VTNE Clinical Laboratory Procedures 2 — Questions and Answers
Question 1: Which anticoagulant is found in the purple-top (EDTA) tube and is the preferred choice for complete blood count (CBC) samples?
- Sodium citrate
- Heparin
- EDTA (ethylenediaminetetraacetic acid) (Correct answer)
- Sodium fluoride
Correct answer: EDTA (ethylenediaminetetraacetic acid)
EDTA chelates calcium and preserves cell morphology, making it the anticoagulant of choice for CBC analysis.
Question 2: A urine specific gravity of 1.045 in a dog most likely indicates:
- Isosthenuria
- Hyposthenuria
- Concentrated urine with possible dehydration (Correct answer)
- Diabetes insipidus
Correct answer: Concentrated urine with possible dehydration
A specific gravity of 1.045 is highly concentrated and may indicate dehydration or renal compensatory response in dogs.
Question 3: When performing a blood smear differential, the technician counts 100 leukocytes and finds 75 neutrophils, 15 lymphocytes, 7 monocytes, and 3 eosinophils. Which finding is abnormal for a dog?
- 75% neutrophils (Correct answer)
- 15% lymphocytes
- 7% monocytes
- 3% eosinophils
Correct answer: 75% neutrophils
While 75% neutrophils is within the high end of normal, combined with low lymphocytes it may suggest a stress leukogram; however, mild neutrophilia alone can be normal — the pattern must be assessed in context.
Question 4: Which serum chemistry value is most useful for evaluating glomerular filtration rate (GFR) in cats?
- ALT
- SDMA (symmetric dimethylarginine) (Correct answer)
- Total protein
- Amylase
Correct answer: SDMA (symmetric dimethylarginine)
SDMA is a sensitive renal biomarker that reflects GFR and can detect kidney dysfunction earlier than creatinine in cats.
Question 5: A fecal flotation using zinc sulfate solution is BEST suited for detecting which parasite?
- Tapeworm proglottids
- Giardia cysts (Correct answer)
- Toxocara eggs
- Dipylidium proglottids
Correct answer: Giardia cysts
Zinc sulfate flotation preserves the morphology of Giardia cysts better than other flotation solutions.
Question 6: What does a left shift on a CBC indicate?
- Increased mature lymphocytes in circulation
- Presence of immature neutrophils (bands) in peripheral blood (Correct answer)
- Decreased platelet count
- Shift of red blood cells to the left side of the smear
Correct answer: Presence of immature neutrophils (bands) in peripheral blood
A left shift refers to the release of immature neutrophils (band cells and earlier forms) into the circulation, suggesting significant demand or bone marrow response.
Question 7: Which stain is routinely used to identify Mycoplasma haemofelis on a feline blood smear?
- Gram stain
- Wright-Giemsa stain (Correct answer)
- Acid-fast stain
- India ink
Correct answer: Wright-Giemsa stain
Wright-Giemsa stain reveals Mycoplasma haemofelis as small basophilic bodies attached to the surface of feline erythrocytes.
VTNE Clinical Laboratory Procedures 2
Which anticoagulant is found in the purple-top (EDTA) tube and is the preferred choice for complete blood count (CBC) samples?