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Veterinary Anesthesia and Pain Management Flashcards

7 cards from real NAVLE practice questions. Tap to flip, then mark Knew It or Still Learning — missed cards come back until you master them.

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  1. A dog under isoflurane anesthesia has an end-tidal CO2 (ETCO2) reading of 62 mmHg. What does this finding indicate?

    Answer: Hypoventilation with CO2 retention

    Normal ETCO2 in anesthetized patients is 35–45 mmHg; a value of 62 mmHg indicates hypoventilation, meaning the patient is not eliminating CO2 adequately and intervention (e.g., manual or mechanical ventilation) is needed.

  2. Minimum alveolar concentration (MAC) is the inhalant anesthetic concentration that prevents gross movement in response to surgical stimulation in what percentage of patients?

    Answer: 50%

    MAC is defined as the alveolar concentration of an inhalant anesthetic that prevents purposeful movement in response to a supramaximal noxious stimulus in 50% of patients, making it an ED50.

  3. Which of the following conditions or interventions would DECREASE MAC (reduce the anesthetic requirement) of an inhalant agent?

    Answer: Opioid premedication

    Opioid premedication provides MAC sparing by 20–40%, reducing the amount of inhalant required; hyperthermia, chronic alcohol use, and hyperthyroidism all increase MAC.

  4. Malignant hyperthermia is a rare, life-threatening complication of anesthesia. Which drug is the treatment of choice?

    Answer: Dantrolene

    Dantrolene sodium blocks calcium release from the sarcoplasmic reticulum, directly treating the uncontrolled skeletal muscle hypermetabolism characteristic of malignant hyperthermia.

  5. During anesthesia, a dog develops frequent premature ventricular contractions (PVCs) visible on ECG. What is the FIRST-LINE pharmacologic treatment?

    Answer: Lidocaine IV bolus

    Intravenous lidocaine is the first-line antiarrhythmic for ventricular arrhythmias (PVCs, ventricular tachycardia) in anesthetized dogs due to its rapid onset and favorable cardiac profile.

  6. Which inhalant anesthetic is associated with the GREATEST cardiovascular depression and sensitization of the myocardium to catecholamine-induced arrhythmias?

    Answer: Halothane

    Halothane causes significant myocardial depression, decreased cardiac output, and sensitizes the heart to catecholamine-induced arrhythmias, making it the most cardiotoxic of the inhalants; it is rarely used in modern veterinary practice for this reason.

  7. A cat anesthetized with isoflurane develops bradycardia (HR 70 bpm). What is the MOST appropriate first step before administering any drug?

    Answer: Lighten anesthetic depth and reassess all parameters

    Before administering any drug, the appropriate first response is to lighten anesthetic depth and assess all parameters, as anesthetic-induced vagal tone and excessive depth are common reversible causes of bradycardia.