Certified Veterinary Assistant - Level 1: Course 101 General Veterinary Assistance

Antiseptic

A chemical agent applied to living tissue to prevent growth and reproduction of microorganisms.

Colic

Acute abdominal pain; a syndrome caused by severe paroxysmal pain due to disease of an abdominal organ.

Corona

A virus that causes vomiting and diarrhea in dogs similar to parvo but not as deadly. In felines, this virus is very common and cause a mild diarrhea but one strain, Feline Infectious Peritonitis, is fatal in later stages.

Disinfectant

A chemical agent applied to inanimate surfaces to kill pathogenic (disease causing) microorganisms.

Distemper

A viral infection affecting several species that is characterized in dogs by discharges from eyes and nose, vomiting, diarrhea, coughing and seizures

Fomite

An object that can be contaminated which aids in the spread of microorganisms. Inanimate objects, such as shoes, bowls, leashes, litter pans, surfaces of cages, brooms, and mops are examples of this.

Heartworm

The common name for Dirofilaria immitis.

Functional/Protective Immunity

The condition of being immune; security against a particular disease; non-susceptibility to the invasive or pathogenic effects of microorganisms or helminth parasites or to the toxic effect of antigenic substances.

Humoral and Cell-Mediated Immunity

Responsiveness to antigen that leads to more rapid binding or elimination of antigen than in the non-immune state.

Immunity

The capacity to distinguish foreign material from itself, and to neutralize, eliminate or metabolize that which is foreign by the physiological mechanisms of the immune response.

Passive Immunity

Protection that is transferred from one animal (or person) that has a specific antibodies to an antigen that the recipient may not have and the antibodies are transferred as performed antibodies. This transfer can take place through the placenta, the mother's colostrum (first milk), a blood plasma transfusion, or an injection of gamma globulin.

Active Immunity

Refers to the development of antibody protection in response to vaccination or natural infection.

Parvo/Parvovirus

A viral infection which may affect cattle, dogs, cats and swine. Most commonly seen in dogs in which the clinical signs are vomiting and diarrhea, often with blood, high fever and dehydration. In felines, the disease is known as feline panleucopenia which is also a vomiting and diarrhea disease.

Rabies

A highly fatal viral infection of the nervous system which affects all warm-blooded animal species. Rabies is one of the most important zoonoses because of the inevitably fatal outcome for the infected human.

Ringworm

A fungal or dermatophyte of the superficial layers of the sin and hair fibers. The infection is very superficial in cats and dogs but the disease is highly contagious causing ringworm. Children and immunosuppressed individuals can be severely affected.

Scabies

An intensely pruritic dermatitis caused by the acarid mite. Most mites are species specific but can be incomplete causing a mild transient infection in humans.

Vaccination

The introduction of a vaccine, which may be attenuated, modified live culture or reactive parts of the virus or bacteria, into the body to produce an immunity to the specific disease.

Veterinarian

A person trained and authorized to practice veterinary medicine and surgery; a doctor of veterinary medicine (DVM).

Acid Detergents

Usage: Remove dried urine particles on equipment and cages.

Characteristics: Corrosive; potential health hazards; need to remove residual detergent by rinsing with water.

Alkaline Detergents

Usage: Remove oils left on surfaces from food, fecal material or animal skin and hair.

Characteristics: Separate fat molecules so you can remove by rinsing.

Iodine

Usage: Sanitize equipment, utensils, and skin.

Characteristics: Stable; irritates skin less and corrodes metals less than other products; bactericide; sporocide; may stain.

Quaternary Ammonium Compounds (Quats)

Usage: Kill enveloped viruses (feline rhinotracheitis).

Characteristics: Noncorrosive; nontoxic; can cause skin irritation; may leave a residual coating on hard surfaces that inhibits bacterial growth; can leave oily film.

Phenols

Usage: Kill enveloped viruses.

Characteristics: Bactericidal; fungicidal; virucidal (enveloped viruses); toxic to cats; cause skin and mucous membrane irritation; leave residual activity corrosive.

Products containing chlorine

Usage: Kills enteroviruses (parvovirus, coronavirus).

Characteristics: Effective against many viruses, bacteria and fungi; have deodorizer activity, inexpensive; may be corrosive; may irritate skin and respiratory tract; whiten materials.

(101.A) List seven areas of the typical veterinary clinic or practice that must be kept clean and orderly.

A) Front desk/Waiting area

B) Exam rooms

C) Treatment area

D) Parking lot

E) Backyard

F) Isolation

G) Kennels

(101.A) Every examination room, including the ____, ____ and ____ must be cleaned between each patient.

Table, Floor, Countertop

(101.A) One of the first impression a client has of your place of business is ____ and the ____.

Cleanliness, Odor

(101.A) The clinic needs to have an adequate ____ system to help with the ____ problem.

Ventilation, Odor

(101.A) It is very helpful to have ____ and weekly ____ of ____ tasks.

