AAVSB - American Association of Veterinary State Boards Anesthesia and Pain Management Questions and Answers

Question 1

A 6-year-old English Bulldog is scheduled for a soft palate resection. Which of the following is the most critical consideration during the anesthetic management of this patient?

Accepted Answer

Prioritizing pre-oxygenation before induction and ensuring rapid control of the airway via endotracheal intubation.

Answer

Administering a high dose of a long-acting sedative for premedication to ensure profound sedation.

Answer

Selecting an anesthetic protocol that primarily relies on injectable agents for maintenance to avoid airway irritation.

Answer

Positioning the patient in dorsal recumbency immediately after extubation to facilitate monitoring.

Question 2

A veterinarian is planning to use gabapentin as part of a multi-modal analgesic plan for a dog with chronic neuropathic pain. What is the primary mechanism of action for gabapentin's analgesic effect?

Accepted Answer

It binds to a subunit of voltage-gated calcium channels, reducing the release of excitatory neurotransmitters.

Answer

It acts as a direct agonist at GABA receptors, increasing inhibitory neurotransmission.

Answer

It is a potent mu-opioid receptor agonist, similar to morphine.

Answer

It non-selectively inhibits both COX-1 and COX-2 enzymes, reducing prostaglandin synthesis.

Question 3

Which of the following statements most accurately describes the clinical use of tramadol for analgesia in dogs versus cats?

Accepted Answer

Tramadol is a more reliable oral analgesic in cats because they produce higher levels of the active metabolite (O-desmethyltramadol) compared to dogs.

Answer

Dogs metabolize tramadol more effectively into its active metabolite (M1), resulting in superior analgesia compared to cats.

Answer

Both species metabolize tramadol to an inactive metabolite, making it ineffective in both dogs and cats.

Answer

The primary analgesic effect in both species is from serotonin and norepinephrine reuptake inhibition, with the opioid effect being negligible.

Question 4

During a dental procedure on a 4 kg cat, a continuous rate infusion of lidocaine is administered. The technician performing the monitoring suddenly notes muscle tremors, salivation, and vomiting. These are most likely clinical signs of:

Accepted Answer

Local anesthetic toxicity.

Answer

A normal response to the anesthetic plane being too light.

Answer

An allergic reaction to the dental cleaning paste.

Answer

Hypoglycemia due to prolonged anorexia.

Question 5

The Minimum Alveolar Concentration (MAC) of an inhalant anesthetic is a measure of its potency. The approximate MAC of sevoflurane in a healthy, adult dog is:

Accepted Answer

2.4%

Answer

0.75%

Answer

1.3%

Answer

3.1%

Question 6

A veterinarian administers dexmedetomidine to a healthy adult horse for sedation prior to a standing procedure. Which of the following sets of physiological effects is most expected?

Accepted Answer

Bradycardia, initial hypertension followed by potential hypotension, and decreased GI motility.

Answer

Tachycardia, hypertension, and bronchodilation.

Answer

Tachycardia, hypotension, and increased salivation.

Answer

Normal heart rate, hypertension, and increased insulin release.

A 6-year-old English Bulldog is scheduled for a soft palate resection.Which of the following is the most critical consideration during the anesthetic management of this patient?

A 6-year-old English Bulldog is scheduled for a soft palate resection.
Which of the following is the most critical consideration during the anesthetic management of this patient?