Australasian Veterinary Examination (AVE), formerly the National Veterinary Examination (NVE) · Australia / New Zealand · Australasian Veterinary Boards Council (AVBC)
Original practice questions written to the published syllabus · not past papersUsing the laboratory well: haematology, biochemistry panels, organ function tests, urinalysis, cytology, sampling for microbiology, reference intervals and quality control.
In the exams: NAVLE data gathering and interpretation 35%; BCSE diagnostics 22-25 items; PAVE QSE diagnostics 23% (to Sep 2026)
How our questions for Australasian Veterinary Examination, formerly the National Veterinary Examination spread across the units of Veterinary Clinical Biochemistry & Laboratory Diagnosis. Difficulty: 8 easy, 21 medium, 9 hard.
| Haematology | 11 | |
| Serum biochemistry panels | 7 | |
| Liver function tests | 5 | |
| Kidney function tests | 5 | |
| Urinalysis | 4 | |
| Sampling for microbiology | 3 | |
| Cytology | 2 | |
| Reference intervals and their interpretation | 1 |
Choose an answer, then open the working. Each explanation says why the right answer is right and why the others are not.
An excited, healthy young cat has a mature neutrophilia and a lymphocytosis on a sample taken after a struggle. What is the best interpretation?
C. Physiological (adrenaline-mediated) leukocytosis
Adrenaline mobilises the marginal neutrophil pool and, especially in cats and young animals, lymphocytes, within minutes. A stress leukogram causes lymphopenia, not lymphocytosis. There is no left shift to indicate inflammation, and the transient lymphocytosis does not suggest leukaemia.
Further reading: Stockham & Scott, Fundamentals of Veterinary Clinical Pathology (2nd ed.); Thrall et al., Veterinary Hematology, Clinical Chemistry, and Cytology (3rd ed.)
A cow with abomasal volvulus has a severe hypochloraemic metabolic alkalosis but acidic urine. What explains the acidic urine?
C. Paradoxical aciduria as the kidney conserves sodium and potassium
In severe hypochloraemia and hypokalaemia with volume depletion, the kidney reabsorbs sodium avidly and, short of chloride and potassium, exchanges hydrogen ions instead, so urine becomes acidic despite systemic alkalosis. It marks a severe, advanced derangement.
Further reading: Stockham & Scott, Fundamentals of Veterinary Clinical Pathology (2nd ed.); Thrall et al., Veterinary Hematology, Clinical Chemistry, and Cytology (3rd ed.)
Which analyte is measured in dairy cows in the first two weeks after calving to detect subclinical ketosis?
B. Blood beta-hydroxybutyrate
Beta-hydroxybutyrate is the main circulating ketone and is measured after calving; thresholds in the literature are commonly 1.2-1.4 mmol/L. NEFA reflect fat mobilisation and are most useful before calving. GGT and fibrinogen do not diagnose ketosis.
Further reading: Stockham & Scott, Fundamentals of Veterinary Clinical Pathology (2nd ed.); Thrall et al., Veterinary Hematology, Clinical Chemistry, and Cytology (3rd ed.)
An obese, anorexic cat is icteric with markedly increased ALP and only mildly increased GGT. Which condition fits best?
B. Hepatic lipidosis
In feline hepatic lipidosis ALP rises markedly while GGT rises relatively little; cholangitis and bile duct obstruction usually raise GGT more. Cats have no corticosteroid-induced ALP isoenzyme.
Further reading: Stockham & Scott, Fundamentals of Veterinary Clinical Pathology (2nd ed.); Thrall et al., Veterinary Hematology, Clinical Chemistry, and Cytology (3rd ed.)
How should a blood sample for ammonia be handled?
C. Chilled heparin tube, kept on ice and analysed within about 30 minutes
Ammonia is generated in the tube by red cell and plasma metabolism, so delay and warmth falsely raise it. The sample is collected into a chilled heparin tube, kept on ice and measured promptly. Freezing whole blood lyses cells and is unsuitable.
Further reading: Stockham & Scott, Fundamentals of Veterinary Clinical Pathology (2nd ed.); Thrall et al., Veterinary Hematology, Clinical Chemistry, and Cytology (3rd ed.)
Why should cytology slides not be packaged with formalin-fixed biopsy specimens?
A. Formalin fumes damage cell staining irreversibly
Even fumes from formalin alter cell staining so that cytology becomes uninterpretable. Ship slides in separate sealed packaging.
Further reading: Stockham & Scott, Fundamentals of Veterinary Clinical Pathology (2nd ed.); Thrall et al., Veterinary Hematology, Clinical Chemistry, and Cytology (3rd ed.)
Cattle on a pasture die suddenly with dark unclotted blood from the nostrils. What should the veterinarian do?
C. Not open the carcass; take a peripheral blood smear and notify authorities
These signs suggest anthrax. Opening the carcass exposes Bacillus anthracis to air, allowing sporulation and long-lasting contamination. A peripheral (e.g. ear vein) blood smear stained with polychrome methylene blue (McFadyean reaction) shows capsulated rods. Anthrax is notifiable in most countries.
Further reading: Stockham & Scott, Fundamentals of Veterinary Clinical Pathology (2nd ed.); Thrall et al., Veterinary Hematology, Clinical Chemistry, and Cytology (3rd ed.)
Which sample gives the best yield for anaerobic bacterial culture from a deep abscess?
D. Pus or tissue in an anaerobic transport container with air excluded
Anaerobes die on exposure to air and drying, so aspirated pus or tissue in an anaerobic transport container is best. Surface swabs pick up contaminants; formalin kills all organisms.
Further reading: Stockham & Scott, Fundamentals of Veterinary Clinical Pathology (2nd ed.); Thrall et al., Veterinary Hematology, Clinical Chemistry, and Cytology (3rd ed.)
A test with 90% sensitivity and 95% specificity is used to screen a population in which prevalence is 1%. What is the positive predictive value?
A. 15.4%
Per 1,000: 10 diseased give 9 true positives; 990 healthy give 49.5 false positives. PPV = 9 ÷ 58.5 = 15.4%. 66.7% is the PPV at 10% prevalence; 90% is the sensitivity; 1% is the prevalence. PPV falls sharply when prevalence is low.
Further reading: Dohoo, Martin & Stryhn, Veterinary Epidemiologic Research (2nd ed.)
A dog with chronic gastrointestinal bleeding has microcytic, hypochromic red cells, keratocytes and a high platelet count. What is the most likely cause of the anaemia?
D. Iron deficiency from chronic external blood loss
Chronic external blood loss depletes iron, giving microcytic hypochromic cells, keratocytes and often thrombocytosis. Anaemia of inflammation is normocytic and mild; IMHA shows spherocytes; acute haemorrhage is normocytic and pre-regenerative.
Further reading: Stockham & Scott, Fundamentals of Veterinary Clinical Pathology (2nd ed.); Thrall et al., Veterinary Hematology, Clinical Chemistry, and Cytology (3rd ed.)
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