MS Vet Tech cheat sheet

Directional prefixes: crani- (toward head), caudi- (toward tail), dorsi- (toward spine), ventr- (toward belly), rostr- (toward nose), later- (away from midline), medi- (toward midline).

Suffix rules: -itis = inflammation, -ectomy = surgical removal, -otomy = incision into, -ostomy = surgical opening/stoma, -plasty = surgical repair, -megaly = enlargement, -penia = deficiency.

Prefix rules: hyper- = above normal, hypo- = below normal, tachy- = fast, brady- = slow, poly- = many, oligo- = few, a-/an- = absence.

Species-specific terms: canine (dog), feline (cat), equine (horse), bovine (cattle), ovine (sheep), caprine (goat), porcine (pig), avian (bird), lagomorph (rabbit).

Plural formation: words ending in -a take -ae (vertebra/vertebrae), -us takes -i (bronchus/bronchi), -um takes -a (atrium/atria), -is takes -es (metastasis/metastases).

Positional terms: proximal = nearer the body core attachment; distal = farther from it; palmar/plantar apply to forelimb hindlimb paw surfaces respectively; axial vs abaxial applies to digit numbers.

Common abbreviations: BID = twice daily, TID = three times daily, SID = once daily, PRN = as needed, PO = by mouth, SQ/SC = subcutaneous, IM = intramuscular, IV = intravenous, NPO = nothing by mouth.

Numeric prefixes: primi-/uni- = one, bi-/di- = two, tri- = three, quadri- = four; these combine with -ceps in muscle names, e.g., biceps, triceps, quadriceps.

Normal adult dog temperature ~37.5–39.2 °C (99.5–102.5 °F); cat ~38.1–39.2 °C (100.5–102.5 °F); heart rate dog 60–160 bpm, cat 140–220 bpm; respiratory rate dog 10–30, cat 20–30 breaths/min.

Cardiac cycle landmarks: S1 = AV valve closure (start of systole), S2 = semilunar valve closure (end of systole); murmurs graded I–VI by intensity.

Respiratory anatomy: right lung has 4 lobes (cranial, middle, caudal, accessory), left has 2 (cranial, caudal); the accessory lobe sits in the mediastinum.

Kidney structure: outer cortex, inner medulla, renal pelvis; nephron = glomerulus + tubule; GFR drives urine formation; urine specific gravity reflects concentrating ability.

GI tract sequence in the dog: esophagus → stomach → duodenum → jejunum → ileum → cecum → colon → rectum; cats have a shorter, more uniform small intestine.

Hepatic portal triad = portal vein, hepatic artery, bile duct; liver performs detoxification, albumin synthesis, bile production, and glycogen storage.

Skeletal landmarks: scapula, humerus, radius/ulna, femur, tibia/fibula, and vertebral regions cervical (7), thoracic, lumbar, sacral, caudal; dogs and cats have 7 cervical vertebrae.

Endocrine axis: hypothalamus → pituitary → target gland; negative feedback regulates thyroid (T3/T4), adrenal (cortisol), and gonadal hormones.

Minimum restraint principle: use the least restraint necessary to complete the task; excessive restraint increases fear, injury risk, and stress-related physiologic changes.

Species-specific holds: cats - scruff or towel wrap for short procedures; dogs - lateral recumbency for cephalic venipuncture with forelimb extended; rabbits - never scruff alone, support hindquarters to prevent spinal fracture.

Muzzle use: correctly sized basket or cloth muzzle applied only to dogs with adequate respiratory status; never muzzle a dyspneic, vomiting, or brachycephalic patient.

Chemical restraint decision: premedication (e.g., acepromazine, dexmedetomidine, midazolam) when physical restraint would cause distress or injury; choose based on cardiovascular and respiratory status.

Personal protective equipment: gloves for all blood/body fluid contact; gown and mask for splash risk; lead apron and thyroid shield for radiography; eye protection for splash procedures.

Sharps safety: never recap needles by hand; use one-handed scoop technique or safety-engineered devices; dispose immediately in puncture-resistant sharps containers.

Zoonosis precautions: wash hands after animal contact; isolate ringworm, sarcoptic mange, salmonellosis, and rabies suspects per clinic protocol.

Fear Free/low-stress handling: minimize noise, use pheromone sprays, allow acclimation time, and avoid forced restraint of fractious patients without sedation.

Venipuncture sites: cephalic, jugular, and lateral saphenous veins in dogs; cephalic, jugular, and medial saphenous in cats; 22–25 G needles commonly used for small patients.

IV catheter care: place aseptically, flush with heparinized saline per protocol, secure with tape and bandage, monitor for phlebitis (swelling, pain, heat) and replace per clinic schedule.

Fluid therapy: isotonic crystalloids (LRS, 0.9% NaCl) for maintenance/replacement; calculate maintenance ~50–60 mL/kg/day in dogs, ~40–60 mL/kg/day in cats; monitor for overhydration (serous nasal discharge, chemosis).

