CCAT - Certified Companion Animal Rehabilitation Therapist Pain Management and Pharmacology Questions and Answers

Question 1

A 12-year-old cat with stable chronic kidney disease (CKD) and painful osteoarthritis requires long-term analgesia.
Which of the following medications should be avoided or used with extreme caution due to its potential to cause acute renal decompensation?

Accepted Answer

Meloxicam

Answer

Gabapentin

Answer

Buprenorphine

Answer

Amantadine

Question 2

Which of the following drug combinations best exemplifies the principle of multimodal analgesia for chronic, maladaptive pain by targeting both aberrant nerve signaling and central sensitization ('wind-up')?

Accepted Answer

Gabapentin and Amantadine

Answer

Carprofen and Meloxicam

Answer

Tramadol and Buprenorphine

Answer

Deracoxib and Prednisone

Question 3

A canine patient with severe, chronic osteoarthritis pain that is poorly responsive to NSAIDs alone may be experiencing central sensitization. Which medication specifically targets the N-methyl-D-aspartate (NMDA) receptors to help manage this 'wind-up' pain?

Accepted Answer

Amantadine

Answer

Galliprant (grapiprant)

Answer

Onsior (robenacoxib)

Answer

Buprenorphine

Question 4

A 7-year-old Labrador with moderate hip osteoarthritis is managed with carprofen and a weight management plan. The owner wants to add a non-prescription supplement to support joint health. Which of the following nutraceuticals has the most clinical evidence, although sometimes conflicting, for providing chondroprotection and mild anti-inflammatory effects in canine osteoarthritis?

Accepted Answer

A combination of glucosamine, chondroitin sulfate, and ASU

Answer

Cannabidiol (CBD)

Answer

Turmeric (curcumin)

Answer

White willow bark

Question 5

Galliprant (grapiprant) is a newer anti-inflammatory drug used for canine osteoarthritis that offers a different safety profile from traditional NSAIDs. What is its specific mechanism of action?

Accepted Answer

It antagonizes the EP4 receptor, a key prostaglandin E2 receptor for pain and inflammation.

Answer

It selectively inhibits the cyclooxygenase-2 (COX-2) enzyme.

Answer

It is a full agonist at the kappa-opioid receptor.

Answer

It inhibits both lipoxygenase (LOX) and cyclooxygenase (COX) enzymes.

Question 6

A dog is 12 hours post-operative from a major orthopedic surgery and is receiving a fentanyl constant rate infusion (CRI). The dog is still showing signs of breakthrough pain. Which of the following drugs would be the LEAST appropriate choice for rescue analgesia in this patient?

Accepted Answer

Butorphanol

Answer

Hydromorphone

Answer

Methadone

Answer

Morphine