Daily, Checklists, Cleaning

(101.A) In the front office/waiting area, make sure ____ and ____ are put away or stacked neatly. Organization is a good practice as it relates to both ____ and to ____.

Paperwork, Files, Appearance, Function

(101.A) Make sure that files are ____ correctly and file in a ____ manner.

Alphabetized, Timely

(101.A) The front area floors should be ____ regularly and any patient's ____ or ____ should be cleaned immediately.

Swept, Urine, Feces

(101.A) Make sure hands are ____ before restraining patients.

Washed thoroughly

(101.A) The ____ used for weighing patients should be ____ after each patient.

Scales, Cleaned

(101.A) The parking lot is an area that is often ____ when cleaning up.

Forgotten

(101.A) Whenever the ____ are walked, the ____ should be picked up frequently. This helps keep ____ from spreading and also keeps the dogs ____.

Dogs, Feces, Disease, Cleaner

(101.A) An ____ ward must be cleaned often. This ward is the area where animals ____ or suspected of having a highly ____ disease such as ____ or ____ are housed.

Isolation, Diagnosed, Contagious, Feline leukemia, Parvo

(101.A) If a hospitalized patient is shedding a ____, it is necessary to clean frequently to keep other animals from ____ the ____.

Virus, Ingesting, Virus

(101.A) It is a good idea to have a shallow tub of ____ water near the ____ ward exit, so the attendant can ____ into it to kill any disease organisms on the shoes.

Bleach, Isolation, Step

(101.B) The abbreviation OSHA stands for:

Occupational Safety and Health Administration

(101.B) The abbreviation PPE stands for:

Personal Protective Equipment

(101.B) List at least six articles that can be classified as PPE.

1) Utility gloves

2) Splash goggles

3) Apron

4) Sleeves

5) Rubber boots

6) Ventilation

7) Dust mask

8) Double gloves

9) Non-skid boots

10) Steel-toe shoes

11) Back support

12) Ear plugs

(101.B) List at least six situations in which OSHA might recommend the use of PPE.

1) Bathing

2) Pest Management

3) Dentistry

4) X-Ray

5) Pouring anesthetic gas liquids

6) Cleaning litter boxes

7) Preparation of lab samples

8) Preparing chemotherapy drugs

9) Pouring liquids

10) Lifting heavy objects

(101.B) Some equipment used in the veterinary clinic may pose a safety risk to you if not used with caution. The ____, for example, can get very hot and you should take care not to burn yourself when working around it. You should always allow it to ____ before opening up the unit's door.

Autoclave, Vent

(101.B) The ____, a device for rotating sample tubes at high speed, is another common piece of equipment in the veterinary clinic. You should always close the lid before ____ it, and never ____ it while the unit is running.

Centrifuge, Starting, Open

(101.B) If you need to pick up an animal or other weighty object, always bend at the ____.

Knees

(101.B) When lifting or carrying an animal, place one arm under the animal's ____ and the other arm behind its ____.

Front legs, Back legs

(101.B) All animals should be kept on a ____ or in a ____ to prevent escapes.

Leash, Carrier

(101.B) When assisting a veterinarian with a feline patient, it is important to restrain the ____ and ____.

Heads, Paws

(101.B) ____ is one of your most important jobs when working in a clinic.

Restraint

(101.B) Do not attempt to handle a ____ or ____ animal without assistance.

Fractious, Aggressive

(101.B) Muzzling is safer for the ____, ____, ____ and ____.

Pet, Veterinarian, Assistant

(101.B) Excess exposure to ____ can cause ____ and ____.

Radiation, Burns, Cancer

(101.B) When using x-rays, you must wear protective equipment including ____, ____ and ____ collar.

Lead apron, Gloves, Thyroid

(101.B) There can also be hazards related to ____ of drugs. When counting pills, always use a ____ tray, not your ____.

Handling, Counting, Hands

(101.B) The abbreviation MSDS stands for:

Material Safety Data Sheet

(101.B) Always thoroughly was your hands after handling any ____.

Medications

(101.B) If not working properly, the ____ machine can leak ____ gases into the clinic.

Anesthetic (x2)

(101.B) If you are ____ or planning to become ____ in the near future, you should avoid the radiology machine, certain medications and other hazards in the clinic.

Pregnant (x2)

(101.C) True or False: Zoonotic diseases are bacterial or viral infections that animals get through exposure to their owners.

False

(101.C) True or False: Rabies is an RNA virus known as rhabdovirus.

True

(101.C) True or False: The incubation period of a disease is the period of time that elapses between exposure and onset of an actual disease symptoms and clinical signs.

True

(101.C) True or False: Rabies is a viral encephalitis, which means it is a virus that causes inflammation of the joints.

False

(101.C) True or False: You should try to answer an animal owner's questions as best you can, even if you are not sure of the answer is.

