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 papersThe horse in health and disease: colic, lameness, respiratory and infectious diseases, dentistry, reproduction, neonatology, performance and welfare. Taught internationally; not a separate MSVE course.
In the exams: NAVLE equine 14.7%; RCVS SME equine 87 of 367 items; SAVC Paper 1 equine 30; ECFVG / NEB CPE equine section
How our questions for Australasian Veterinary Examination, formerly the National Veterinary Examination spread across the units of Equine Medicine, Surgery & Practice. Difficulty: 33 easy, 48 medium, 6 hard.
| Equine reproduction | 12 | |
| Colic | 11 | |
| Lameness | 11 | |
| Respiratory disease: strangles and equine influenza | 10 | |
| Equine dentistry | 9 | |
| Equine neonatology | 9 | |
| Sport and performance medicine | 7 | |
| Equine welfare | 7 | |
| Equine infectious anaemia | 6 | |
| African horse sickness | 4 | |
| Glanders | 1 |
Choose an answer, then open the working. Each explanation says why the right answer is right and why the others are not.
Which virus subtype causes equine influenza in current outbreaks?
C. Influenza A H3N8
H3N8 is the circulating equine influenza subtype. H7N7 has not been isolated for decades and is considered extinct, influenza B does not infect horses as a recognised disease, and H5N1 is avian influenza.
Further reading: WOAH Terrestrial Manual
To which virus family does the agent of equine infectious anaemia belong?
B. Retroviridae (a lentivirus)
EIA virus is a lentivirus in the family Retroviridae, which explains lifelong infection. Orthomyxoviridae includes equine influenza, Herpesviridae includes EHV-1 and EHV-4, and orbiviruses include African horse sickness virus.
Further reading: WOAH Terrestrial Manual
A new horse arrives at a busy competition yard. Which biosecurity step is most appropriate?
A. Isolate it for about three weeks with twice-daily temperatures and strangles screening
Isolation of new arrivals with temperature monitoring and, where appropriate, strangles serology or guttural pouch screening reduces the risk of introducing disease. Immediate mixing, vaccination without isolation and deliberate shared water all increase risk.
Further reading: HBLB Codes of Practice
Which Triadan number denotes the upper right wolf tooth (first premolar)?
B. 105
Quadrant 1 is upper right and 05 is the wolf tooth, so 105. 205 is upper left, 104 is the canine and 106 is the second premolar, the first cheek tooth.
Further reading: Easley, Dixon & du Toit, Equine Dentistry
A horse has all permanent incisors in wear, including the corners. What is the minimum age this suggests?
A. About five years
Permanent incisors erupt at about 2.5 (centrals), 3.5 (intermediates) and 4.5 years (corners), and come into wear shortly after, so a full permanent arcade in wear means at least about five years. Two and a half years is when only the centrals erupt.
Further reading: Easley, Dixon & du Toit, Equine Dentistry
A mare in oestrus has a 40 mm follicle and marked endometrial oedema. hCG is given at 8 a.m. on Monday to induce ovulation. When is ovulation expected?
D. From Tuesday evening to Wednesday morning
After hCG or a GnRH agonist, ovulation usually follows in about 36 to 48 hours: Monday 8 a.m. + 36 h is Tuesday 8 p.m., + 48 h is Wednesday 8 a.m. The other times are too early or too late.
Further reading: McKinnon et al., Equine Reproduction
A mare has not passed her placenta four hours after foaling. Why is prompt treatment needed?
B. Retained fetal membranes can lead to metritis, endotoxaemia and laminitis
The placenta is normally passed within about three hours; retention risks metritis, endotoxaemia and laminitis, so it is treated promptly, commonly with oxytocin. The other statements are not true.
Further reading: McKinnon et al., Equine Reproduction
Why does the newborn foal have almost no circulating immunoglobulin at birth?
B. The epitheliochorial placenta does not transfer antibody from mare to foal
The equine placenta is epitheliochorial, with six tissue layers, so immunoglobulin does not cross it; the foal depends on colostrum. The other options are not true.
Further reading: Knottenbelt, Holdstock & Madigan, Equine Neonatology
A fit resting racehorse has a second-degree atrioventricular block that disappears when it trots. How is this interpreted?
B. A normal finding caused by high vagal tone
Second-degree AV block at rest is common in fit horses because of high vagal tone and disappears with exercise, so it is physiological. Persistence at exercise would need investigation. It is not atrial fibrillation.
Further reading: Hinchcliff, Kaneps & Geor, Equine Sports Medicine and Surgery
A stabled horse fed a high-concentrate, low-forage diet has started crib-biting. Which approach best addresses its welfare?
B. Increase forage, turnout and social contact rather than relying on a collar
Stereotypies such as crib-biting are associated with restricted forage, confinement and isolation, so the aim is to improve the environment. Physical prevention stops the behaviour without removing the cause and may increase stress, and isolation and less forage worsen the underlying problem.
Further reading: Five Domains model; equine behaviour texts
Ten here, 87 in the app. The Laisha app has every practice question we have written to Australasian Veterinary Examination, formerly the National Veterinary Examination in this subject, marked as you go, with timed papers, a jump-to-unanswered list and a certificate when you pass at 70 per cent.
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