20 Nursing Care & Husbandry Practice Questions & Answers

1. 1. A hospitalized dog's cage card lists a veterinarian-prescribed therapeutic kidney diet, but the dog has refused it for two meals. The owner dropped off a bag of the dog's favorite regular food. What should the veterinary assistant do?

   • A.Record the refused meals and report the anorexia to the veterinarian or credentialed technician before any diet change✓ Answer
   • B.Mix a small handful of the owner's food into the prescription diet to improve palatability without a formal change
   • C.Offer the owner's regular food instead, since a patient that eats something is better than one eating nothing at all
   • D.Withhold all food until the next scheduled round so the dog becomes hungry enough to accept the prescribed diet

   A therapeutic diet is part of the veterinarian's treatment plan, and substituting or supplementing it changes the therapy the patient is receiving. The assistant's role is to record intake objectively and report refusal so the veterinarian can decide whether to change the diet, add an appetite stimulant, or investigate the anorexia.

   Source: NAVTA Essential Skills, small animal nursing (feeding hospitalized patients and therapeutic diets); AAHA Nutrition and Weight Management GuidelinesReport a problem with this question

2. 2. A cat had a pressure wrap placed over the jugular venipuncture site and a bandage placed on a forelimb after catheter removal. Which finding requires immediate reporting to the veterinarian or credentialed technician?

   • A.The outer layer of the limb bandage has picked up a few kennel hairs along its lower edge
   • B.The cat has licked once or twice at the tape edge of the bandage during the past hour
   • C.The two exposed toes on the bandaged limb are swollen, spread apart, and cool to the touch✓ Answer
   • D.The bandaged limb is held slightly away from the body while the cat is sitting in the cage

   Digits three and four are deliberately left exposed in a limb bandage precisely so circulation can be checked. Swelling, toe spread, and coolness indicate the bandage is too tight and is compromising venous return and perfusion, which can progress to tissue necrosis if the wrap is not removed promptly by the technician or veterinarian.

   Source: NAVTA Essential Skills, application and removal of simple bandages; McCurnin's Clinical Textbook for Veterinary Technicians and Nurses, bandagingReport a problem with this question

3. 3. While walking a hospitalized dog receiving intravenous fluids, an assistant notices the fur over the catheter bandage is damp and the leg above the bandage feels puffy. What is the correct action?

   • A.Dry the outside of the bandage with a towel and continue the walk, noting it at the next treatment round
   • B.Increase the drip rate briefly to flush the catheter and clear whatever is obstructing the fluid line
   • C.Unwrap the bandage to inspect the catheter site and rewrap it more snugly to stop the leaking fluid
   • D.Stop the walk, keep the limb still, and report the wet bandage and swelling to the technician or veterinarian now✓ Answer

   A damp bandage with swelling above it typically means fluid is running into the subcutaneous tissue rather than the vein, or the catheter has backed out. The assistant monitors and reports; assessing the catheter, replacing it, or altering the fluid order are technician and veterinarian tasks, and delay allows more perivascular fluid and possible tissue injury.

   Source: NAVTA Essential Skills, monitoring and recording observations on patients receiving fluid therapy; AAHA fluid therapy guidance for the veterinary teamReport a problem with this question

4. 4. A small, thin senior cat is recovering in a cage two hours after anesthesia. Why is preventing hypothermia a priority in this patient?

   • A.A low body temperature slows drug metabolism and recovery and increases the patient's oxygen demand from shivering✓ Answer
   • B.A low body temperature is only a concern in neonates, since adult cats regulate temperature well regardless of size
   • C.A low body temperature is expected after anesthesia and corrects on its own once the patient begins eating again
   • D.A low body temperature mainly causes discomfort but has little effect on how quickly a patient clears anesthetic drugs

   Anesthetic drugs suppress thermoregulation, and small, thin, and geriatric patients have a high surface-area-to-mass ratio with little insulating fat, so they lose heat fast. Hypothermia slows hepatic drug metabolism and prolongs recovery, while shivering during rewarming raises oxygen consumption, so the assistant provides safe warming and reports temperature trends.

   Source: McCurnin's Clinical Textbook for Veterinary Technicians and Nurses, anesthetic recovery and thermoregulation; AAHA Anesthesia and Monitoring GuidelinesReport a problem with this question

5. 5. An assistant is warming a hypothermic post-operative dog. Which practice reflects correct use of a warming device in the ward?

   • A.Place the warming device directly against the shaved surgical site so heat reaches the cold tissue fastest
   • B.Use an unattended cage dryer aimed into the kennel because moving air rewarms a patient more evenly
   • C.Set the device to its highest setting and leave the sedated patient undisturbed until it is fully awake
   • D.Place a barrier layer between the device and the skin and recheck the patient and device temperature frequently✓ Answer

   A sedated or recovering patient cannot move away from a heat source and may not react to pain, so direct skin contact and high unmonitored settings cause thermal burns. A barrier layer, frequent repositioning, and repeated temperature checks are the standard safeguards, and unattended cage dryers are a recognized cause of fatal hyperthermia.

