NAVLE PROFESSIONAL LICENSING
ASSESSMENT PAPER Q AND A 2026
◉ Retained placenta and metritis can predispose to which one of the
following secondary conditions in horses?
A - Laminitis
B - Postpartum dysgalactia syndrome
C - Contagious equine metritis
D - Cystic endometriosis
E - Colic
Answer: A
In horses, retained placenta and septic metritis can cause acute
laminitis.
Other causes of equine laminitis include:
Grain overload
Overeating lush spring grasses
Insulin dysregulation
Colic, endotoxemia
Exposure to black walnut (Juglans nigra) shavings
,Over-exercise on hard surfaces
Lameness on one limb requiring overdependency on opposite leg,
which then develops laminitis.
◉ A 5-year old male castrated Mastiff presents for left pelvic limb
lameness. The medial aspects of both stifles are thickened.
Manipulation of the left stifle reveals cranial motion of the tibia
relative to the femur and a clicking sound from the joint on flexion
and extension. What is the most likely diagnosis?
A - Left luxating patella
B - Left cranial cruciate ligament rupture with meniscal cartilage
tear
C - Left cranial cruciate ligament rupture with no meniscal cartilage
tear
D - Left caudal cruciate ligament rupture with no meniscal cartilage
tear
Answer: B
The correct answer is left cranial cruciate ligament rupture with
meniscal cartilage tear. The cranial motion of the tibia and medial
thickening of the joint (also known as medial buttress) is consistent
with the commonly torn cranial cruciate ligament. The clicking
heard on flexion and extension is consistent with damaged medial
meniscus cartilage found in the stifle.
,◉ Which of the following drugs is known for stimulating appetite in
small animals?
A - Cyproheptadine
B - Acyclovir
C - Omeprazole
D - Tetracycline
Answer: A
The correct answer is cyproheptadine. Other appetite stimulants
used for stimulating food consumption include mirtazipine,
diazepam and oxazepam.
◉ An unweaned 2-month old calf is presented for necropsy. The calf
collapsed and suddenly died after she escaped and was chased
around the back pasture for 45 minutes by her owner.
Among other things, white myocardial and endocardial streaking in
the left ventricle of this calf's heart are discovered. What advice
should be given the farmer?
A - Put all the calves off ionophore-containing feed
B - Start the other calves on Ceftiofur (Naxcel ®)
C - Treat the other calves with vitamin E/Selenium
, D - Check the mother for bovine leukosis by AGID
E - Search the calf barn for sources of lead
Answer: C
Treat the other calves with vitamin E/Selenium. Think of white
muscle disease when you see SUDDEN DEATH and endocardial
PLAQUES in a young calf, lamb or kid with a history of recent
VIGOROUS EXERCISE.
Typically seen in young, fast-growing animals (ie: calves 2 weeks-6
mos). Clinical signs may include dyspnea (due to myocardial
disease), stiff gait, arched back, weakness, recumbent but BAR
(bright, alert, responsive). Sudden death may resemble
enterotoxemia, should see acute bloody diarrhea, convulsions,
opisthotonos in first days of life with enterotoxemia.
◉ A 1.5-year-old spayed female cat presents with a 7-day history of
vocalizing, rolling, and allowing a male neutered cat in the
household to mount her. The cat has gone through one similar
episode 1 month ago. She otherwise has been behaving normally
and has no other health problems. You performed an
ovariohysterectomy on the cat at 3 months of age. You perform
vaginal cytology which shows some cornified epithelial cells but is
inconclusive. You measure serum lutenizing hormone of 0.2 ng/ml
(normal for an ovariectomized female is >1 ng/ml). Which of the
following is the most appropriate course of action?
ASSESSMENT PAPER Q AND A 2026
◉ Retained placenta and metritis can predispose to which one of the
following secondary conditions in horses?
A - Laminitis
B - Postpartum dysgalactia syndrome
C - Contagious equine metritis
D - Cystic endometriosis
E - Colic
Answer: A
In horses, retained placenta and septic metritis can cause acute
laminitis.
Other causes of equine laminitis include:
Grain overload
Overeating lush spring grasses
Insulin dysregulation
Colic, endotoxemia
Exposure to black walnut (Juglans nigra) shavings
,Over-exercise on hard surfaces
Lameness on one limb requiring overdependency on opposite leg,
which then develops laminitis.
◉ A 5-year old male castrated Mastiff presents for left pelvic limb
lameness. The medial aspects of both stifles are thickened.
Manipulation of the left stifle reveals cranial motion of the tibia
relative to the femur and a clicking sound from the joint on flexion
and extension. What is the most likely diagnosis?
A - Left luxating patella
B - Left cranial cruciate ligament rupture with meniscal cartilage
tear
C - Left cranial cruciate ligament rupture with no meniscal cartilage
tear
D - Left caudal cruciate ligament rupture with no meniscal cartilage
tear
Answer: B
The correct answer is left cranial cruciate ligament rupture with
meniscal cartilage tear. The cranial motion of the tibia and medial
thickening of the joint (also known as medial buttress) is consistent
with the commonly torn cranial cruciate ligament. The clicking
heard on flexion and extension is consistent with damaged medial
meniscus cartilage found in the stifle.
,◉ Which of the following drugs is known for stimulating appetite in
small animals?
A - Cyproheptadine
B - Acyclovir
C - Omeprazole
D - Tetracycline
Answer: A
The correct answer is cyproheptadine. Other appetite stimulants
used for stimulating food consumption include mirtazipine,
diazepam and oxazepam.
◉ An unweaned 2-month old calf is presented for necropsy. The calf
collapsed and suddenly died after she escaped and was chased
around the back pasture for 45 minutes by her owner.
Among other things, white myocardial and endocardial streaking in
the left ventricle of this calf's heart are discovered. What advice
should be given the farmer?
A - Put all the calves off ionophore-containing feed
B - Start the other calves on Ceftiofur (Naxcel ®)
C - Treat the other calves with vitamin E/Selenium
, D - Check the mother for bovine leukosis by AGID
E - Search the calf barn for sources of lead
Answer: C
Treat the other calves with vitamin E/Selenium. Think of white
muscle disease when you see SUDDEN DEATH and endocardial
PLAQUES in a young calf, lamb or kid with a history of recent
VIGOROUS EXERCISE.
Typically seen in young, fast-growing animals (ie: calves 2 weeks-6
mos). Clinical signs may include dyspnea (due to myocardial
disease), stiff gait, arched back, weakness, recumbent but BAR
(bright, alert, responsive). Sudden death may resemble
enterotoxemia, should see acute bloody diarrhea, convulsions,
opisthotonos in first days of life with enterotoxemia.
◉ A 1.5-year-old spayed female cat presents with a 7-day history of
vocalizing, rolling, and allowing a male neutered cat in the
household to mount her. The cat has gone through one similar
episode 1 month ago. She otherwise has been behaving normally
and has no other health problems. You performed an
ovariohysterectomy on the cat at 3 months of age. You perform
vaginal cytology which shows some cornified epithelial cells but is
inconclusive. You measure serum lutenizing hormone of 0.2 ng/ml
(normal for an ovariectomized female is >1 ng/ml). Which of the
following is the most appropriate course of action?
