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Canine Internal Medicine 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.

Read the first 7 Canine Internal Medicine flashcards as text

  1. A 12-year-old Miniature Schnauzer presents with hypercalcemia (Ca 14.2 mg/dL), weight loss, and peripheral lymphadenopathy. Which test is most useful to differentiate hypercalcemia of malignancy from primary hyperparathyroidism?

    Answer: PTH and PTHrP assay

    Measuring both PTH (elevated in hyperparathyroidism) and PTHrP (elevated in humoral hypercalcemia of malignancy) is the most direct way to distinguish these causes.

  2. A 6-year-old Shar-Pei presents with fever, swollen hocks, and elevated SAA. Renal biopsy shows amyloid deposition in the medullary interstitium. Which treatment has shown the most benefit in slowing renal amyloidosis progression in this breed?

    Answer: Colchicine

    Colchicine inhibits amyloid fibril formation and has been shown to slow progression of renal amyloidosis in Shar-Peis when started early.

  3. An 8-year-old Dachshund presents with acute onset of severe back pain and inability to ambulate. MRI confirms acute thoracolumbar IVDD at T12-13. Deep pain perception is absent. Within what time frame should surgical decompression ideally occur to maximize neurological recovery?

    Answer: Within 48 hours

    Surgical decompression within 48 hours of loss of deep pain perception is associated with the best neurological outcomes in acute IVDD.

  4. A 5-year-old Labrador Retriever presents with acute onset hemolytic anemia (PCV 14%, spherocytes on smear, positive Coombs test). Which treatment combination is most appropriate as initial therapy?

    Answer: Prednisone + azathioprine or mycophenolate

    Combination immunosuppression with a corticosteroid plus a steroid-sparing agent (azathioprine or mycophenolate) is recommended for IMHA to reduce relapse rates.

  5. A 7-year-old Doberman Pinscher presents with exercise intolerance, ascites, and a gallop rhythm. Echocardiography shows a dilated left ventricle with reduced fractional shortening of 12%. What is the most likely diagnosis?

    Answer: Dilated cardiomyopathy

    Dilated cardiomyopathy with reduced fractional shortening and a dilated left ventricle is the classic presentation in Dobermans.

  6. A 9-year-old Cairn Terrier has chronic hepatitis with copper accumulation on liver biopsy (>2000 µg/g dry weight). Which chelation agent is most commonly used in dogs to reduce hepatic copper?

    Answer: D-penicillamine

    D-penicillamine is the most widely used copper chelator in dogs with copper-associated hepatopathy, mobilizing hepatic copper for urinary excretion.

  7. A 2-year-old Border Collie presents with episodic muscle tremors and facial rubbing after exercise. Ionized calcium is 0.78 mmol/L (normal 1.12–1.40). Which condition is the most common cause of hypocalcemia in young adult dogs?

    Answer: Eclampsia (puerperal tetany)

    Eclampsia due to calcium loss through milk production in periparturient females is the most common cause of acute hypocalcemia in young adult dogs.