The short answer
This guide holds 12 original practice questions on veterinary pharmacy and pharmacology, written by our desk from published regulatory, clinical and teaching sources. The questions are not real exam items. They fall into three groups: federal controlled substance schedules and extra-label drug law, drug action and dosage forms, and dose and fluid calculations. Each answer includes a short rationale tied to a cited source.
Key takeaways
- The DEA states that Schedule I substances have no currently accepted medical use in the United States, a lack of accepted safety under medical supervision, and a high potential for abuse [2].
- The DEA lists ketamine as a Schedule IIIN non-narcotic and diazepam and midazolam as Schedule IV substances [2].
- Under AMDUCA, enacted in 1994, the FDA permits extra-label use only on the lawful order of a licensed veterinarian within a valid veterinarian-client-patient relationship [4].
- The Merck Veterinary Manual says NSAIDs act mainly by inhibiting cyclooxygenase (COX), which reduces prostaglandin production [6].
- The Ohio State handbook calculates a dose by multiplying the mg/kg dose by body weight in kg, using 1 kg = 2.2 lb for conversions [7][8].
Doses on this pageEvery dose below is quoted from the cited source. Verify against the current label/formulary and the patient's full clinical picture.
About these questionsPractice questions written by our editorial team for study purposes. These are not real VTNE items and are not affiliated with AAVSB.
The VTNE content outline and pharmacology
The American Association of Veterinary State Boards (AAVSB) describes the Veterinary Technician National Examination (VTNE) content outline as "one of the most important materials to review" before the exam [1]. According to the AAVSB study page, the exam and its practice tests are organized around 10 domain areas. The AAVSB sells three versions of an online practice test, each with 75 questions in 90 minutes at $50 USD per attempt [1]. The fetched AAVSB page does not name the individual domains or state how many items each one carries, so this guide does not give a weight for pharmacy and pharmacology. The AAVSB says the species covered follow the AVMA accreditation skills list for veterinary technology students [1].
Controlled substances and drug law
Question 1
Which description matches a Schedule I controlled substance under the federal Controlled Substances Act?
- A. Low abuse potential relative to Schedule IV drugs
- B. No currently accepted medical use in the United States and high abuse potential
- C. Moderate or low physical dependence when abused
- D. Mostly cough preparations with limited narcotic content
Answer: B. The DEA defines Schedule I substances as having "no currently accepted medical use in the United States" along with a high potential for abuse [2].
Question 2
A technician is checking the controlled drug log. Which of these drugs does the DEA place in Schedule IV?
- A. Fentanyl
- B. Ketamine
- C. Pentobarbital
- D. Midazolam
Answer: D. The DEA lists midazolam among its Schedule IV examples. Fentanyl and pentobarbital appear in Schedule II, and ketamine appears in Schedule IIIN [2].
Question 3
Under the DEA schedules, ketamine is classified as which of the following?
- A. A Schedule IIIN non-narcotic
- B. A Schedule II narcotic
- C. A Schedule IV substance
- D. A Schedule I substance
Answer: A. The DEA names ketamine, alongside anabolic steroids, as an example of a Schedule IIIN non-narcotic [2].
Question 4
A practice manager is revising the hospital's controlled drug procedures. According to a 2022 Today's Veterinary Practice article, a running inventory may be legally required for drugs in which schedule, while optional for others?
- A. Schedule V
- B. Schedule IV
- C. Schedule II
- D. Schedule III
Answer: C. Lauren Forsythe, writing in Today's Veterinary Practice, said a running inventory may be required for Schedule II drugs but may be optional for Schedules III, IV and V. She argued that without one, missing vials of those drugs can go unnoticed [3].
Question 5
Under federal extra-label drug rules, which condition must be met before an approved drug is used in an animal in a way not listed on its label?
- A. A licensed veterinarian orders it within a valid veterinarian-client-patient relationship
- B. The owner signs a waiver accepting the risk
- C. A credentialed technician documents the reason in the chart
- D. The drug is purchased from a compounding pharmacy
Answer: A. The FDA says AMDUCA allows extra-label use "only on the lawful order of a licensed veterinarian in the context of a valid veterinarian-client-patient relationship" [4].
