CVA Surgical and Exam Procedures 4 — Questions and Answers
Question 1: During a physical exam, a veterinary assistant notices a patient's mucous membranes are pale and tacky. What does this most likely indicate?
- Hypertension
- Dehydration or poor perfusion (Correct answer)
- Fever
- Hypoglycemia
Correct answer: Dehydration or poor perfusion
Pale, tacky mucous membranes are classic signs of dehydration or inadequate tissue perfusion.
Question 2: Which knot is most commonly used to tie off suture in veterinary surgery due to its security?
- Slip knot
- Square knot (Correct answer)
- Granny knot
- Half-hitch knot
Correct answer: Square knot
The square knot is the standard surgical knot because it lies flat and is less likely to loosen than a granny knot.
Question 3: A dog is recovering from anesthesia and begins paddling its legs and vocalizing. What is the most appropriate initial response?
- Administer additional anesthetic
- Restrain firmly with a muzzle
- Keep the patient calm, padded, and notify the veterinarian (Correct answer)
- Leave the patient to recover undisturbed
Correct answer: Keep the patient calm, padded, and notify the veterinarian
Dysphoric or excitatory recovery requires gentle restraint, padding to prevent injury, and immediate veterinarian notification.
Question 4: When preparing a surgical site, in what direction should you clip and scrub the skin?
- From the periphery toward the incision site
- From the incision site outward in a circular motion (Correct answer)
- In random directions to cover the entire area
- Parallel to the spine only
Correct answer: From the incision site outward in a circular motion
Surgical scrubbing moves from the clean center outward to avoid introducing contaminants to the incision site.
Question 5: Which of the following is the correct capillary refill time (CRT) in a healthy dog or cat?
- Less than 1 second
- 1–2 seconds (Correct answer)
- 3–4 seconds
- More than 5 seconds
Correct answer: 1–2 seconds
A normal CRT is 1–2 seconds; prolonged CRT suggests poor perfusion or cardiovascular compromise.
Question 6: What is the purpose of a Balfour retractor during abdominal surgery?
- To clamp bleeding vessels
- To hold abdominal walls open for better visualization (Correct answer)
- To aspirate fluid from the abdominal cavity
- To anchor sutures to the abdominal wall
Correct answer: To hold abdominal walls open for better visualization
The Balfour retractor is a self-retaining instrument used to hold the abdominal incision open during surgery.
Question 7: During a routine physical exam, you auscultate lung sounds and hear a crackling noise on inspiration. What might this indicate?
- Normal breath sounds
- Upper airway obstruction
- Fluid in the lower airways (pulmonary edema or pneumonia) (Correct answer)
- Cardiac arrhythmia
Correct answer: Fluid in the lower airways (pulmonary edema or pneumonia)
Crackles (rales) on auscultation are associated with fluid or exudate in the alveoli, suggesting pulmonary edema or pneumonia.
CVA Surgical and Exam Procedures 4
During a physical exam, a veterinary assistant notices a patient's mucous membranes are pale and tacky.
What does this most likely indicate?