DVM Doctor of Veterinary Medicine Clinical Pathology and Diagnostics Questions and Answers

Question 1

A 3-year-old mixed-breed dog presents with lethargy and pale mucous membranes.
A complete blood count (CBC) reveals a hematocrit of 18% (reference range 37-55%), with an absolute reticulocyte count of 350,000/µL (reference >80,000/µL indicates regeneration).
Which of the following is the most accurate interpretation of this anemia?

Accepted Answer

Regenerative, likely due to hemorrhage or hemolysis.

Answer

Non-regenerative, likely due to chronic kidney disease.

Answer

Anemia of inflammatory disease.

Answer

A laboratory error in the hematocrit measurement.

Question 2

A feline patient's chemistry panel shows a marked elevation in alanine aminotransferase (ALT) and aspartate aminotransferase (AST), with only a mild increase in alkaline phosphatase (ALP) and gamma-glutamyl transferase (GGT). This pattern is most indicative of what type of liver pathology?

Accepted Answer

Hepatocellular leakage or injury.

Answer

Post-hepatic biliary obstruction.

Answer

Glucocorticoid-induced hepatopathy.

Answer

Cholestasis.

Question 3

A 12-year-old cat is presented with polyuria and polydipsia. A chemistry panel reveals a blood urea nitrogen (BUN) of 85 mg/dL (reference 16-36 mg/dL) and creatinine of 4.2 mg/dL (reference 0.8-2.4 mg/dL). Which of the following urinalysis findings would most strongly support a diagnosis of primary renal failure?

Accepted Answer

Urine specific gravity of 1.010.

Answer

Urine specific gravity of 1.050.

Answer

Urine pH of 6.0.

Answer

2+ bilirubin on the dipstick.

Question 4

A fine-needle aspirate is performed on a subcutaneous mass from a dog. Which of the following cytologic features is most definitive for a diagnosis of malignancy?

Accepted Answer

The presence of prominent anisokaryosis and multiple, variably sized nucleoli.

Answer

A monomorphic population of well-differentiated cells.

Answer

Significant neutrophilic inflammation with intracellular bacteria.

Answer

Abundant hemodilution and low cellularity.

Question 5

A 10-year-old dog is found to have a total calcium level of 14.5 mg/dL (reference range 9.0-11.5 mg/dL). After confirming persistent ionized hypercalcemia, what is the most important next diagnostic test to investigate the most common cause of this finding in dogs?

Accepted Answer

Measurement of parathyroid hormone-related protein (PTHrP).

Answer

Abdominal ultrasound to check for adrenal tumors.

Answer

Thoracic radiographs to screen for fungal disease.

Answer

A complete urinalysis to check for urolithiasis.

Question 6

Which of the following classic sets of changes on a canine complete blood count (CBC) is most consistent with a 'stress leukogram' induced by endogenous or exogenous corticosteroids?

Accepted Answer

Neutrophilia, lymphopenia, eosinopenia, monocytosis.

Answer

Neutrophilia, lymphocytosis, eosinophilia, monocytosis.

Answer

Neutropenia, lymphocytosis, eosinopenia, monocytopenia.

Answer

Neutropenia, lymphopenia, eosinophilia, monocytosis.