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2026 Statistics

Key Facts: Eidgenössisches Examen Veterinärmedizin Exam

240 MCQs

Written Exam Items

BAG Prüfungsreglement

12 Stations

Practical OSCE Stations

Vetsuisse / BAG

CHF 2,000

Total Statutory Fees

MedBG Prüfungsverordnung

6.5 Hours

Written Exam Duration

BAG Examination Schedule

Lifetime

Federal Diploma Validity

MedBG / Medizinalberuferegister

100

Practice Questions

OpenExamPrep

The Eidgenössisches Examen Veterinärmedizin is the Swiss state licensing assessment for veterinary graduates governed by BAG and Vetsuisse under MedBG. The official assessment includes 240 written MCQs and 12 OSCE stations covering small animal, equine, and farm animal medicine, pathology, food safety (VSFK), and Swiss veterinary legislation (TSG, TAMV).

Sample Eidgenössisches Examen Veterinärmedizin Practice Questions

Try these sample questions to test your Eidgenössisches Examen Veterinärmedizin exam readiness. Each question includes a detailed explanation. Start the interactive quiz above for the full 100+ question experience with AI tutoring.

1Under the Swiss Epizootic Diseases Act (Tierseuchengesetz, TSG) and Epizootic Diseases Ordinance (TSV), how is African Swine Fever (Afrikanische Schweinepest, ASP) officially categorized, and what mandatory statutory action must an attending veterinarian take immediately upon suspecting an outbreak in a Swiss domestic swine herd?

A.Categorized as a Highly Contagious Epizootic Disease (Hochansteckende Seuche / Epizootie hautement contagieuse); the veterinarian must immediately notify the Cantonal Veterinary Office (Kantonstierarzt), place the holding under immediate provisional movement ban, and may not leave the premises without official disinfection instructions

B.Categorized as an Enzootic Monitored Disease (Zu überwachende Seuche); the veterinarian should prescribe oral fluoroquinolones and re-evaluate the herd in 14 days

C.Categorized as a Facultative Animal Disease; vaccination of all healthy contact animals is mandatory prior to official reporting

D.Categorized as a Local Cantonal Defect; the farmer must privately cull the affected pen without notifying cantonal authorities

Explanation: Under Swiss veterinary legislation (TSG Art. 2–5, TSV Art. 2 and Art. 89–95), African Swine Fever (ASP) is classified as a Highly Contagious Epizootic Disease (Hochentwickelte Seuche). Immediate reporting to the Cantonal Veterinary Office (Kantonstierarzt) is legally mandatory upon initial clinical suspicion. The attending veterinarian must immediately impose a provisional quarantine (blocking all animal, carcass, feed, and manure movements) and remain on site until instructed by official veterinary authorities to prevent viral dissemination.

2A 5-year-old Swiss Fleckvieh dairy cow 3 weeks postpartum presents with a sudden drop in milk yield, ketonuria, selective anorexia (refusing concentrates but eating hay), and a hollowed left paralumbar fossa. Auscultation with simultaneous percussion over the left 9th to 12th rib intercostal spaces reveals a high-pitched, metallic resonant 'ping' sound. What is the definitive diagnosis and primary pathophysiology?

A.Primary ruminal lactic acidosis with massive left-sided gas cap accumulation

B.Left-Displaced Abomasum (LDA / Linksseitige Labmagenverlagerung) caused by abomasal atony, gas accumulation, and displacement dorsally and to the left between the rumen and the left abdominal wall

C.Cecal dilatation and torsion displaced into the left hypochondriac region

D.Traumatic reticuloperitonitis with localized gas-forming abscess formation in the omental bursa

Explanation: Left-Displaced Abomasum (LDA) typically occurs in high-yielding dairy cows during the early postpartum transition period. Postpartum metabolic stress, subclinical hypocalcemia, high-concentrate feeding, and decreased rumen fill lead to abomasal hypomotility, accumulation of volatile fatty acids and gas, and dorsal migration of the abomasum along the left body wall. The pathognomonic clinical finding is simultaneous auscultation and percussion ('pinging') in the left 9th–12th intercostal space.