   Source: NAVTA Essential Skills, care and maintenance of nursing equipment; McCurnin's Clinical Textbook for Veterinary Technicians and Nurses, patient warming and thermal injuryReport a problem with this question

6. 6. Which entry belongs in a hospitalized patient's record as written by a veterinary assistant?

   • A.Probably not eating well because the new pain medication started this morning is upsetting the stomach
   • B.Ate about half of the offered canned food; passed one soft stool with red streaks at 10:00✓ Answer
   • C.Appears to have colitis based on the soft stool with red streaks passed this morning at 10:00
   • D.Is doing much better today overall and seems ready for the veterinarian to discharge him this afternoon

   The assistant records objective, quantified observations of what was seen, eaten, and produced; the three other entries state a diagnosis, a cause, or a discharge judgment, all of which are assessments reserved for the veterinarian. Observations belong in the subjective and objective portions of the record, not conclusions about what they mean.

   Source: NAVTA Essential Skills, observation and recording of hospitalized patients; standard SOAP medical record format in veterinary practiceReport a problem with this question

7. 7. An assistant writes the wrong cage number in a paper treatment record. How should the error be corrected?

   • A.Leave the entry alone and write the correct cage number in the margin without any initials
   • B.Erase the entry completely and rewrite the page so the record stays clean and easy to read
   • C.Cover the entry with correction fluid, then write the correct cage number over the dried area
   • D.Draw a single line through the entry, write the correction, and add initials and the date✓ Answer

   The medical record is a legal document, so the original entry must remain readable and the change must be attributable. A single strike-through with the correction, initials, and date preserves the audit trail, while erasing or covering an entry destroys evidence and makes the record legally suspect.

   Source: Standard veterinary medical record documentation practice; AVMA guidance on veterinary medical records as legal documentsReport a problem with this question

8. 8. An assistant is asked to keep a fluid balance record on a hospitalized dog. Which pair of measurements is the assistant expected to obtain and record?

   • A.Packed cell volume on each blood sample and the amount of urine produced each shift
   • B.Body weight on the same scale and the amount of urine produced each shift✓ Answer
   • C.Body weight on the same scale and the hourly fluid rate the patient should receive
   • D.Packed cell volume on each blood sample and the hourly fluid rate the patient should receive

   Serial body weight and urine output are simple, non-invasive measures of fluid balance that fall squarely within the assistant's monitoring role. Running blood analyses and setting or calculating the fluid rate are technician and veterinarian responsibilities, and the fluid order itself is a prescription rather than a measurement.

   Source: NAVTA Essential Skills, monitoring patients receiving fluid therapy; McCurnin's Clinical Textbook for Veterinary Technicians and Nurses, fluid balance monitoringReport a problem with this question

9. 9. A cat that was quiet and comfortable this morning is now sitting hunched at the back of the cage with the eyes squinted, ears flattened, and it hisses when the cage door opens. What does this change most likely represent?

   • A.Simple hunger, since cats commonly hunch and hiss when a meal is overdue in the ward
   • B.A deliberately aggressive personality that requires heavier restraint at the next treatment
   • C.Pain or distress that should be reported to the veterinarian or credentialed technician promptly✓ Answer
   • D.Normal feline hospital behavior that resolves on its own once the ward lights are dimmed

   A hunched posture, squinted eyes, flattened ears, and new defensive aggression are recognized feline pain and distress signals, and a change from the animal's earlier behavior is the important finding. The assistant reports the observed change so the veterinarian can assess pain and adjust treatment rather than the patient simply being handled more forcefully.

   Source: NAVTA Essential Skills, recognizing normal and abnormal small animal behavior; AAHA/AAFP pain management guidelines for dogs and cats, behavioral signs of painReport a problem with this question

10. 10. Which observed change in a hospitalized dog requires telling the veterinarian immediately rather than waiting for the next scheduled round?

    • A.Blue-tinged mucous membranes with open-mouth breathing and increased abdominal effort✓ Answer
    • B.Pink mucous membranes with a capillary refill time that is just under two seconds
    • C.One small vomit of clear fluid an hour after a dose of the prescribed oral medication
    • D.A urine puddle in the run that is larger than the one recorded on the previous shift

    Cyanotic membranes with open-mouth breathing and abdominal effort indicate hypoxemia and respiratory distress, a life-threatening emergency in which minutes matter. Pink membranes with a refill time under two seconds are normal, and the vomit and the larger urine volume are findings to record and report at the next round rather than emergencies.

