DVM Doctor of Veterinary Medicine Large Animal Surgery Questions and Answers

Question 1

A 10-year-old Thoroughbred gelding presents with acute, severe abdominal pain that is unresponsive to analgesics.
On rectal palpation, you identify multiple loops of tightly distended, edematous small intestine in the caudal abdomen.
What is the most appropriate next step?

Accepted Answer

Immediately refer the horse for an exploratory celiotomy.

Answer

Administer a different class of analgesic and re-evaluate in one hour.

Answer

Perform abdominocentesis to evaluate the peritoneal fluid.

Answer

Pass a nasogastric tube and administer mineral oil.

Question 2

What is the primary purpose of performing a right paralumbar fossa omentopexy for the correction of a left displaced abomasum (LDA) in a dairy cow?

Accepted Answer

To create a permanent adhesion between the greater omentum and the right body wall, preventing redisplacement.

Answer

To suture the abomasum directly to the right body wall.

Answer

To decompress the gas-filled abomasum before repositioning.

Answer

To manually break down any adhesions that have formed between the abomasum and the left body wall.

Question 3

Which of the following is considered the most common and clinically significant long-term complication following a laryngoplasty ('tie-back') procedure in a horse for treatment of recurrent laryngeal neuropathy?

Accepted Answer

Chronic coughing and/or dysphagia.

Answer

Incisional site infection or seroma.

Answer

Suture failure leading to loss of abduction.

Answer

Persistent roaring during exercise.

Question 4

A 2-year-old male Boer goat presents for stranguria and vocalization. You perform a urethral process amputation, which successfully relieves the obstruction. However, the goat re-obstructs 24 hours later. The owner wants to pursue further treatment for this valued pet. What is the most appropriate surgical option to provide long-term patency?

Accepted Answer

Tube cystostomy.

Answer

Perineal urethrostomy.

Answer

Repeated urethral process amputation.

Answer

Bladder marsupialization.

Question 5

When performing a standing flank laparotomy in a horse, which regional anesthetic technique provides the most complete desensitization of all layers of the body wall, including the peritoneum?

Accepted Answer

Proximal paravertebral block.

Answer

Line block.

Answer

Inverted L block.

Answer

Caudal epidural block.

Question 6

A farmer presents a 4-week-old calf with a soft, non-painful, easily reducible swelling at the umbilicus approximately 3 cm in diameter. There are no signs of infection or systemic illness. What is the most appropriate initial management recommendation?

Accepted Answer

Suggest monitoring; many small, uncomplicated hernias resolve spontaneously.

Answer

Advise surgical repair within the next week.

Answer

Recommend immediate application of a hernia clamp.

Answer

Prescribe a course of systemic antibiotics to prevent infection.

A 10-year-old Thoroughbred gelding presents with acute, severe abdominal pain that is unresponsive to analgesics.On rectal palpation, you identify multiple loops of tightly distended, edematous small intestine in the caudal abdomen.What is the most appropriate next step?

A 10-year-old Thoroughbred gelding presents with acute, severe abdominal pain that is unresponsive to analgesics.
On rectal palpation, you identify multiple loops of tightly distended, edematous small intestine in the caudal abdomen.
What is the most appropriate next step?