Free VTNE Exam Flashcards

Multiply weight (kg) x dose (mg/kg) to get total mg, then divide by the vial concentration (mg/mL) to get the volume in mL. Skipping the concentration division is a common cause of large-volume dosing errors and a classic VTNE math trap.

Multiply weight x rate x 60 to convert mcg/min into mcg/hr, then divide by the solution concentration (mcg/mL). Forgetting the x60 minutes conversion is the most frequent CRI calculation mistake on the exam.

Rapid concentrated potassium delivery causes fatal cardiac arrhythmias. KCl is always diluted and delivered as a slow infusion or added to balanced fluids on a pump, never as an undiluted IV push.

Naloxone reverses pure mu-opioid agonists (hydromorphone, morphine). Atipamezole reverses alpha-2 agonists (dexmedetomidine, medetomidine). Mixing these up delays reversal and prolongs respiratory depression or sedation.

Both damage the gastric mucosal barrier. Combined use sharply raises the risk of GI ulceration and perforation, so a washout period is required before switching from one class to the other.

Maropitant is an NK-1 receptor antagonist antiemetic that blocks substance P pathways, distinguishing it from older dopamine- or serotonin-based antiemetics. It is used to prevent vomiting and motion sickness in dogs and cats.

Schedule II controlled substances must be kept in a securely locked, substantially constructed cabinet or safe with limited access and a maintained log. Open-shelf or refrigerator-door storage violates DEA handling rules and fails audit.

A damp or wet wrap allows moisture strike-through, which wicks microbes through the wrap and compromises sterility. Treat any damp pack as contaminated and reprocess it from cleaning onward - do not rely on the internal chemical indicator.

Start at the planned incision and move outward in concentric circles. A used sponge never returns toward the center, because doing so drags peripheral skin flora back into the sterile incision field.

Pause closure immediately and perform a methodical cavity and field search with the team. Documenting a miscount and imaging the next day risks a retained surgical item - a preventable never-event that is a common VTNE scenario.

Any break in the sterile field must be corrected immediately by re-gloving, and re-gowning if the gown is contaminated. Rinsing the glove or continuing because it 'looks clean' raises surgical site infection risk.

External chemical tape only confirms the pack was exposed to heat. A biological indicator (Geobacillus spore test) is the only monitor that verifies sterilizing conditions were actually achieved inside the pack - use it for every load with implants.

Mayo-Hegar (and Olsen-Hegar) are needle holders used to grasp and drive suture needles. Metzenbaum are fine, blunt-tipped scissors for delicate tissue dissection - not for cutting heavy fascia or suture.

The leading digit identifies the quadrant - 1xx is the right maxillary (upper right) quadrant, and 04 is the canine. So 104 is the right maxillary canine. Quadrants run clockwise: 1 right upper, 2 left upper, 3 left lower, 4 right lower.

Healthy canine sulcus depth is roughly 1-3 mm depending on tooth and patient size; cats are normally under 1 mm. Deeper pockets indicate periodontal attachment loss and warrant dental radiographs to evaluate bone support.

Scale first to remove calculus, then polish to smooth the microscopic enamel scratches scaling leaves behind, then irrigate or rinse to flush debris. Polishing before scaling is pointless because scaling re-scratches the enamel.

FORL is a painful, progressive destruction of dental hard tissue unique to cats, often visible as a resorptive lesion at the gumline. True bacterial caries are rare in dogs and cats, so do not confuse the two when charting oral pathology.

EDTA (lavender or purple top) preserves leukocyte and erythrocyte morphology for the complete blood count. Heparin or serum tubes distort cell shapes and are not acceptable for a CBC - they are reserved for chemistry panels.

Ruptured red cells spill intracellular potassium into serum, so hemolysis falsely elevates measured potassium and interferes with several spectrophotometric chemistry assays. Flag hemolyzed samples before reporting results.

Use a refractometer. The dipstick specific gravity pad is calibrated for human urine and is unreliable in dogs and cats - it can underestimate or overestimate concentration and must not be used for veterinary patients.

Make the smear promptly after collection. Delay causes crenation, neutrophil degeneration, and platelet clumping artifacts that mimic or obscure real pathology and often force a redraw.

Roughly 100.5-102.5 F (38.1-39.2 C). A reading below 100 F in a non-anesthetized patient signals hypothermia and possible shock; above 103 F warrants investigation for fever or heat stress. Anesthesia independently depresses temperature.

Normal CRT is under 2 seconds. Prolonged CRT indicates poor perfusion (shock, dehydration, vasoconstriction). An extremely rapid 'snap' refill can reflect a hyperdynamic early shock state rather than wellness.

A traditional starting estimate is roughly 60 mL/kg/day in dogs and 50 mL/kg/day in cats, before patient-specific adjustment. These are starting points only - ongoing losses, dehydration deficit, and anesthesia change the actual requirement.

Cats mobilize fat to the liver under prolonged fasting, causing hepatic lipidosis and potentially liver failure. Early nutritional support is far easier than treating established lipidosis, so do not 'wait and see' on a cat that is not eating.

RER (kcal/day) is approximated as 70 x body weight (kg)^0.75. This allometric formula works across body sizes; a linear shortcut (30 x BW + 70) is acceptable only in the 2-45 kg range and breaks down outside it.

