CVA Veterinary Practice & Nursing Care 2 — Questions and Answers
Question 1: When monitoring a patient under general anesthesia, which parameter is MOST critical to assess continuously?
- Body weight
- Respiratory rate and depth (Correct answer)
- Coat condition
- Pupil color
Correct answer: Respiratory rate and depth
Respiratory rate and depth must be monitored continuously under anesthesia because respiratory depression is a primary risk of anesthetic agents.
Question 2: A dog is recovering from surgery and its gum color appears pale pink to white. This finding MOST likely indicates:
- Normal post-op status
- Poor peripheral perfusion or anemia (Correct answer)
- Dehydration only
- Hypertension
Correct answer: Poor peripheral perfusion or anemia
Pale or white mucous membranes suggest poor perfusion, significant blood loss, or anemia requiring immediate veterinary attention.
Question 3: Which of the following is the correct technique for placing a jugular catheter in a cat?
- Clip, scrub with chlorhexidine, insert bevel-down
- Insert without clipping to avoid stress
- Clip, scrub with alcohol only, insert bevel-up
- Clip, scrub with chlorhexidine, insert bevel-up (Correct answer)
Correct answer: Clip, scrub with chlorhexidine, insert bevel-up
Catheter placement requires clipping hair, aseptic scrub with chlorhexidine, and inserting the needle bevel-up to enter the vein cleanly.
Question 4: The term 'tachypnea' in a veterinary patient refers to:
- Slow heart rate
- Rapid breathing (Correct answer)
- Labored breathing
- Absence of breathing
Correct answer: Rapid breathing
Tachypnea means an abnormally elevated respiratory rate, which can indicate pain, fever, respiratory disease, or shock.
Question 5: A feline patient has been prescribed transdermal medication. Where is this medication MOST commonly applied?
- Inner thigh
- Scruff of the neck
- Inner pinna (ear flap) (Correct answer)
- Dorsal nose
Correct answer: Inner pinna (ear flap)
Transdermal medications in cats are most commonly applied to the inner pinna because the skin there is thin and highly vascularized.
Question 6: When collecting a urine sample by cystocentesis, the needle is inserted into the:
- Kidney pelvis
- Urethra
- Urinary bladder directly (Correct answer)
- Ureter
Correct answer: Urinary bladder directly
Cystocentesis involves inserting a needle through the abdominal wall directly into the urinary bladder to collect a sterile urine sample.
Question 7: A patient's TPR is recorded as T=104°F, P=120, R=30. Which value is abnormal for a dog?
- Temperature only (Correct answer)
- Pulse rate only
- All three values
- Temperature and respiratory rate
Correct answer: Temperature only
Normal canine temperature is 99.5–102.5°F; 104°F indicates hyperthermia, while a pulse of 120 and respiration of 30 fall within normal ranges.
CVA Veterinary Practice & Nursing Care 2
When monitoring a patient under general anesthesia, which parameter is MOST critical to assess continuously?