CVA Laboratory Techniques & Diagnostic Procedures 2 — Questions and Answers
Question 1: Which tube color is used to collect blood for a serum chemistry panel?
- Red or gold top (no anticoagulant) (Correct answer)
- Purple top (EDTA)
- Blue top (citrate)
- Green top (heparin)
Correct answer: Red or gold top (no anticoagulant)
Red or gold top tubes contain no anticoagulant, allowing blood to clot so serum can be separated for chemistry analysis.
Question 2: When performing a urine specific gravity measurement with a refractometer, the result is 1.045 in a dog. This indicates:
- Concentrated urine (Correct answer)
- Isosthenuria
- Dilute urine
- Normal hydration only
Correct answer: Concentrated urine
A specific gravity above 1.030 in dogs indicates concentrated urine, reflecting adequate renal concentrating ability.
Question 3: What is the primary purpose of Diff-Quik stain in veterinary diagnostics?
- Rapid staining of blood smears and cytology samples (Correct answer)
- Identifying fungal organisms only
- Staining fecal flotation slides
- Measuring urine sediment
Correct answer: Rapid staining of blood smears and cytology samples
Diff-Quik is a rapid Romanowsky-type stain used to differentiate cell types on blood smears and cytology preparations.
Question 4: A fecal flotation test uses a solution with high specific gravity to:
- Float parasite eggs to the surface for collection (Correct answer)
- Kill parasites before examination
- Lyse red blood cells in the sample
- Preserve the fecal sample for later testing
Correct answer: Float parasite eggs to the surface for collection
The high-density flotation solution causes parasite eggs and oocysts to rise to the surface where they are collected on a coverslip.
Question 5: Which laboratory value is most useful for evaluating kidney function in veterinary patients?
- BUN (blood urea nitrogen) and creatinine (Correct answer)
- ALT and AST
- Total bilirubin and alkaline phosphatase
- Glucose and insulin
Correct answer: BUN (blood urea nitrogen) and creatinine
BUN and creatinine are the primary markers of renal function because they are filtered by the kidneys and accumulate when kidney function declines.
Question 6: When collecting a urine sample by cystocentesis, the needle is inserted directly into the:
- Urinary bladder (Correct answer)
- Urethra
- Kidney
- Ureter
Correct answer: Urinary bladder
Cystocentesis involves inserting a needle through the abdominal wall into the urinary bladder to collect a sterile urine sample.
Question 7: What does a positive result on a heartworm antigen test detect?
- Adult female heartworm antigens (Correct answer)
- Heartworm microfilariae only
- Heartworm larvae in the skin
- Antibodies produced by the host
Correct answer: Adult female heartworm antigens
Heartworm antigen tests detect proteins released by adult female Dirofilaria immitis worms, not microfilariae or antibodies.
CVA Laboratory Techniques & Diagnostic Procedures 2
Which tube color is used to collect blood for a serum chemistry panel?