Question 6
For how long does the FDA require extra-label drug use records to be kept, absent a longer federal or state requirement?
- A. Six months
- B. One year
- C. Two years
- D. Ten years
Answer: C. The FDA states that extra-label records must be kept for two years or as federal or state law requires, whichever period is longer [4].
Question 7
Which category of animal drug does the FDA bar from any extra-label use?
- A. Approved human drugs given to dogs
- B. Approved animal drugs given to cats
- C. Drugs compounded from approved animal drugs
- D. Conditionally approved and indexed animal drugs
Answer: D. The FDA says extra-label use is prohibited for conditionally approved and indexed animal drugs. Its regulations permit compounding from approved drugs under specific circumstances [4].
Drug action and dosage forms
Question 8
What is the primary mechanism by which NSAIDs reduce inflammation, according to the Merck Veterinary Manual?
- A. Blocking 5-lipoxygenase and leukotriene formation
- B. Inhibiting cyclooxygenase, which reduces prostaglandin synthesis
- C. Binding opioid receptors in the spinal cord
- D. Suppressing the immune system the way corticosteroids do
Answer: B. Merck says NSAIDs act mainly to reduce prostaglandin biosynthesis by inhibiting COX and, in general, do not inhibit 5-lipoxygenase (5-LOX) [6].
Question 9
A client reports giving a cat an acetaminophen tablet. Which adverse effects does the Merck Veterinary Manual associate with acetaminophen in cats?
- A. Heinz body anemia, methemoglobinemia and hepatic failure
- B. Hair loss and weight gain only
- C. Increased platelet counts
- D. No known adverse effects
Answer: A. Merck links acetaminophen use in cats with "Heinz body anemia, methemoglobinemia, hepatic failure, and death," and attributes the risk to the cat's deficiency of glucuronyl transferase [6].
Question 10
Which of the following is not one of the four main parenteral routes listed in the Merck Veterinary Manual?
- A. Intravenous
- B. Intramuscular
- C. Subcutaneous
- D. Oral
Answer: D. Merck defines a parenteral route as any route other than oral and names intravenous, intramuscular, subcutaneous and intra-articular as the four main ones [5].
Dose and fluid calculations
Question 11
A 25 kg dog is prescribed metoclopramide at 0.3 mg/kg. The pharmacy stocks 5 mg tablets. How many tablets make up one dose?
- A. 0.75 tablet
- B. 1 tablet
- C. 1.5 tablets
- D. 3 tablets
Answer: C. In the Ohio State handbook's worked example, 0.3 mg/kg x 25 kg gives 7.5 mg per dose, and 7.5 mg divided by 5 mg tablets gives 1.5 tablets [7]. The 0.75 figure applies only to the 10 mg tablet in the same example [7].
Question 12
According to a Today's Veterinary Nurse article on fluid therapy, what share of a patient's total fluid deficit is the goal for replacement within the first 24 hours, which explains the 0.80 multiplier in the deficit formula?
- A. 25% to 30%
- B. 75% to 80%
- C. 100% plus half again
- D. 10%
Answer: B. Angela Thorp, CVT, wrote that the deficit is multiplied by 0.80 because the aim is to give "75% to 80% of a patient's total fluid deficit within the first 24 hours," with maintenance volume then added on top [9].
Supporting notes for the calculation questions
The Ohio State handbook gives the conversions behind most dose math: 1 kg equals 2.2 lb, 1 L equals 1000 ml, and 1 kg of fluid is treated as 1 L [8]. It expresses a fluid deficit as the percent dehydration divided by 100 and multiplied by body weight in kg, giving a volume in liters. Its example is an 8 kg animal at 5% dehydration needing 400 ml [8]. Today's Veterinary Nurse reports maintenance volumes estimated at 65 to 75 mL/kg per day, and notes that any calculation is an approximation that does not replace monitoring [9]. The cited sources do not cover drip-set rates, constant rate infusion formulas or prescription label abbreviations, so this set leaves those out.
