AAVSB Clinical Pathology and Laboratory Diagnostics 1 — Questions and Answers
Question 1: Which complete blood count (CBC) finding is most consistent with a regenerative anemia in a dog?
- Decreased MCV with normal reticulocytes
- Increased reticulocyte count with polychromasia (Correct answer)
- Decreased MCHC with no reticulocytosis
- Increased WBC with left shift
Correct answer: Increased reticulocyte count with polychromasia
Regenerative anemia is characterized by an elevated reticulocyte count and polychromasia on blood smear, indicating active bone marrow response.
Question 2: A feline patient has a serum total bilirubin of 5.2 mg/dL with elevated ALT and ALP. What condition is most likely?
- Pre-hepatic jaundice from hemolysis
- Hepatic jaundice from liver disease (Correct answer)
- Post-hepatic jaundice from bile duct obstruction
- Physiologic hyperbilirubinemia
Correct answer: Hepatic jaundice from liver disease
Elevated liver enzymes (ALT, ALP) alongside hyperbilirubinemia point to a hepatic origin, consistent with primary liver disease.
Question 3: Which urine specific gravity range indicates isosthenuria in dogs and cats?
- 1.001–1.007
- 1.008–1.012 (Correct answer)
- 1.013–1.029
- 1.030–1.050
Correct answer: 1.008–1.012
Isosthenuria (1.008–1.012) indicates the kidney cannot concentrate or dilute urine, suggesting loss of tubular function.
Question 4: A blood smear from a horse reveals numerous large granular lymphocytes. Which test should be prioritized?
- Serum protein electrophoresis
- Equine infectious anemia (Coggins) test
- Equine leukocyte antigen typing
- Bone marrow biopsy (Correct answer)
Correct answer: Bone marrow biopsy
Persistent large granular lymphocytosis in horses may indicate lymphoma, making bone marrow evaluation a priority to assess neoplastic infiltration.
Question 5: What does a positive nitrite dipstick finding on urinalysis indicate?
- Renal tubular acidosis
- Presence of nitrate-reducing bacteria (Correct answer)
- Protein loss from glomerular disease
- Ketonuria from diabetes mellitus
Correct answer: Presence of nitrate-reducing bacteria
A positive nitrite reaction indicates that nitrate-reducing bacteria (typically gram-negative) are present, suggesting urinary tract infection.
Question 6: Which serum chemistry panel finding is most consistent with Addison's disease (hypoadrenocorticism) in a dog?
- Hyponatremia and hyperkalemia (Correct answer)
- Hypernatremia and hypokalemia
- Hypocalcemia and hyperphosphatemia
- Hyperglycemia and glucosuria
Correct answer: Hyponatremia and hyperkalemia
Lack of mineralocorticoids in Addison's disease causes sodium wasting and potassium retention, producing a classic hyponatremia/hyperkalemia pattern.
AAVSB Clinical Pathology and Laboratory Diagnostics 1
Which complete blood count (CBC) finding is most consistent with a regenerative anemia in a dog?