National Veterinary Examination (獣医師国家試験) · Japan · Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries (MAFF), with the Veterinary Affairs Council
Original practice questions written to the published syllabus · not past papersHow drugs move through and act on the body, how species differ, and the drugs used on each organ system.
In the exams: ICAR AICE-JRF core group 07; ICAR AIEEA-PG 13 (Pharmacology & Toxicology); PRC 10%; Nepal NLEV 6 (with toxicology); China basic paper 15; BCSE 28-32 items (with physiology and toxicology); AVE Paper 1 at least 5
How our questions for National Veterinary Examination spread across the units of General & Systemic Veterinary Pharmacology. Difficulty: 21 easy, 32 medium, 10 hard.
| Pharmacokinetics | 9 | |
| Species differences in drug response | 8 | |
| Fluids and electrolytes | 6 | |
| Drugs acting on the autonomic nervous system | 5 | |
| Drugs acting on the digestive system: ruminatorics and antacids | 5 | |
| Endocrine pharmacology | 5 | |
| Non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs | 5 | |
| Drugs acting on the cardiovascular system | 4 | |
| Drugs acting on the urogenital system | 4 | |
| Sources and nature of drugs | 3 | |
| Pharmacodynamics | 3 | |
| Autacoids and humoral agents | 3 | |
| Drugs acting on the respiratory system | 3 |
Choose an answer, then open the working. Each explanation says why the right answer is right and why the others are not.
A 20 kg dog is given 200 mg of a drug by intravenous bolus. The back-extrapolated plasma concentration at time zero is 5 mg/L. The apparent volume of distribution is:
D. 2 L/kg
Vd = dose / C0 = 200 mg / 5 mg/L = 40 L; 40 L / 20 kg = 2 L/kg. 40 mL/kg mislabels the total volume (40 L) as a per-kg value in mL; 0.5 L/kg inverts the ratio (C0 x kg / dose); 2 mL/kg is the right number with the wrong unit.
Further reading: Riviere & Papich, Veterinary Pharmacology and Therapeutics, 10th ed.
A drug with a volume of distribution of 0.5 L/kg has an elimination half-life of 3.47 hours. Its total body clearance is about:
C. 1.67 mL/min/kg
k = 0.693/3.47 = 0.2 per h. CL = k x Vd = 0.2 x 0.5 = 0.1 L/h/kg = 100 mL/h/kg = 1.67 mL/min/kg. 100 mL/min/kg forgets to divide hours into minutes; 0.1 mL/min/kg keeps L/h but relabels the unit; 2.4 mL/min/kg uses Vd/t1/2, forgetting the 0.693.
Further reading: Riviere & Papich, Veterinary Pharmacology and Therapeutics, 10th ed.
The rapid loss of response to an indirectly acting sympathomimetic such as ephedrine after a few repeated doses is called:
B. Tachyphylaxis
Tachyphylaxis is acute tolerance developing over a few doses, here from depletion of noradrenaline stores. Tolerance develops gradually over days to weeks; idiosyncrasy is a genetically determined abnormal response.
Further reading: Riviere & Papich, Veterinary Pharmacology and Therapeutics, 10th ed.
Which antimicrobial class is contraindicated in horses because it can cause severe, often fatal, colitis?
D. Lincosamides
Lincomycin and clindamycin disrupt the equine hindgut flora and allow overgrowth of pathogenic clostridia and other organisms, causing colitis. The other classes are used in horses routinely, although any antimicrobial carries some risk.
Further reading: Riviere & Papich, Veterinary Pharmacology and Therapeutics, 10th ed.
A bitch spayed 4 years ago leaks urine while lying down; the urethra is patent and there is no infection. The drug most appropriate to increase urethral sphincter tone is:
B. Phenylpropanolamine
Phenylpropanolamine, a sympathomimetic, increases alpha-adrenergic tone of the urethral smooth muscle in urethral sphincter mechanism incompetence. Bethanechol contracts the detrusor; prazosin relaxes the urethra, the opposite of what is needed.
Further reading: Riviere & Papich, Veterinary Pharmacology and Therapeutics, 10th ed.
Which sedative's effects can be reversed by atipamezole?
D. Dexmedetomidine
Atipamezole is a selective alpha-2 antagonist that reverses dexmedetomidine and medetomidine. Acepromazine has no specific reversal agent; diazepam is reversed by flumazenil; butorphanol by naloxone.
Further reading: Riviere & Papich, Veterinary Pharmacology and Therapeutics, 10th ed.
Doxapram is used in veterinary practice mainly to:
C. Stimulate breathing in neonates after caesarean section or after anaesthesia
Doxapram stimulates the carotid chemoreceptors and the medullary respiratory centre. It is a short-acting stimulant and does not replace airway support and ventilation.
Further reading: Riviere & Papich, Veterinary Pharmacology and Therapeutics, 10th ed.
Mannitol is contraindicated in:
B. A dehydrated animal with pulmonary oedema
Mannitol first expands plasma volume by drawing water from cells, which can worsen pulmonary oedema and volume overload, and it deepens dehydration by diuresis. It is used in cerebral oedema, acute glaucoma and rehydrated oliguric patients.
Further reading: Riviere & Papich, Veterinary Pharmacology and Therapeutics, 10th ed.
Which ecbolic drug is used to control post-partum uterine haemorrhage because it produces sustained uterine contraction?
C. Ergometrine (ergonovine)
Ergot alkaloids such as ergometrine produce sustained uterine contraction. Clenbuterol is a tocolytic (relaxant); progesterone keeps the uterus quiescent.
Further reading: Riviere & Papich, Veterinary Pharmacology and Therapeutics, 10th ed.
Right dorsal colitis in horses is most associated with overdose or prolonged use of:
D. Phenylbutazone
Phenylbutazone can cause ulceration of the right dorsal colon, oral and gastric ulcers and renal papillary necrosis, especially with dehydration. Firocoxib is COX-2 selective and has a lower GI risk.
Further reading: Riviere & Papich, Veterinary Pharmacology and Therapeutics, 10th ed.
Ten here, 63 in the app. The Laisha app has every practice question we have written to 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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