    Source: Merck Veterinary Manual, mucous membrane color and respiratory distress in small animals; NAVTA Essential Skills, patient observation and reportingReport a problem with this question

11. 11. An assistant evaluates a hospitalized dog and finds pale mucous membranes with a capillary refill time longer than two seconds. What does this combination indicate?

    • A.Ongoing icterus from liver disease, which is confirmed by the pale membrane color
    • B.Established heatstroke, which is the usual cause of a prolonged refill time in dogs
    • C.Poor peripheral perfusion, which must be reported to the veterinarian without delay✓ Answer
    • D.Simple dehydration alone, which is corrected by offering the dog a bowl of water

    Capillary refill time reflects how quickly blood returns to compressed capillary beds, so a time beyond two seconds together with pallor points to reduced perfusion from blood loss, shock, or poor cardiac output. Icterus produces yellow membranes and heatstroke usually produces brick-red ones, so neither matches this finding.

    Source: Merck Veterinary Manual, physical examination of small animals (mucous membranes and capillary refill time)Report a problem with this question

12. 12. A large dog is recumbent and unable to stand after spinal surgery. Which nursing measure is most important for this patient's skin and hygiene?

    • A.Turn the dog at regular intervals and keep the bedding clean, dry, and well padded✓ Answer
    • B.Bathe the dog fully each time the bedding is soiled to keep the coat free of urine
    • C.Keep the dog on the same side continuously so the surgical site is never disturbed
    • D.Withhold water between rounds so the dog produces less urine and stays dry longer

    A recumbent patient cannot shift its own weight, so continuous pressure on one side reduces blood flow to the skin and leads to decubital ulcers, while urine and faeces against the skin cause scalding. Regular turning, padding, and prompt cleaning of soiled areas prevent both, and restricting water would harm a patient that needs normal hydration.

    Source: McCurnin's Clinical Textbook for Veterinary Technicians and Nurses, nursing care of the recumbent patientReport a problem with this question

13. 13. How should an assistant document water intake for a hospitalized cat whose intake the veterinarian wants tracked?

    • A.Note in the record that the cat was seen drinking from the bowl at least once each shift
    • B.Refill the bowl to the brim whenever it looks low and write that water was always available
    • C.Measure the volume placed in the bowl and the volume remaining, and record the difference✓ Answer
    • D.Estimate by eye whether the bowl is full, half full, or empty at the end of each shift

    Measured in-and-out volumes give a quantitative record that the veterinarian can compare between days to detect polydipsia or a falling intake, which visual estimates and topping up the bowl destroy. Recording that water was available does not tell anyone how much the patient actually consumed.

    Source: NAVTA Essential Skills, observation and recording for hospitalized patients; McCurnin's Clinical Textbook for Veterinary Technicians and Nurses, monitoring intake and outputReport a problem with this question

14. 14. An assistant cleaning cages finds that a hospitalized cat's litter box has been used and the cage is soiled. Which husbandry practice is correct?

    • A.Record what was passed, then place the clean litter box directly beside the food and water
    • B.Move the cat to an empty cage and leave the soiled box in place for the veterinarian to see
    • C.Record what was passed, then clean and place the litter box away from the food and water✓ Answer
    • D.Discard the soiled litter without recording it, since output is charted only by the technician

    Urine and faecal output are clinical data the assistant is expected to observe and chart before cleaning, because character and quantity may be the first sign of a change. Cats normally avoid eliminating next to their food and water, so a litter box placed beside the bowls discourages use and can produce a falsely recorded absence of output.

    Source: NAVTA Essential Skills, kennel and cage husbandry and hospitalized patient observation; AAHA Feline Life Stage Guidelines, litter box provisionReport a problem with this question

15. 15. Which sequence is correct when an assistant cleans a run that housed a dog with suspected parvovirus?

    • A.Remove organic debris first, then apply a quaternary ammonium cleaner and rinse immediately
    • B.Remove organic debris first, then apply an oxidizing disinfectant for the labeled contact time✓ Answer
    • C.Apply a quaternary ammonium cleaner over the debris, then scrub and rinse the run with water
    • D.Apply an alcohol-based spray first, then wipe away the organic debris once the surface dries

    Canine parvovirus is a non-enveloped virus that resists quaternary ammonium compounds and alcohols, so an oxidizing agent or dilute sodium hypochlorite is required. Organic debris inactivates disinfectants, which is why cleaning always precedes disinfection, and the product must sit for its labeled contact time rather than being wiped or rinsed off at once.

    Source: AAHA Infection Control, Prevention and Biosecurity Guidelines, disinfectant selection and contact timeReport a problem with this question

16. 16. In what order should an assistant carry out daily ward rounds across the hospitalized patients?

