NAVTA AVA flashcards

32 cards. Read the term and the definition here. The deck at the top of this page is optional.

Dorsal

Dorsal means toward or along the back and spine of the animal; the opposite directional term is ventral, which points toward the belly or underside.

-ectomy

The suffix -ectomy means surgical removal or excision, as in splenectomy (removal of the spleen) or ovariohysterectomy (removal of the ovaries and uterus).

Vertebral formula of the dog

A dog has 7 cervical, 13 thoracic, 7 lumbar, 3 fused sacral, and approximately 20 caudal vertebrae; cats share the same formula except for variable caudal numbers.

Feline permanent dental formula

The cat's permanent dental formula is 2 × (incisors 3/3, canines 1/1, premolars 3/2, molars 1/1), totaling 30 teeth, compared with 42 in the adult dog.

Ruminant stomach compartments

Cattle, sheep, and goats have a four-compartment stomach: rumen, reticulum, omasum, and abomasum; the abomasum is the true glandular stomach corresponding to the monogastric stomach.

Normal canine rectal temperature

Normal rectal temperature for an adult dog is roughly 100.5–102.5 °F (38.1–39.2 °C); readings outside this range should be reported to the veterinarian for interpretation.

Muzzle contraindications

Never muzzle a brachycephalic dog, an animal in respiratory distress, a vomiting patient, or one with oral trauma; these patients cannot breathe or clear their airway safely.

Cephalic venipuncture restraint

Hold the dog in sternal recumbency at the table edge with one arm cradling the head and neck and the other around the body, then occlude the cephalic vein above the elbow.

Rabbit restraint

Always support a rabbit's hindquarters and never lift it by the ears or scruff alone; a kicking rabbit can fracture its own lumbar spine, so hold it close to your body.

Feline towel wrap

Wrapping a cat snugly in a towel with only the head exposed calms many patients and protects the handler; escalate to a commercial cat bag or gloves if the cat remains fractious.

Scruffing cautions

Avoid scruffing obese cats, pregnant queens, and patients in respiratory distress; scruffing stretches skin and can restrict breathing, so choose a towel or head-only hold instead.

Capillary refill time

Press the gingival mucosa until it blanches, release, and time the return of pink color; a CRT of two seconds or less is normal, while longer times suggest poor perfusion.

IV drip rate formula

Drip rate in gtt/min = (volume in mL × drop factor in gtt/mL) ÷ minutes of infusion; confirm the drop factor printed on the set, commonly 10, 15, 20, or 60 gtt/mL.

Femoral pulse assessment

Palpate the femoral artery on the medial thigh, high in the groin, with two fingers pressed gently against the femur; count beats for 15 seconds and multiply by four.

Cephalic catheter placement

Clip and aseptically prep the cranial forelimb, occlude the cephalic vein above the elbow, advance the catheter bevel-up into the vein, then flush, cap, and secure with tape.

Bandage swelling check

Examine the toes of a bandaged limb for swelling, coolness, discharge, or odor at every shift; a tight bandage can compromise circulation and requires immediate veterinarian notification.

Normal canine heart rate

Resting heart rate in adult dogs is about 60–140 beats per minute, with smaller breeds and puppies trending higher; cats normally run about 140–220 beats per minute.

Five rights of medication

Before giving any drug, confirm the right patient, right drug, right dose, right route, and right time, then document the administration in the medical record.

Dose to volume calculation

Multiply dose in mg/kg by body weight in kg to find milligrams needed, then divide by the drug concentration in mg/mL to obtain the volume to draw up.

Insulin handling rules

Store insulin refrigerated and never frozen, roll gently instead of shaking, and match the syringe to the vial's U-40 or U-100 concentration to prevent serious dosing errors.

EDTA tube use

Lavender-top EDTA tubes are used for hematology because EDTA binds calcium and prevents clotting; fill to the indicated line or cells distort and results become unreliable.

Fecal flotation purpose

Fecal flotation concentrates parasite eggs and oocysts using a solution with a higher specific gravity than the eggs, allowing them to float up for microscopic identification.

Urine specific gravity refractometer

Urine specific gravity is read on a refractometer from one drop of urine; it estimates renal concentrating ability, with roughly 1.015–1.045 considered typical for dogs.

Hand hygiene duration

Wash hands with soap and water for at least 20 seconds, scrubbing between fingers and under nails; alcohol-based rub is acceptable when hands are not visibly soiled.

Parvovirus disinfection

Parvovirus survives most routine cleaners; use a 1:32 dilution of household bleach with about 10 minutes of contact time on washable surfaces, and discard porous contaminated items.

Zoonotic disease examples

Rabies, ringworm, leptospirosis, toxoplasmosis, salmonellosis, giardiasis, cat scratch disease, and psittacosis can pass from animals to people; pregnant and immunosuppressed clients face higher risk.

Personal dosimeter badge

Radiography staff wear a dosimeter badge at collar level outside the lead apron to record cumulative radiation exposure; badges are read periodically and are never shared between people.

Autoclave standard settings

Steam sterilization typically runs at 121 °C (250 °F) and 15 psi for 15–20 minutes; indicator strips or biological spore tests verify that the load actually reached sterilizing conditions.

Valid VCPR

A veterinarian-client-patient relationship exists when the veterinarian has examined the animal and assumed responsibility for its care; treatment and dispensing legally depend on it.

Open-ended client question

Questions such as 'What have you noticed about Bella's appetite?' invite detailed answers, whereas yes-or-no questions can miss important history; follow up with reflective statements to confirm understanding.

Teach-back method

Ask the client to restate home-care instructions in their own words to confirm understanding; this reveals gaps far better than asking whether they have any questions.

Medical record documentation

Record every client contact, drug administered, and observation with date, time, and initials; the medical record is a legal document that may be reviewed in disputes or by regulators.