3An 8-year-old Warmblood gelding presents with acute, severe colic signs (pawing, sweating, violent rolling) of 3 hours' duration. Nasogastric intubation yields 12 liters of foul-smelling, reddish-brown gastric reflux. Transrectal palpation reveals distended, turgid small intestinal loops ('bicycle tires') in the caudal abdomen. Heart rate is 72 bpm, mucous membranes are congested, and blood lactate is 4.8 mmol/L. What is the mandatory management recommendation?

A.Administer repeat doses of flunixin meglumine and mineral oil via nasogastric tube and re-evaluate in 12 hours

B.Initiate aggressive oral rehydration therapy with 40 liters of isotonic electrolytes via stomach tube

C.Perform emergency surgical exploratory celiotomy (laparotomy) for suspected small intestinal strangulating obstruction (e.g., epiploic foramen entrapment or strangulating lipoma)

D.Administer intramuscular xylazine and perform standing left flank laparoscopy to evacuate the cecum

Explanation: The clinical presentation of acute violent colic, substantial gastric reflux (>5 L), tachycardia, elevated systemic lactate, and turgid, distended small intestinal loops on rectal palpation is definitive for a strangulating small intestinal obstruction (e.g., strangulating pedunculated lipoma, epiploic foramen entrapment, or mesenteric volvulus). These lesions cause rapid ischemic bowel necrosis and fatal endotoxic shock unless immediate surgical intervention (exploratory celiotomy and enterectomy) is performed.

4A 7-year-old female spayed Labrador Retriever presents with polyuria, polydipsia, polyphagia, bilateral symmetrical non-pruritic alopecia over the trunk, and a pendulous 'pot-bellied' abdomen. What endocrine screening test is considered the most sensitive for diagnosing canine hyperadrenocorticism (Cushing's syndrome)?

A.Single baseline morning serum cortisol measurement

B.Thyroid stimulating hormone (TSH) response test

C.Urinary protein-to-creatinine ratio (UPC) alone

D.Low-Dose Dexamethasone Suppression Test (LDDST, 0.01 mg/kg IV measuring cortisol at 0, 4, and 8 hours)

Explanation: The Low-Dose Dexamethasone Suppression Test (LDDST) has a diagnostic sensitivity of 90–95% for canine hyperadrenocorticism (Cushing's syndrome). In healthy dogs, 0.01 mg/kg IV dexamethasone suppresses pituitary ACTH secretion, resulting in serum cortisol < 40 nmol/L (<1.4 µg/dL) at 8 hours. In Cushing's syndrome (both pituitary-dependent and adrenal tumors), cortisol fails to suppress at 8 hours. Single baseline cortisol measurements are diagnostically useless due to pulsatile secretion and stress overlap.

5Under Swiss Veterinary Medicinal Products Ordinance (Tierarzneimittelverordnung, TAMV) and the national antibiotic resistance reduction strategy (StAR), what rule strictly governs the prescription and dispensing of Critical Antibiotics (Highest Priority Critically Important Antimicrobials, e.g., 3rd/4th generation cephalosporins and fluoroquinolones) in veterinary practice in Switzerland?

A.Critical antibiotics may only be prescribed after documented bacteriological examination and antimicrobial susceptibility testing (antibiogram), must be entered into the national antibiotic database (IS ABV), and prophylactic group treatment is strictly prohibited

B.Critical antibiotics can be freely dispensed over the counter without prescription in agricultural cooperatives

C.Critical antibiotics are restricted exclusively to exotic avian medicine and banned in domestic cattle

D.Critical antibiotics may be mixed into swine feed at the farmer's discretion without veterinary involvement

Explanation: Under the Swiss TAMV (Art. 6–10) and the Swiss Antibiotic Resistance Strategy (StAR), 3rd/4th generation cephalosporins (e.g. ceftiofur, cefquinome) and fluoroquinolones (e.g. enrofloxacin, marbofloxacin) are classified as critical antimicrobials. They cannot be used for routine prophylaxis or metaphylaxis and must be justified by clinical examination and laboratory susceptibility testing (antibiogram). Every prescription and dispensing event for farm animals must be recorded in the official Swiss Information System on Antibiotics in Veterinary Medicine (IS ABV).

