
Contemplating the mechanisms of action of anesthetic and analgesic drugs impacts their
patients; therefore, they will need to review content learned in their pharmacology course.
Table of Contents
Review Questions Multiple Choice Answers..............................................................................................1
Case Study Solutions...................................................................................................................................4
Case 1-1...................................................................................................................................................4
Critical Thinking Questions Solutions.........................................................................................................4
Review Ques琀椀ons Mul琀椀ple Choice Answers
1. What is the correct definition of the term sedation?
a. A drug-induced reversible state of unconsciousness and loss of sensation
b. The state characterized by CNS depression accompanied by sleepiness/drowsiness and
some degree of relaxation
c. A drug-induced state of calm in which anxiety is relieved the patient is relaxed but
remains aware of surroundings
d. The loss of sensation in a discrete area of the body caused by the administration of a local
anesthetic agent
Answer: b
2. What is the correct definition of the term tranquilization?
a. A drug-induced reversible sate of unconsciousness and loss of sensation
b. A drug-induced CNS depression and drowsiness in which the patient is generally
unaware of surroundings but will respond to painful stimuli
c. The administration of any of a group of compounds that calm and relax an anxious
patient but do not induce sleep
d. The loss of sensation in a discrete area of the body caused by the administration of a local
anesthetic agent
Answer: c
3. What do the letters ACVAA stand for?
a. American Congress for Veterinary Anesthesia and Analgesia
b. Association Certification in Veterinary Anesthesia and Analgesia
c. American College of Veterinary Anesthesia and Analgesia
d. American Congress for Veterinary Analgesia and Anesthesia
Answer: c
4. The Academy of Veterinary Technicians in Anesthesia petitioned which veterinary technician
organization in 1998 for recognition as the certifying body for veterinary technician specialists in
anesthesia?
a. Veterinary Support Personnel Network
b. National Association of Veterinary Technicians in America-Committee on Veterinary
Technician Specialties
c. VetMedTeam-Anesthesia Technicians
, d. Veterinary Anaesthesia School for Technicians
Answer: b
5. Which two organizations write anesthesia guidelines?
a. AVMA and AAHA
b. AVMA and NAVTA
c. IVAPM and ACVAA
d. IVECCS and IVAPM
Answer: a
6. The job of working in veterinary anesthesia entails
a. monitoring and recovering the anesthesia patient, caring for all anesthetic equipment, and
administering certain medications.
b. preparing and monitoring surgical patients, autoclaving surgical equipment, and
discharging patients after they recover from anesthesia.
c. monitoring and recovering the anesthesia patient, deciding which medications to
administer, and preparing surgical summary reports.
d. deciding which medications to administer, recording vital signs of the patient while under
anesthesia, and disinfecting surgical equipment.
Answer: a
7. Why is it important to have anesthetic equipment calibrated regularly?
a. Without calibration there is no guarantee that everyone has been properly trained in the
use of anesthesia equipment.
b. Without calibration the equipment will require extensive repairs the next time it is
serviced.
c. Without calibration unqualified veterinary staff may manually alter the anesthetic level.
d. Without calibration the equipment may give incorrect readings and/or operate incorrectly.
Answer: d
8. What does ASA stand for?
a. Anesthetic Society of Anesthetists
b. Association for Safe Anesthesia
c. American Society of Anesthesiologists
d. Anesthesia Safety for Animals
Answer: c
9. What does balanced anesthesia mean?
a. Anesthetic drugs are weighed on a scale before being administered to the patient because
many drugs are administered during the anesthetic event
b. General anesthesia produced by administering several drugs with the goal of utilizing
each drug’s positive actions while avoiding potential adverse effects associated with large
doses of a single drug
c. Anesthesia produced by introducing anesthetic agent into the rectum in an attempt to use
varying administration routes
d. General inhalation anesthesia in which there is no rebreathing of the expired gases
Answer: b
10. What does the term analgesia mean?
, a. Relief of pain without loss of consciousness; absence of pain or noxious stimulation
b. Injection of an agent into the spinal canal, generally either into the subarachnoid or
epidural space
c. A substance used for the control of excessive reaction to or overdosing with a narcotic
d. The combining of pain-relieving agents that act on different mechanisms of nociceptive
modulation to enhance additive and synergistic effects
Answer: a
11. To perform ocular procedures, such as corneal foreign body removal, proparacaine drops are
applied to desensitize the cornea. Which type of anesthesia does this describe?