Urinary catheterization: use aseptic technique, closed collection system, and monitor for infection; indwelling catheters typically replaced every 3–5 days per protocol.

Wound management: lavage with sterile saline, debride necrotic tissue, bandage with appropriate dressing (wet-to-dry, hydrocolloid, or foam) based on exudate level.

Bandage principles: apply evenly, avoid tension over joints, monitor for swelling, odor, or slippage; remove and reassess per schedule (typically every 24–48 h for initial check).

Medication administration routes: PO, SQ, IM, IV, topical, ophthalmic, otic, and rectal; SQ injection sites rotate to avoid lipomas and absorption variability.

Vital sign monitoring during hospitalization: mentation, temperature, pulse, respiration, mucous membrane color, CRT (<2 s normal), and pain score at regular intervals.

Anesthetic triad: hypnosis/unconsciousness, analgesia, and muscle relaxation; balanced anesthesia combines agents to minimize individual drug side effects.

Premedication benefits: reduces anxiety, provides preemptive analgesia, decreases induction and maintenance drug doses, and smooths recovery.

Common induction agents: propofol (rapid, IV only), alfaxalone (IV/IM), ketamine (dissociative), and mask induction with inhalant (sevoflurane/isoflurane) for fractious or pediatric patients.

Inhalant monitoring: MAC (minimum alveolar concentration) reflects potency; isoflurane MAC ~1.3%, sevoflurane ~2.4% in dogs; end-tidal agent monitoring guides depth.

Anesthetic depth signs: loss of palpebral reflex, jaw tone, and swallowing; surgical plane = absent palpebral reflex, relaxed jaw, stable vitals.

Analgesia ladder: NSAIDs (carprofen, meloxicam) for mild-moderate pain; opioids (morphine, hydromorphone, buprenorphine) for moderate-severe; adjuncts (gabapentin, ketamine CRI) for chronic/neuropathic.

Surgical asepsis: surgical hand scrub (chlorhexidine or povidone-iodine) for 3–5 min, sterile gown and gloves, and sterile field maintained throughout.

Surgical instrument categories: cutting (scalpel, scissors), grasping (thumb forceps, hemostats), retracting (Gelpi, Balfour), and suturing (needle holders); suture sizes 2-0 to 5-0 typical for small animal surgery.

Dose formula: Dose (mL) = (Dose mg/kg × Body weight kg) ÷ Drug concentration mg/mL; always convert units before calculating.

C1V1 = C2V2 for dilutions; example: dilute 1 mL of 10% solution to 100 mL to make 0.1% solution.

Body surface area (BSA) dosing uses mg/m²; BSA (m²) = 0.1 × (body weight kg)^(2/3) for dogs (approximate).

Common drug classes: NSAIDs (carprofen, meloxicam), opioids (morphine, buprenorphine), antibiotics (amoxicillin-clavulanate, enrofloxacin), antiparasitics (ivermectin, praziquantel, pyrantel).

Contraindications: NSAIDs avoid in renal disease, GI ulceration, and dehydration; enrofloxacin avoid in growing animals (cartilage damage); ivermectin toxic to MDR1-mutant dogs (collies).

Controlled substances: DEA scheduling (CII–CV); CII requires locked storage, inventory log, and no refills; CIII–V have specific record-keeping and refill limits.

Drug storage: refrigerate vaccines and insulin (2–8 °C), protect photosensitive drugs from light, and follow manufacturer expiration dates; never use expired or discolored products.

Pharmacokinetics: absorption → distribution → metabolism (liver) → excretion (kidney); half-life determines dosing interval; first-pass effect reduces oral bioavailability.

Radiography safety: ALARA principle (as low as reasonably achievable); use collimation, lead apron, thyroid shield, and dosimetry badges; pregnant staff should avoid exposure.

Radiographic positioning: orthogonal views (lateral + VD/DV) required for most studies; label patient ID, date, and view orientation.

Thoracic radiograph timing: take on inspiration for lung evaluation; cardiac silhouette should be < 2/3 of thoracic width on lateral view in dogs.

Ultrasound: useful for soft tissue, pregnancy, cardiac, and abdominal evaluation; requires acoustic gel and transducer selection based on depth (curvilinear for abdomen, linear for superficial structures).

Blood tube types: EDTA (purple) for CBC, heparin (green) for plasma chemistry, serum separator (red/gold) for serum chemistry, citrate (blue) for coagulation testing.

Urinalysis: evaluate color, clarity, specific gravity (refractometer), pH, protein, glucose, ketones, blood, and sediment (crystals, casts, cells, bacteria).

CBC parameters: PCV, RBC count, hemoglobin, MCV, MCHC, WBC differential, and platelet count; anemia classification by MCV (microcytic, normocytic, macrocytic) and MCHC (hypochromic, normochromic).