6A 3-year-old domestic shorthair male neutered cat presents with stranguria, vocalization in the litter box, periuria, and severe depression. Physical examination reveals a hard, distended, painful bladder the size of a lemon. Serum biochemistry shows potassium 7.8 mmol/L (severe hyperkalemia) and ECG shows absent P waves, widened QRS complexes, and tall, peaked T waves. What is the immediate medical priority before urethral desobstruction?

A.Immediate surgical perineal urethrostomy under deep general anesthesia

B.Administer intravenous 10% Calcium Gluconate (0.5–1.0 mL/kg slowly over 5–10 min under ECG monitoring) to cardioprotect against fatal hyperkalemic arrhythmias, followed by IV regular insulin/dextrose or terbutaline

C.Administer high-dose oral potassium chloride supplements

D.Apply external manual pressure to forcibly express the obstructed bladder

Explanation: In acute obstructive feline lower urinary tract disease (FLUTD), severe hyperkalemia (>7.0 mmol/L) is a life-threatening emergency that causes cardiac arrest. Calcium gluconate 10% does not lower serum potassium, but it immediately restores membrane threshold potential and normalizes cardiac excitability within 2–5 minutes. Once the myocardium is stabilized, potassium is shifted intracellularly (regular insulin + dextrose) and the urethral plug/obstruction is relieved by gentle retrograde urethral catheterization under sedation.

7A dairy herd in the Swiss canton of Fribourg reports multiple abortions during the last trimester of gestation. Aborted fetuses show subcutaneous edema, pleural effusion, and necrotic cotyledons on placental examination. The farmer also reports undulating fever, malaise, and orchitis in his farm hand. What major zoonotic pathogen is suspected, and what is its status under the Swiss TSV?

A.Bovine Viral Diarrhea Virus (BVDV); classified as a harmless commensal

B.Trueperella pyogenes; treated exclusively with oral amoxicillin

C.Brucella abortus (Bovine Brucellosis); classified as an Epizootic Disease to be Eradicated (Zu bekämpfende Seuche), mandatory notification and immediate herd testing required

D.Neospora caninum; non-reportable parasitic cyst infection

Explanation: Brucella abortus is the causative agent of bovine brucellosis (Bang's disease), characterized by late-term abortions, placentitis, and retained placenta in cattle, and severe undulating fever, chronic fatigue, and granulomatous lesions (undulant fever) in humans. Switzerland is officially recognized as free of bovine brucellosis. Under the Swiss TSV (Art. 154–160), it is a Seuche zu bekämpfen; any suspected case mandates immediate official notification, cantonal isolation, and serological/microbiological confirmation.

8A 4-year-old Appaloosa horse presents with recurrent episodes of blepharospasm, epiphora, corneal edema, aqueous flare, and miosis in the left eye. Examination reveals yellowish-white retinal depigmentation scars adjacent to the optic disc ('bullet-hole' lesions). What is the diagnosis, and what infectious organism is strongly linked to this condition in Europe?

A.Infectious Bovine Keratoconjunctivitis caused by Moraxella bovis

B.Corneal squamous cell carcinoma secondary to equine papillomavirus

C.Primary closed-angle glaucoma caused by equine herpesvirus-1

D.Equine Recurrent Uveitis (ERU / Mondblindheit), strongly associated with Leptospira interrogans / Leptospira kirschneri infection

Explanation: Equine Recurrent Uveitis (ERU, Moon Blindness / Mondblindheit) is the leading cause of blindness in horses worldwide. It is an immune-mediated panuveitis characterized by repeated inflammatory bouts (hypopyon, miosis, aqueous flare, cataract, vitreal opacity). In Central Europe (including Switzerland), ERU is strongly associated with intraocular persistent infection and cross-reactive autoimmune responses triggered by Leptospira serovars (e.g. Grippotyphosa, Pomona). Pars plana vitrectomy or suprachoroidal cyclosporine implants are definitive therapeutic interventions.

