VTNE Cheat Sheet 2026

The 30 highest-yield VTNE facts, distilled from real exam questions. Print it, save it as a PDF, or study it here — free, no sign-up.

1. What is the term for the feline condition involving progressive destruction of tooth structure at or below the gumline? → Feline odontoclastic resorptive lesion (FORL)
2. A technician needs to perform a Gram stain on a bacterial smear. What is the correct sequence of reagents used in this differential staining procedure? → Crystal Violet, Iodine, Decolorizer, Safranin
3. What are the standard time, temperature, and pressure settings for sterilizing most routine surgical packs in a gravity-displacement steam autoclave? → 15 minutes at 121°C (250°F) and 15 psi
4. How many permanent teeth does an adult dog normally have? → 42
5. When using a standard refractometer in a veterinary clinic, which two measurements are most commonly performed? → Urine specific gravity and total protein
6. Which of the following is a requirement for legally maintaining controlled substance logs in a veterinary practice? → Records for Schedule II drugs must be kept separate from Schedules III, IV, and V.
7. What is the normal gingival sulcus depth in a healthy cat? → 1–3 mm
8. Which of the following instruments would be classified as a self-retaining retractor, commonly used to hold abdominal wall incisions open during a laparotomy? → Balfour Retractor
9. Which nutritional shortage is known to result in feline cardiomyopathy? → Taurine
10. A common and potentially life-threatening complication during the immediate post-anesthetic recovery period for dogs and cats is: → Hypothermia
11. What shouldn't fluoroquinolones be used in? → Young animals because they cause arthropathy
12. A puppy is admitted with severe hemorrhagic diarrhea, vomiting, and leukopenia. The most critical component of treatment for suspected parvoviral enteritis is: → IV fluid therapy and supportive care
13. Which of the following serum chemistry tests is considered the most specific indicator of hepatocellular (liver cell) damage in dogs and cats? → Alanine Aminotransferase (ALT)
14. Maropitant (Cerenia®) is a widely used antiemetic in veterinary medicine. It provides broad-spectrum anti-vomiting effects by acting as a: → Neurokinin-1 (NK-1) receptor antagonist
15. A neutered male pig's correct name is a? → Barrow
16. A patient weighing 22 lbs is prescribed 0.5 mg/kg of a drug IM. The drug concentration is 10 mg/mL. How many mL should be administered? → 0.5 mL
17. Why is dental polishing performed after ultrasonic scaling in veterinary dental procedures? → To smooth enamel micro-scratches and reduce plaque adhesion
18. The Baermann technique is a specialized fecal diagnostic test used to recover which of the following? → Nematode larvae like Aelurostrongylus
19. Which aminoglycoside is the most harmful to the kidneys? → Neomycin
20. Which of the following statements about endotoxins is FALSE? → Antibiotics are used to treat endotoxic shock.
21. Which of the following clinical findings is most consistent with the early, compensatory stage of shock in a dog? → Tachycardia with bounding pulses
22. Which of the following is a common, and potentially serious, class-wide side effect of non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) in dogs? → Gastrointestinal ulceration
23. Which of the following statements DOES NOT describe strangles? → In dogs, it is also known as distemper
24. What is the primary purpose of using a dental elevator before extracting a tooth in a veterinary patient? → To sever the periodontal ligament and luxate the tooth from its socket
25. When performing a surgical hand scrub, the technician should scrub their hands and arms in a way that ensures: → Water runs from the fingertips down to the elbows.
26. Which tooth surface in veterinary dentistry faces the tongue or hard palate? → Lingual/palatal
27. The Minimum Alveolar Concentration (MAC) of an inhalant anesthetic is a standard measure used to compare which characteristic of different agents? → The potency of the anesthetic agent
28. Before administering medication via a nasogastric tube, the technician must first: → Confirm tube placement by aspirating gastric contents or auscultating while injecting air
29. In diagnostic radiography, what is the primary purpose of collimating the x-ray beam to the specific area of interest? → To reduce scatter radiation and improve both image quality and safety.
30. What is the interradicular bone, and why is its integrity important in dental assessment? → Bone between the roots of multi-rooted teeth; loss indicates furcation involvement