a. Regional
b. Surgical
c. Local
d. Dissociative
Answer: c
12. By which routes is general anesthesia most commonly administered?
a. Intravenously, intramuscularly, and subcutaneously
b. Intravenously, subcutaneously, and intraperitoneally
c. Inhalation, intramuscularly, and intraperitoneally
d. Inhalation, intravenously, and intramuscularly
Answer: d
13. A dog is given anesthetic agents and becomes unconscious and does not have any pain
perception. Which type of anesthesia does this describe?
a. Dissociative
b. General
c. Regional
d. Local
Answer: b
14. A sedated horse is given a maxillary nerve block in order to perform dental work on the upper
incisors. Which type of anesthesia is a nerve block?
a. General
b. Regional
c. Dissociative
d. Tranquilization
Answer: b
15. Which organization offers the Certified Veterinary Pain Practitioner for veterinarians and
veterinary technicians?
a. AVMA
b. IVAPM
c. AAHA
d. NAVAS
Answer: b
, Case Study Solu琀椀ons
Case 1-1
You have accepted a position at a small animal veterinary hospital. One of your duties according to your
job description will be to work on surgical cases assisting with anesthesia. List your top four
responsibilities in assisting with anesthesia.
Solution
1. Preparing, operating, and maintaining anesthetic equipment
2. Administering anesthetic drugs under the veterinarian’s direction
3. Monitoring the patient
4. Recovering the patient
Cri琀椀cal Thinking Ques琀椀ons Solu琀椀ons
1. Jada is a veterinary technician student who has done well in her previous courses, yet is anxious
about taking the anesthesia course because it is one of the more advanced courses in her program.
To be successful, she knows she will need to utilize information and skills she learned in previous
courses and apply it, along with content she is currently learning, to perform advanced skills such
as administering anesthesia to patients. As she reads the introductory chapter to prepare for her
anesthesia class, she begins to feel overwhelmed with the amount of information she will need to
learn in order to become a competent anesthetist. Jada texts one of her classmates to ask if she is
the only one stressed about taking the anesthesia course. Jada learns that many other students are
also concerned about whether they will be able to learn all of the information needed to
administer anesthesia safely to their patients. Jada and her classmates decide to have a group chat
about how they can be better prepared for their anesthesia class and less anxious when they have
to perform anesthesia on patients. What are some things Jada and her classmates can do now to
help them prepare for their anesthesia class?
Solution
Ways Jada and her classmates can start preparing for their anesthesia course include the
following:
Committing normal values to memory will allow them to differentiate, in both awake and
anesthetized animals, if a particular value is normal or abnormal. Without this knowledge,
they will not know if they need to make adjustments to the level of anesthetic agent given to
their patients. Memorizing the vital sign values in Appendix K is a good place to start.
Concentrating on changes in anesthetized patients requires being a good observer and a
detail-oriented person. Reminding classmates to be precise when learning anesthesia
terminology will help them become more detail-oriented in their approach to becoming
competent anesthetists. Holding each other to high standards of learning and how each of
them works with and cares for veterinary patients will help them all through their anesthesia
course.
Communicating concerns to the veterinarian is important for the patient’s health and safety;
therefore, all professionals involved with anesthesia need to know the status of the patient at
all times. Students should know the status of their patient before they administer any drug
which means they need to be proficient at performing physical examinations in their patients.
Reviewing how to perform a detailed patient evaluation in Appendix E (Patient Evaluation) is
another good idea for Jenna and her classmates.
Contemplating the mechanisms of action of anesthetic and analgesic drugs impacts their
patients; therefore, they will need to review content learned in their pharmacology course.
