Practice Test Geeks(CVA) Certified Veterinary Assistant Practice Test
← All CVA Flashcard Decks

Surgical and Laboratory Assisting Flashcards

7 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 7 Surgical and Laboratory Assisting flashcards as text

  1. A dog undergoing surgery develops bradycardia. Which drug is most commonly used to treat this condition intraoperatively?

    Answer: Atropine

    Atropine is an anticholinergic drug that blocks vagal tone and increases heart rate, making it the first-line treatment for intraoperative bradycardia.

  2. What type of needle is preferred for suturing skin in veterinary patients?

    Answer: Reverse cutting needle

    Reverse cutting needles have the cutting edge on the outer curve, making them ideal for tough tissues like skin because they resist cutting through the suture line.

  3. Which laboratory value is most useful for evaluating hepatic (liver) function in dogs and cats?

    Answer: Alanine aminotransferase (ALT)

    ALT is a liver-specific enzyme in dogs and cats; elevations indicate hepatocellular damage, making it the primary marker for hepatic disease.

  4. During patient preparation for surgery, what is the minimum distance the clipped area should extend beyond the incision site?

    Answer: 2 inches (5 cm) on each side

    The standard is to clip at least 2 inches (5 cm) beyond the planned incision on all sides to provide an adequate sterile surgical field.

  5. Which type of suture material is absorbable and commonly used for internal tissues in veterinary surgery?

    Answer: Polyglycolic acid (PGA)

    Polyglycolic acid (PGA) is a synthetic absorbable suture material commonly used for internal tissues because it degrades by hydrolysis over time.

  6. When reading a blood smear, which finding would indicate thrombocytopenia?

    Answer: A decreased number of platelets per field

    Thrombocytopenia is a decrease in platelet (thrombocyte) count; on a blood smear, fewer platelets than normal would be observed per high-power field.

  7. What is the primary reason chlorhexidine is preferred over povidone-iodine for surgical site preparation in many veterinary practices?

    Answer: It has a longer residual antimicrobial activity after application

    Chlorhexidine binds to skin proteins and provides prolonged residual antimicrobial activity, making it more effective over time than povidone-iodine.