Trivia Flashcards

What is the name of the reflex that causes a cat to right itself during a fall, allowing it to land feet-first?

Answer: Righting reflex

The righting reflex (aerial righting) is mediated by the vestibular system and allows cats to orient their body during a fall.

Which vitamin deficiency in cats results in 'yellow fat disease' (steatitis)?

Answer: Vitamin E

Vitamin E deficiency, often from diets high in unsaturated fatty acids (e.g., oily fish), causes oxidative damage to adipose tissue known as steatitis or yellow fat disease.

The 'wet form' of feline infectious peritonitis (FIP) is characterized by accumulation of fluid due to which pathological process?

Answer: Vasculitis and increased vascular permeability

FIP's effusive (wet) form results from immune complex deposition causing pyogranulomatous vasculitis with leakage of high-protein fluid into body cavities.

What is the Coggins test used to detect in horses?

Answer: Equine infectious anemia

The Coggins test (agar gel immunodiffusion) detects antibodies to equine infectious anemia virus (EIAV) and is required for interstate transport of horses.

Which snake venom component primarily causes local tissue necrosis in pit viper envenomation of dogs?

Answer: Phospholipases and proteases

Phospholipases, proteases, and hyaluronidase in crotalid venom cause local cellulitis, myonecrosis, and tissue destruction at the bite site.

A cow is diagnosed with hardware disease (traumatic reticuloperitonitis). Which magnet placement is used both therapeutically and preventively?

Answer: Reticulum

A bar magnet is administered orally and sits in the reticulum, where it captures ingested metallic foreign bodies before they can penetrate the wall.

Which parasitic condition in dogs is commonly called 'heartworm disease,' and what is its definitive host?

Answer: Dirofilaria immitis — dog

Dirofilaria immitis causes heartworm disease, with the dog (and other canids) serving as the definitive host and mosquitoes as the intermediate host.