Fecal examination: direct smear, flotation (zinc sulfate or sugar) for ova and cysts, and Giardia ELISA or snap tests for specific pathogens.

Life-stage nutrition: puppy/kitten growth diets higher in protein and calories; adult maintenance; senior diets may have reduced phosphorus and added joint support.

Body condition score (BCS): 9-point scale (1 = emaciated, 9 = obese); ideal is 4–5/9 with ribs palpable but not visible and waist visible from above.

Toxic foods: chocolate (theobromine), grapes/raisins (renal failure), onions/garlic (hemolytic anemia), xylitol (hypoglycemia), and macadamia nuts.

Vaccination core (dogs): rabies, distemper, adenovirus-2, parvovirus, and parainfluenza; core (cats): rabies, FVRCP (herpesvirus, calicivirus, panleukopenia).

Parasite prevention: monthly heartworm preventive (ivermectin, milbemycin, moxidectin), flea/tick control, and regular fecal exams; heartworm testing before starting prevention.

Dental preventive care: daily brushing with pet-safe toothpaste, dental chews, and professional scaling under anesthesia; avoid human toothpaste (fluoride/xylitol toxicity).

Zoonotic disease prevention: rabies vaccination, leptospirosis vaccination in at-risk dogs, and hygiene after handling reptiles (Salmonella risk).

Reproductive husbandry: estrus cycle stages (proestrus, estrus, diestrus, anestrus); gestation ~63 days in dogs and cats; spay/neuter timing based on breed and size.

Triage categories: red (immediate life threat), yellow (urgent but stable), green (non-urgent); ABCs (airway, breathing, circulation) assessed first.

CPR basics: chest compressions at 100–120/min, compression-to-ventilation ratio 30:2 for single rescuer, 15:2 for two rescuers; use of capnography and ECG to monitor.

Shock recognition: tachycardia, pale mucous membranes, prolonged CRT, weak pulses, hypothermia, and altered mentation; fluid resuscitation with crystalloids or colloids.

Anaphylaxis: epinephrine (0.01 mg/kg IV or IM), fluid support, antihistamines (diphenhydramine), and corticosteroids as adjuncts.

Poisoning management: decontamination (induced emesis only if recent ingestion and patient stable), activated charcoal, and specific antidotes (e.g., vitamin K1 for anticoagulant rodenticides, acetylcysteine for acetaminophen).

Heatstroke: cool with water, fans, and cool IV fluids; avoid ice baths (vasoconstriction); monitor for DIC and renal failure.

GDV (gastric dilatation-volvulus): emergency decompression via trocarization or stomach tube, fluid resuscitation, and surgery; high mortality if delayed.

Pain assessment tools: Colorado State University (CSU) canine and feline pain scales; physiologic (HR, RR) and behavioral (posture, vocalization) indicators.

Dental formula: dog permanent 42 teeth (I3/3, C1/1, P4/4, M2/3); cat permanent 30 teeth (I3/3, C1/1, P3/2, M1/1).

Periodontal disease stages: gingivitis (reversible), early periodontitis (<25% attachment loss), moderate (25–50%), severe (>50%); grading guides treatment.

Dental cleaning under anesthesia: supragingival and subgingival scaling, polishing, and fluoride treatment; awake scaling is not acceptable standard of care.

Dental radiography: full-mouth series (typically 6–8 views) to evaluate roots, bone loss, and retained roots; essential before extraction.

Extraction principles: minimize trauma, use elevators and forceps, close extraction sites, and provide postoperative analgesia and soft-food instructions.

Common oral pathology: periodontal disease, tooth resorption (cats), fractured teeth, malocclusion, oral masses (melanoma, squamous cell carcinoma, fibrosarcoma).

Home dental care: daily brushing with enzymatic pet toothpaste, dental diets (VOHC-approved), and dental chews; avoid hard objects that fracture teeth.

Anesthesia for dentistry: pre-anesthetic bloodwork, intubation with cuffed tube, and throat pack to prevent aspiration of debris.

Veterinary practice acts: define scope of practice for veterinarians and technicians; technicians work under direct or indirect supervision of a licensed veterinarian.

DEA registration: required for controlled substance handling; CII drugs require secure storage, inventory logs, and no refills; state and federal rules must both be followed.

OSHA requirements: hazard communication program, exposure control plan, PPE, and sharps injury log; annual training required.

Record-keeping: medical records must be accurate, legible, contemporaneous, and retained per state law (often 3–5 years); include consent, treatments, and outcomes.

Informed consent: owner must be informed of risks, benefits, alternatives, and costs before procedures; document consent in writing.

Confidentiality: client and patient information protected; share only with authorized parties and as required by law (e.g., rabies reporting).

Ethical principles: beneficence, nonmaleficence, autonomy, and justice; conflicts of interest disclosed; animal welfare prioritized.

Zoonotic/rabies reporting: suspected rabies cases must be reported to public health authorities; follow state quarantine and vaccination laws.