NAVLE Questions and 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 - CORRECT 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 - CORRECT ANSWER-E. Pyometra
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,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) - CORRECT 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 - CORRECT 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.
COPYRIGHT ©️ 2025 ALL RIGHTS RESERVED
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 - CORRECT 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 - CORRECT ANSWER-E. Pyometra
COPYRIGHT ©️ 2025 ALL RIGHTS RESERVED
,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) - CORRECT 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 - CORRECT 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.
COPYRIGHT ©️ 2025 ALL RIGHTS RESERVED
