California RVT case studies
California RVT · Put your knowledge to work in context.
The California Registered Veterinary Technician (RVT) credential is issued by the California Veterinary Medical Board (VMB), the state body whose stated mission is "to protect all consumers and animals by regulating licensees, promoting professional standards, and enforcing the California Veterinary Medicine Practice Act." The credential is intended for veterinary technicians who have completed an approved training pathway and want legal recognition to practice as registered technicians in California. Candidates should treat vmb.ca.gov as the authoritative source for application steps, fingerprint and Live Scan instructions, examination statistics, and the current Practice Act, which the Board lists as the 2026 Edition. The California RVT case studies are 5 cases and about 4,833 words.
1Two NSAIDs and a Dog With Melena: Untangling a Chronic Overdose
Bella is a 9-year-old spayed female Labrador retriever weighing 30 kg who presents for a recheck of chronic osteoarthritis. While taking the history, the owner mentions that Bella "seemed stiffer than usual" about three weeks ago, so she began giving her own ibuprofen: one 200 mg tablet in the morning and one at night, every day since.
923 words, about 5 min2Postoperative Day One After an Intestinal Anastomosis: Reading a Failing Abdomen
Duke is a 6-year-old castrated male German shepherd weighing 38 kg, now 18 hours after an exploratory laparotomy with jejunal resection and anastomosis for a linear foreign body. Overnight he was stable: heart rate 96 to 110 beats/min, temperature 101.9 F, PCV 42%, total solids 6.8 g/dL, and a Jackson-Pratt (JP) drain that produced 10 to 15 mL of serosanguineous fluid per shift.
968 words, about 5 min3Anesthetizing a 12-Year-Old Cat With IRIS Stage 2 Kidney Disease
Mochi is a 12-year-old spayed female domestic shorthair cat weighing 3.6 kg with a body condition score of 3/9, scheduled for full-mouth dental scaling and possible extractions. The owner reports six months of gradual weight loss, intermittent vomiting, and increasingly bad breath.
942 words, about 5 min4When the Owner Wants 'Just a Cleaning' in a Dog With a Mobile Canine and a Murmur
Cooper is a 7-year-old male neutered Cavalier King Charles spaniel weighing 8.2 kg, presented for a dental procedure. The owner reports months of halitosis, dropping kibble while eating, and pawing at his face.
1,020 words, about 5 min5Drawing Up Bupivacaine: The Field Block Request That Exceeds the Dose Ceiling
Luna is a 3-year-old spayed female Border collie weighing 22 kg, in surgery for repair of a 10 cm laceration that extends from the caudal thigh to the popliteal region after she caught herself on a fence. She is maintained on isoflurane in oxygen with heart rate 92 beats/min, mean arterial pressure 78 mmHg, SpO2 99%, and end-tidal CO2 40 mmHg.
980 words, about 5 min