9A 2-year-old Bernese Mountain Dog presents with acute bilateral hindlimb lameness. Orthopedic examination reveals positive cranial drawer test and positive cranial tibial thrust in the right stifle. Radiographs show infrapatellar fat pad effacement and osteophytes on the trochlear ridges. What surgical technique stabilizes the cranial cruciate ligament (CCL) deficient stifle by altering tibial plateau biomechanics?

A.Tibial Plateau Leveling Osteotomy (TPLO) or Tibial Tuberosity Advancement (TTA)

B.Femoral head and neck ostectomy (FHNO)

C.Triple pelvic osteotomy (TPO)

D.Patellar tendon desmotomy with rigid external coaptation

Explanation: Canine cranial cruciate ligament rupture (CCLR) is primarily a degenerative ligamentous disease. Because cranial tibial translation occurs due to the caudal slope of the tibial plateau during weight bearing (cranial tibial thrust), dynamic biomechanical surgical techniques such as Tibial Plateau Leveling Osteotomy (TPLO) or Tibial Tuberosity Advancement (TTA) neutralize cranial tibial thrust without requiring an intact intra-articular ligament, restoring joint stability and functional limb use.

10A piglet-rearing unit in the Swiss canton of Lucerne experiences acute respiratory distress, cyanosis of ears and snouts ('blue ear'), high pre-weaning mortality, and reproductive failure (abortions and mummified fetuses) in breeding sows. Which viral pathogen causes Porcine Reproductive and Respiratory Syndrome (PRRS), and what is its official Swiss epizootic status?

A.Porcine Parvovirus (PPV); classified as a non-notifiable endemic condition

B.PRRS Arterivirus (PRRSV); Switzerland is officially PRRS-free, and PRRS is classified as an Epizootic Disease to be Eradicated (Zu bekämpfende Seuche) under the Swiss TSV

C.Swine Influenza A virus; treated with routine herd vaccination

D.Porcine Circovirus Type 2 (PCV2); non-regulated commercial infection

Explanation: Porcine Reproductive and Respiratory Syndrome (PRRS) is caused by an enveloped RNA Arterivirus that targets alveolar macrophages, causing severe immunosuppression, interstitial pneumonia in piglets, and late-term abortions in sows. Switzerland eradicated PRRS and maintains official freedom through strict import quarantine and serological surveillance. Under Swiss TSV (Art. 210–213), PRRS is a Seuche zu bekämpfen with mandatory culling and epidemiological tracing if detected.

About the Eidgenössisches Examen Veterinärmedizin Exam

The Eidgenössische Prüfung in Veterinärmedizin (Swiss Federal Examination in Veterinary Medicine) is the state licensing examination required under the Federal Act on University Medical Professions (MedBG / LPMéd) to obtain the Eidgenössisches Diplom als Tierärztin / Tierarzt (Federal Veterinary Diploma) and practice independently in Switzerland. Governed by the Federal Office of Public Health (BAG) in collaboration with the Vetsuisse Faculty (Bern and Zurich), the examination tests core competencies outlined in the Swiss national learning objectives catalogue VET-PROFILES across companion animal medicine and surgery, ruminant and herd health, equine medicine, veterinary pathology, food safety and meat hygiene (VSFK), animal health and epizootic disease control (TSG/TSV), veterinary pharmacology and cascade regulations (TAMV), and veterinary public health. Note on language and format: The official state examination is administered in official Swiss national languages (German and French) comprising 240 MCQs and 12 practical OSCE stations. This practice question bank is an English-language multiple-choice study adaptation created by OpenExamPrep to provide comprehensive conceptual review, clinical reasoning training, and guideline reinforcement.