    • A.Healthy and immunosuppressed patients first, contagious isolation patients last✓ Answer
    • B.Whichever patients are noisiest first, then the quieter patients later in the round
    • C.Cats in the ward first, then all dogs, with isolation patients fitted in where convenient
    • D.Contagious isolation patients first, then the healthy and immunosuppressed patients

    Working clean to dirty prevents staff, hands, and equipment from carrying pathogens from an infectious patient to a susceptible one. Immunosuppressed and young patients are handled earliest because they are least able to resist an infection, and isolation is entered last so the shift ends with full doffing and hand hygiene.

    Source: AAHA Infection Control, Prevention and Biosecurity Guidelines, workflow and traffic patterns in the hospitalReport a problem with this question

17. 17. An assistant finishes treatments in the isolation ward. What is the correct exit procedure?

    • A.Remove the gown and gloves inside the room, take the booties off last, then wash the hands✓ Answer
    • B.Remove the booties first at the doorway, then take off the gown and gloves in the hallway
    • C.Remove the gloves inside the room and carry the folded gown out to be reused on the next visit
    • D.Remove all of the protective equipment in the hallway so the isolation room stays uncluttered

    Contaminated personal protective equipment is removed inside the isolation room and discarded there so pathogens are not carried into clean areas, and the booties come off last while stepping out so the shoes never touch the contaminated floor. Disposable protective equipment is discarded after a single use rather than saved.

    Source: AAHA Infection Control, Prevention and Biosecurity Guidelines, isolation protocols and personal protective equipment donning and doffingReport a problem with this question

18. 18. A hospitalized dog collapses in its run and the assistant, alone in the ward, calls out for the veterinarian. What should the assistant do while waiting for the veterinarian to arrive?

    • A.Carry the dog to the treatment table and place an intravenous catheter to save time
    • B.Stay with the dog, keep the airway position clear, and note the time and what was seen✓ Answer
    • C.Give a dose of the dog's prescribed pain medication to settle the dog until help arrives
    • D.Begin chest compressions and mouth-to-nose breaths on the dog before anyone else arrives

    Staying with the patient, keeping it in a position that does not compromise breathing, and recording the exact time and observations gives the veterinarian the information needed on arrival. Placing catheters, starting resuscitation independently, and giving medication outside the ordered schedule all exceed the assistant's scope and can delay or complicate the veterinarian's response.

    Source: NAVTA Policy on Veterinary Assistant Training Programs, supervision and scope of assistant tasks; NAVTA Essential Skills, small animal nursingReport a problem with this question

19. 19. An assistant is asked to give a hospitalized cat its prescribed tablet by hand. Which step is part of correct technique?

    • A.Place the tablet just behind the front teeth so the cat can taste it and swallow it voluntarily
    • B.Follow the tablet by holding the mouth shut for several minutes with the head tilted fully back
    • C.Follow the tablet with a small water chaser or a bite of food to move it out of the oesophagus✓ Answer
    • D.Crush every tablet into a powder before dosing so it dissolves before it reaches the stomach

    Tablets and capsules given dry to a cat frequently lodge in the oesophagus, where certain drugs cause ulceration and stricture, so a small water or food chaser is given to move the dose into the stomach. Crushing tablets can destroy protective coatings and alter absorption, and it is not something the assistant decides on their own.

    Source: NAVTA Essential Skills, oral medication administration; Merck Veterinary Manual, oesophageal stricture associated with oral tablets in catsReport a problem with this question

20. 20. An assistant is told to give a hospitalized dog its ordered oral liquid medication and finds the dog vomiting in its cage. What should the assistant do?

    • A.Wait an hour and give the dose without reporting, since one vomit is a common finding
    • B.Withhold the dose, report the vomiting to the veterinarian, and record what was observed✓ Answer
    • C.Give half of the ordered dose now and the remaining half once the vomiting has settled
    • D.Give the dose quickly between episodes so the treatment sheet can be initialed on time

    A vomiting patient is at risk of aspirating an oral dose, and a dose given during vomiting may not be retained anyway. The assistant does not alter or split a prescribed dose; withholding, reporting the new clinical sign, and documenting the missed treatment lets the veterinarian decide on the route and timing.

    Source: NAVTA Essential Skills, oral medication administration and reporting to the veterinarian; NAVTA Policy on Veterinary Assistant Training Programs, supervision of assistant tasksReport a problem with this question

Practice questions based on the NAVTA veterinary assistant skill categories and standard veterinary assisting practice. This site is not affiliated with or endorsed by NAVTA. Note that the Approved Veterinary Assistant credential requires completing a NAVTA-approved training program before you may sit the exam — this bank is study material, not a substitute for that program, and it cannot cover the hands-on skills your program assesses in a clinic. What an assistant is permitted to do is set by your state's veterinary practice act and by what the supervising veterinarian delegates, so nothing here should be read as authorising a task where you work. About the AVA credential →