Deficit (mL) = body weight (kg) x percent dehydration (as a decimal) x 1000. A 10 kg dog at 8% dehydration has an 800 mL deficit, typically replaced over a defined schedule with ongoing reassessment rather than all at once.

Reposition frequently, pad bony prominences, keep bedding dry, and inspect skin each turn. Recumbent anesthetized or neurologic patients cannot shift weight themselves, so the nursing schedule must do it for them.

Move the patient directly to isolation with dedicated PPE and equipment, treat them last in the treatment order, and use a disinfectant effective against non-enveloped viruses (dilute bleach, accelerated hydrogen peroxide). Quaternary ammonium products alone are not reliably effective against parvovirus.

Leptospirosis spreads via infected urine and is zoonotic. Canine parvovirus, feline panleukopenia, and distemper are species-specific and not transmitted to people - so staff safety and patient isolation priorities differ for each.

Lip licking out of context, yawning when not tired, 'whale eye' (sclera visible), and a tucked tail are stress cues. Pushing through them escalates to defensive aggression; pause and adjust the handling plan instead of forcing restraint.

As Low As Reasonably Achievable: minimize dose through reduced time, increased distance, lead shielding, tight collimation, and good technique. Every retake is a preventable dose to patient and staff - get positioning right the first time.

kVp controls beam energy and penetration, and therefore contrast (higher kVp = longer gray scale). mAs controls the quantity of x-rays produced and therefore overall image density. Confusing the two causes repeated, dose-wasting technique corrections.

Barium sulfate is the standard positive contrast for upper GI when perforation is not suspected. If perforation or leakage into a body cavity is possible, use water-soluble iodinated contrast instead - leaked barium causes severe granulomatous peritonitis.

Normocapnia is roughly 35-45 mmHg EtCO2. A rising EtCO2 with shallow breathing indicates hypoventilation and CO2 retention - the patient needs assisted or controlled ventilation, not simply a deeper plane of anesthesia.

SpO2 below 90% means hypoxemia. First verify ET tube placement and patency, confirm oxygen flow, then assist ventilation and notify the veterinarian. Treating the number without checking the airway misses a displaced or obstructed tube.

Non-rebreathing systems (Bain, Ayre's T-piece) have low resistance and minimal dead space, suiting patients under roughly 5-7 kg, but they need higher fresh gas flows. A circle rebreathing system has too much dead space and resistance for a tiny patient.

In a circle rebreathing circuit, soda lime scrubs exhaled CO2. When granules change color and are exhausted, the patient rebreathes CO2 and develops hypercapnia. Replace color-changed absorbent before the next case - and verify the indicator, not just granule color.

Brachycephalics obstruct easily after extubation. Keep the tube in until swallowing and airway reflexes are robust, and keep reintubation supplies immediately at hand. Extubating too early in these breeds can be fatal within minutes.

A closed pop-off valve traps gas in the breathing circuit and can cause fatal barotrauma (tension pneumothorax) within minutes. The valve stays open except for brief, deliberate manual ventilation - never leave it closed and unattended.

A few minutes of flow-by or mask oxygen fills the functional residual capacity with oxygen, buying a longer safe apneic window during induction and intubation. This matters most for brachycephalics, cardiac, and critically ill patients who desaturate fast.

Compress at 100-120 per minute, depressing the thorax one-third to one-half of its width in lateral recumbency, with full recoil between compressions. Incomplete recoil prevents cardiac refill and drops coronary and cerebral perfusion pressure.

Airway and breathing compromise take top priority (the 'A' and 'B' of the primary survey). A patient who cannot oxygenate dies faster than one with a fracture or even active hemorrhage, so stabilize oxygenation before anything else.

Begin active cooling promptly, but stop around 103 F (39.4 C) to prevent rebound hypothermia. Ice-water immersion causes peripheral vasoconstriction, which traps core heat and can worsen outcome - avoid it despite the dramatic presentation.

Drugs acting on different pain pathways (opioids, NSAIDs, local anesthetics, alpha-2 agonists) together produce better pain control at lower individual doses, reducing each drug's side-effect burden versus escalating a single agent.

Treating pain before tissue injury prevents central sensitization ('wind-up'), where the spinal cord amplifies incoming pain signals. Pre-emptive dosing improves later comfort and often lowers total drug needs - it is not the same as simply giving 'extra' sedation.

Bupivacaine blocks sodium channels and is cardiotoxic in overdose or with accidental IV injection. Never give it as a rapid IV bolus; calculate the maximum safe dose and reserve it for local tissue infiltration or regional blocks only.

The technician witnesses the signature and confirms the client understands discharge or procedure instructions - the technician does not explain the procedure's risks and alternatives. That explanation is the veterinarian's legal responsibility, and blurring the line creates liability.

After explaining home care, ask the client to repeat the instructions in their own words rather than asking 'Do you understand?' A nod is not confirmation - teach-back surfaces gaps before they become missed medications or wound complications at home.

Do not overwrite or delete the original entry. Draw a single line through the error, write the correction nearby with your initials, date, and time, so the audit trail of what was documented and when is preserved. Blacking out or erasing violates record-integrity rules.