AATO Practice Exam case studies
AATO Practice Exam · Put your knowledge to work in context.
The AATO credential is intended for professionals who work hands-on with animals in regulated settings - research facilities, breeding colonies, sanctuaries, zoos, and teaching programs - and who need to demonstrate that they can run an animal program that is compliant, humane, and defensible on paper. The exam is built around six content areas: the regulatory framework and compliance obligations that govern animal use and care; animal care and husbandry practices; health, disease recognition, and biosecurity; facility operations and safety; recordkeeping and documentation; and ethics and professional conduct. The AATO Practice Exam case studies are 5 cases and about 2,675 words.
1Post-Surgical Analgesia for a Rat with a Questionable Protocol
You are the attending technician for a facility's rodent surgical suite. A researcher submits a protocol for a survival laparotomy in 24 adult male Sprague-Dawley rats.
563 words, about 3 min2A Kennel Cough Outbreak During an Adoption Event
A municipal shelter houses 60 dogs in two wings connected by a shared corridor. Over five days, 11 dogs develop a dry, honking cough; 3 have oculonasal discharge and one has a temperature of 104.1°F.
527 words, about 3 min3Record Discrepancy in a Controlled Drug Log
You are closing out the controlled-substance log at a small-animal practice. The log shows 10 mL of a Schedule II opioid dispensed from a 20 mL vial on Monday, 10 mL dispensed Tuesday, and the vial should be empty.
505 words, about 3 min4Euthanasia Decision Under Pressure and Conflict of Interest
A privately owned dog, a 13-year-old Labrador with advanced arthritis, is presented by an owner who says she is moving into an apartment that does not allow pets and asks for immediate euthanasia. On examination the dog is thin (body condition score 2/9), has a healing pressure sore, but is alert, eating, and ambulatory with difficulty.
570 words, about 3 min5Delegation and Supervision of an Uncredentialed Assistant
In a busy clinic, a newly hired veterinary assistant with no formal credential has been asked by the lead technician to 'cover' while the technician is at lunch. The assistant is instructed to induce anesthesia on a 4 kg cat for a dental cleaning, monitor the cat alone, and 'call if anything looks off.' The veterinarian is in the back performing another procedure and is not within line of sight.
510 words, about 3 min