Assessment

Two separate, non-compensable Einzelprüfungen: 1) the written Clinical Knowledge (CK) examination of 200 MCQs delivered as two part-examinations of 100 questions (2 hours 40 minutes each, question types A and Kprim, the two parts fully compensating each other), and 2) the Clinical Skills (CS) examination, an OSCE parcours of 12 assessed stations using simulated clients, models, phantoms and specimens.

Time Limit

320 minutes written (two 160-minute part-examinations) plus the 12-station OSCE clinical skills parcours

Passing Score

Standard-setting pass mark on the written MC examination (typically ~60%) and passing evaluation on the practical CS/OSCE stations determined by the federal examination commission under MedBG regulations.

Exam Fee

CHF 200 registration fee + CHF 1,300 examination fee + CHF 500 federal diploma issuance fee (Total CHF 2,000) (Bundesamt für Gesundheit (BAG) / Federal Office of Public Health (OFSP) & Examination Commission for Veterinary Medicine / Vetsuisse Faculty)

Eidgenössisches Examen Veterinärmedizin Exam Content Outline

28%

Small Animal Medicine & Surgery (Canine & Feline)

Internal medicine, emergency and critical care, oncology, endocrinology, soft tissue surgery, orthopedics (CCLR, fractures), neurology, ophthalmology, cardiology, and feline-specific conditions (FIP, retroviruses, CKD, FLUTD).

25%

Farm Animal Medicine & Herd Health (Ruminants & Swine)

Bovine metabolic diseases (ketosis, milk fever, grass tetany), abomasal displacement (LDA/RDA), bovine respiratory disease, mastitis, neonatal enteritis, reproduction and obstetrics, small ruminant diseases (CAE, enterotoxemia), and swine herd health (PRRSV, PCV2, APP).

18%

Equine Medicine & Surgery

Acute colic diagnostics and surgical indications, endocrinopathic and sepsis-related laminitis, PPID, EMS, equine asthma, strangles, EHV-1 myeloencephalopathy, orthopedics, tendon injuries, septic arthritis, and neonatal foal care.

15%

Veterinary Public Health, Food Safety & Meat Inspection

Swiss Meat Inspection Ordinance (VSFK), ante- and post-mortem slaughter inspection, epizootic disease control under the Swiss Epizootic Diseases Act (TSG/TSV), specified risk material (SRM/BSE), trichinellosis, zoonoses (Salmonella, Campylobacter, Echinococcus, Brucella, Tuberculosis, Rabies, Avian Influenza), and milk hygiene.

14%

Veterinary Pharmacology, Toxicology, Anesthesia & Legislation

Swiss Veterinary Medicinal Products Ordinance (TAMV), cascade principle (Umwidmung), national antibiotic resistance strategy (StAR), IS ABV mandatory reporting, small and large animal anesthesia protocols, analgesia, toxicological emergencies (anticoagulant rodenticides, ethylene glycol, theobromine, permethrin in cats), Swiss Animal Welfare Act (TSchG/TSchV), and MedBG professional duties.

How to Pass the Eidgenössisches Examen Veterinärmedizin Exam

What You Need to Know

Passing score: Standard-setting pass mark on the written MC examination (typically ~60%) and passing evaluation on the practical CS/OSCE stations determined by the federal examination commission under MedBG regulations.
Assessment: Two separate, non-compensable Einzelprüfungen: 1) the written Clinical Knowledge (CK) examination of 200 MCQs delivered as two part-examinations of 100 questions (2 hours 40 minutes each, question types A and Kprim, the two parts fully compensating each other), and 2) the Clinical Skills (CS) examination, an OSCE parcours of 12 assessed stations using simulated clients, models, phantoms and specimens.
Time limit: 320 minutes written (two 160-minute part-examinations) plus the 12-station OSCE clinical skills parcours
Exam fee: CHF 200 registration fee + CHF 1,300 examination fee + CHF 500 federal diploma issuance fee (Total CHF 2,000)