False

(101.C) True or False: Mange is a disease caused by microscopic parasites known as mites.

True

(101.C) True or False: Toxoplasmosis is a disease caused by a type of hookworm known as "Toxoplasma gondii".

False

(101.C) True or False: Roundworms are a serious infection in animals, but pose no threat to humans.

False

(101.C) True or False: If a human is exposed to toxoplasmosis, infection is almost certain unless the person has a weakened immune system.

False

(101.C) True or False: Feline Leukemia virus can be shed in the saliva, but is mostly spread in the feces and never spreads transmammary to kittens.

False

(101.C) True or False: When humans are infected with hookworms, the disease is known as cutaneous larval migrans.

True

(101.C) True or False: For many years, heartworm was known only to be in cats, but recently it has been found to be fatal in dogs as well.

False

(101.C) True or False: Canine parvovirus enteritis is a disease transmitted when an animal ingests feces containing the disease bacteria shed by an infected animal.

False

(101.C) True or False: Feline infectious peritonitis (FIP) has a mortality rate of almost 100 percent.

True

(101.C) True or False: Some cats can have feline leukemia virus in their bodies, but never get sick.

True

(101.C) True or False: The parvo organism can live in the ideal environment for months.

True

(101.C) True or False: Feline distemper and infectious feline enteritis are other names for the disease known as panleukopenia.

True

(101.C) True or False: The head or brain of an animal to be tested for rabies must be kept within a temperature range of -32 degrees fahrenheit to -45 degrees fahrenheit.

False

(101.C) True or False: If a pet bites a human, it must be kept in quarantine for a period of not more than five days to see if it develops clinical signs of rabies.

False

(101.C) True or False: Cats can get sarcoptic mange when exposed to the mite that cases the condition in dogs.

False

(101.C) True or False: If an animal has been properly vaccinated, you can be 100 percent sure it will never develop the disease for which it was vaccinated.

False

(101.C) True or False: Skunks, raccoons, bats, foxes and coyotes are wild creatures, and as such, have natural immunity to rabies and never get the disease.

False

(101.C) True or False: Animals are at higher risk of infection if they are housed in close quarters with several other animals.

True

(101.C) True or False: Sarcoptic mange is contagious to other dogs and humans.

True

(101.C) True or False: Counseling clients on the possible chances of infections from their animals is a very important part of the technician's job in a veterinary clinic.

True

(101.D) True or False: The emotions experienced by a person who has lost a beloved animal companion are far different from those who experienced by someone who has lost a member of their human family.

False

(101.D) True or False: Some people think of their animals simple as property, somewhat like owning a car.

True

(101.D) True or False: Euthanasia should be performed only in the regular examination room.

False

(101.D) True or False: Some people regard animal ownership as a serious responsibility and do everything necessary to ensure the animal's health and well-being.

True

(101.D) True or False: It is a waste of time to deal with clients' possible emotional attachments to their animal companions; it is highly inefficient and nothing good can come out of it.

False

(101.D) True or False: As a technician, your behavior toward a client's animal should always be humane and professional, tempered by your observations of the client's own attitude about animals.

True

(101.D) True or False: It is foolish to think that anyone would regard their pet as a "little person with fur."

False

(101.D) True or False: When an animal's prognosis is grave, it is best to adopt a jovial, lighthearted attitude with the owner, perhaps telling jokes and laughing.

False

(101.D) True or False: The impression a client develops of you and the clinic during a crisis situation will be soon forgotten, so you shouldn't let it concern you.

False

(101.D) True or False: As a whole, our society is becoming more attached to its companion animals and treating them more like members of the family, a trend that has accelerated in the past 50 years.

True

(101.E) Contaminated reusable sharps must be placed in containers which are (4 answers):

A) Puncture Resistant

B) Labeled or Coded

C) Leak-proof on sides and bottom

D) In accordance with requirements for reusable sharps.

(101.E) The sharps containers are used to prevent leakage during (5 answers):

A) Handling

B) Processing

C) Storage

D) Transport

E) Shipping

(101.E) Containers for contaminated sharps shall be (3 answers):

A) Easily accessible and as close a possible to area sharps are used.

B) Maintained upright.

C) Replaced routinely (not overfilled)

(101.E) When moving containers of contaminated sharps from the area of use, the containers shall be (2 answers):

A) Closed to prevent spillage.

B) Placed in secondary container if leakage is possible.

(101.E) List at least four items that would be classified as a "sharp" object.

A) Microscope blades

B) Hypodermic needles

C) Scalpel blades

D) Broken glass

Recall the 4 steps to makeshift-muzzling.

1) Make a loop in the center of a four foot cord or bandage using a surgeon's knot.

2) Slip the loop over the nose and draw it snug.

3) Bring the ends down under the chin and tie them with an overhand knot.

4) Carrying one around each side of the neck and at the nape tie them in a square or reefer's knot.