Mixed Deck — All CVA Topics Flashcards
100 cards from real CVA practice questions. Tap to flip, then mark Knew It or Still Learning — missed cards come back until you master them.
Read the first 20 Mixed Deck — All CVA Topics flashcards as text
When is informed consent required in veterinary medicine?
Answer: Before any surgical, anesthetic, or high-risk procedure, documenting understanding of procedure, risks, alternatives, and costs
Written informed consent is required before any procedure carrying significant risk, documenting that the client understands the procedure, risks, alternatives, and costs.
A veterinary assistant is preparing a serum separator tube (SST) for analysis. After the blood is drawn, what is the correct next step to ensure proper separation of the serum?
Answer: Allow the tube to stand upright at room temperature for 30 minutes to clot.
For a serum separator tube to work correctly, the blood must be allowed to form a complete clot before centrifugation. This process typically takes about 30 minutes at room temperature. Centrifuging too early or shaking the tube can result in an incomplete clot and a poor-quality serum sample.
A veterinary assistant weighing food for a patient using a prescription renal diet should use which tool for the most accurate measurement?
Answer: A digital kitchen scale weighing in grams
Weighing food in grams with a digital scale is far more accurate than volume measures because food density varies, making gram-based feeding essential for therapeutic diets.
Which of the following is an example of passive listening rather than active listening during client communication?
Answer: Thinking about your response while the client is still speaking
Planning your response while the client speaks prevents you from fully absorbing their message, which is a hallmark of passive listening.
Which route of administration provides the fastest onset of drug action in an emergency situation?
Answer: Intravenous
Intravenous administration delivers drugs directly into the bloodstream, providing near-immediate onset of action, critical in emergencies.
Which of the following surgical instruments is specifically designed for cutting tough, heavy tissues like fascia?
Answer: Mayo scissors
Mayo scissors are heavier and stronger than Metzenbaum scissors, making them the appropriate choice for cutting dense connective tissues such as fascia. Metzenbaum scissors are more delicate and are used for cutting fine tissues. Iris scissors are small and used for very fine, delicate procedures, like ophthalmic surgery. Lister bandage scissors have a blunted tip and are designed for cutting bandage material without injuring the skin.
When collecting a urine sample by cystocentesis, what is the primary advantage over a free-catch sample for culture and sensitivity testing?
Answer: The sample is collected without contamination from the urethra, prepuce, or vulva
Cystocentesis bypasses the lower urogenital tract, eliminating environmental and commensal bacterial contamination and providing a sterile bladder sample ideal for culture.
The root word 'hepat/o' refers to which organ?
Answer: Liver
Hepat/o is the combining form for the liver, as seen in hepatitis (liver inflammation).
What does the term 'no-show' mean in veterinary practice management?
Answer: A client who fails to arrive for a scheduled appointment without notifying the practice
No-shows are clients who miss appointments without cancelling, which costs the practice revenue and wastes scheduled time.
A client becomes visibly upset at the front desk, loudly complaining that their bill is much higher than they expected. What is the most appropriate initial response for the veterinary assistant?
Answer: Invite the client into a private examination room to discuss the invoice.
The best initial action is to de-escalate the situation by moving it to a private space. This shows respect for the client's feelings, maintains a professional atmosphere in the public waiting room, and allows for a calm, focused conversation about the invoice details.
Which organism is most commonly responsible for surgical site infections in veterinary patients?
Answer: Staphylococcus pseudintermedius
Staphylococcus pseudintermedius is the most common cause of surgical site infections in dogs and cats.
A veterinary assistant notices the eyewash station has not been flushed this week. What is the correct action?
Answer: Flush the eyewash station immediately for at least 5 minutes to clear stagnant water
Eyewash stations should be flushed weekly for at least 5 minutes to prevent microbial growth in stagnant water and ensure readiness in an emergency.
When reading a fecal flotation slide under the microscope, which objective lens is typically used first?
Answer: 4x or 10x (low power)
Low-power objectives (4x or 10x) are used first to scan the entire coverslip area before switching to higher magnification for identification.
The term 'gastroenteritis' describes inflammation of:
Answer: The stomach and small intestine
Gastroenteritis combines gastr/o (stomach) and enter/o (intestine) with -itis (inflammation), meaning inflammation of the stomach and small intestine.
Where are the adrenal glands located and what do they do?
Answer: Cranial to each kidney, producing cortisol, aldosterone, and catecholamines
The adrenal glands are near each kidney ('ad-' = near, 'renal' = kidney) and produce hormones critical for stress response, electrolyte balance, and fight-or-flight response.
A veterinary assistant is tasked with preparing an autoclave load. Which of the following items requires the LONGEST sterilization cycle?
Answer: Dense packs of drapes and gowns
Dense, tightly packed textile loads require longer autoclave cycles because steam penetration to the center of the pack takes more time.
A new cleaning agent is delivered to the clinic. A CVA needs to find the most comprehensive information regarding its potential hazards, required PPE, and first-aid measures. In which of the following documents will this information be located?
Answer: The product's Safety Data Sheet (SDS).
OSHA requires manufacturers to provide a Safety Data Sheet (SDS) for every hazardous chemical. The SDS is a detailed document that contains information on chemical properties, health hazards, protective measures, and first-aid recommendations. [7, 11, 15]
A body condition score (BCS) of 5 out of 9 in a dog indicates:
Answer: Ideal body weight
On the 9-point BCS scale, a score of 5 represents ideal body condition with ribs easily palpable and a visible waist.
When placing a right lateral radiograph marker on a patient, which identifier should be used?
Answer: R marker, placed on the right side of the image
For a right lateral view, the patient is positioned on its right side and the R marker is placed on the right (dependent) side of the image closest to the cassette. Correct marker placement ensures the radiograph is properly identified and legally defensible as a medical record.
What is the maximum volume for subcutaneous fluid administration at a single site in a cat?
Answer: 10-20 mL/kg body weight per site (typically 50-100 mL for an average cat)
Approximately 10-20 mL/kg can be given per site, equating to 50-100 mL per site for an average-sized cat.