Keys to Passing

Work through all 100 available questions
Review every answer and explanation
Track weak areas and revisit them
Use our AI tutor for tough concepts

Eidgenössisches Examen Veterinärmedizin Study Tips from Top Performers

1Master Emergency & Critical Care Decision Trees: Be proficient in immediate stabilization protocols for canine GDV, feline urethral obstruction, feline arterial thromboembolism, canine Addisonian crisis, equine strangulating colic, and bovine toxic coliform mastitis.

2Understand Swiss Epizootic Disease (TSG) Classifications: Know the exact reporting and culling protocols for highly contagious epizootics (African Swine Fever, Foot and Mouth Disease, Avian Influenza) versus diseases to be eradicated (Bovine Tuberculosis, Brucellosis, BVDV) and monitored diseases under BLV directives.

3Memorize Swiss TAMV Cascade & Antibiotic Rules (StAR): Learn the exact legal sequence for drug repurposing (Umwidmung) in food-producing and companion animals, mandatory IS ABV reporting requirements, and restrictions on Highest Priority Critically Important Antimicrobials (HP-CIAs: 3rd/4th generation cephalosporins, fluoroquinolones, macrolides).

4Review Abattoir Meat Inspection (VSFK) Criteria: Understand ante-mortem fit-for-slaughter assessments, emergency slaughter rules (Notschlachtung), organ condemnation criteria (liver fluke, milk spots, tuberculosis, pleurisy), and Trichinella digestion testing protocols.

5Review Fluid Therapy, Electrolytes & Acid-Base Physiology: Calculate dehydration deficits, maintenance rates, and ongoing losses, and recognize pathognomonic acid-base abnormalities such as hypochloremic hypokalemic metabolic alkalosis in right abomasal torsion.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the Eidgenössische Prüfung in Veterinärmedizin?

The Eidgenössische Prüfung in Veterinärmedizin is the final Swiss federal state licensing examination for veterinarians governed by the Federal Office of Public Health (BAG) under the MedBG (Federal Act on University Medical Professions). Successfully passing grants the Eidgenössisches Diplom als Tierärztin / Tierarzt, entitling graduates to practice veterinary medicine in Switzerland and pursue postgraduate FVH or European College specialist qualifications.

How is the official Swiss federal veterinary exam structured?

The examination consists of two separate, mandatory components: 1) A theoretical written interdisciplinary multiple-choice examination with 240 questions (divided into two sessions of 120 MCQs, each lasting 3 hours 15 minutes), and 2) A practical clinical skills examination comprising 12 OSCE (Objective Structured Clinical Examination) stations evaluated by faculty examiners.

In what languages is the official federal examination administered?

The official examination is administered in the official Swiss national languages, German and French. Candidates select their preferred examination language upon registration with the BAG portal.

What are the official fees for the federal veterinary licensing examination?

Under the MedBG fee ordinance (Prüfungsverordnung MedBG), candidates pay an application fee of CHF 200, an examination fee of CHF 1,300, and a federal diploma issuance fee of CHF 500 upon passing, totaling CHF 2,000.

What curriculum blueprint governs the examination content?

The examination is strictly aligned with VET-PROFILES, the Swiss national catalog of learning objectives for veterinary medicine, encompassing Day-One Competencies in companion animal medicine, ruminant herd health, equine medicine, veterinary public health, food safety, meat hygiene, pathology, pharmacology, and Swiss veterinary legislation.

Why is this practice question bank provided in English?

Modern veterinary scientific literature, international clinical guidelines, drug classifications, and postgraduate specialist board curricula (such as ECVIM, ECVS, ECVCN, and ACVIM) are published predominantly in English. This practice bank adapts the Swiss federal curriculum into 100 English-language multiple-choice questions to provide accessible, high-yield clinical decision-making practice.