Master the Veterinary Technician National Exam (VTNE)

Table of Contents

Title Page

Before You Begin

Overview

How This Book Is Organized

Special Study Features

Special Advertising Section

You’re Well on Your Way to Success

Give Us Your Feedback

PART I: A CAREER AS A VETERINARY TECHNICIAN

Chapter 1: What Is a Veterinary Technician?

Where Veterinary Technicians Work

Educational Requirements

Veterinary Technician National Examination (VTNE)

Salary and Benefits

Employment Outlook

Credentials

Veterinary Technician Specialties (VTS)

Veterinary Technician Societies

Advancement Opportunities

Summing It Up

Chapter 2: Landing a Job as a Veterinary Technician

Write Your Resume

Prepare a Cover Letter

Browse Online Job Listings

Contact Veterinarians in Your Area

Complete a Job Application

Prepare for a Job Interview

Summing It Up

PART II: DIAGNOSING STRENGTHS AND WEAKNESSES

Chapter 3: Practice Test 1 - Diagnostic Test

Answer Key and Explanations

PART III: TYPES OF QUESTIONS ON THE VTNE

Chapter 4: Pharmacy and Pharmacology Questions

Tips for Answering Pharmacy and Pharmacology Questions

Practice Questions

Answer Key and Explanations

Summing It Up

Chapter 5: Surgical Preparation and Assisting Questions

Tips for Answering Surgical Preparation and Assisting Questions

Practice Questions

Answer Key and Explanations

Summing It Up

Chapter 6: Laboratory Procedures Questions

Tips for Answering Laboratory Procedures Questions

Practice Questions

Answer Key and Explanations

Summing It Up

Chapter 7: Animal Care and Nursing Questions

Tips for Answering Animal Care and Nursing Questions

Practice Questions

Answer Key and Explanations

Summing It Up

Chapter 8: Anesthesia and Analgesia Questions

Tips for Answering Anesthesia and Analgesia Questions

Practice Questions

Answers and Explanations

Summing It Up

Chapter 9: Dentistry Questions

Tips for Answering Dentistry Questions

Practice Questions

Answer Key and Explanations

Summing It Up

Chapter 10: Diagnostic Imaging Questions

Tips for Answering Diagnostic Imaging Questions

Practice Questions

Answer Key and Explanations

Summing it Up

PART IV: TWO WRITTEN EXAM PRACTICE TESTS

Practice Test 2

Practice Test 3

APPENDIXES

Appendix A: Medical Terms Used on the VTNE

Appendix B: Recommended Resources

SPECIAL ADVERTISING SECTION

Master the

Veterinary Technician National Examination

(VTNE)

1st Edition

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ISBN-13: 978-0-7689-3524-0

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Before You Begin

OVERVIEW

How this book is organized

Special study features

You’re well on your way to success

Give us your feedback

Today’s opportunities for veterinary technicians

HOW THIS BOOK IS ORGANIZED

Veterinary technician is a good career choice for individuals who love animals and want to spend their days caring for them. Veterinary technicians also often enjoy job security, good pay, and great benefits. The U.S. Bureau of Statistics reports that over the next decade, employment for veterinary technicians is expected to grow much faster than average and overall job opportunities should be excellent.

Those interested in becoming a veterinary technician must complete a two-year associate degree program accredited by the American Veterinary Medical Association (AVMA) and then take and pass a national examination, the Veterinary Technician National Examination (VTNE), which is offered in most states.

The veterinary technician career has changed significantly in recent years—from the job title itself to employment prospects. For more on this, take a look at Today’s Opportunities for Veterinary Technicians, by Kimberly Myers, Associate Professor of Veterinary Technology at the University of Cincinnati, which appears at the end of this section.

This book was carefully researched and written to help you prepare for the VTNE. The chapters in this book explain what it is like to work as a veterinary technician and review important material that is likely to appear on the VTNE. Completing the many practice exercises and practice tests in this book will help you pass this exam.

To get the most out of this book, take the time to read each section carefully and thoroughly.

Part I provides an overview of a veterinary technician’s job responsibilities and the places where veterinary technicians work. It offers information about the education you need to become a veterinary technician and the subjects assessed on the Veterinary Technician National Examination (VTNE), the national exam given in most states. Part I also outlines the steps you need to take to become a veterinary technician, including preparing and applying for the VTNE and becoming registered, licensed, and/or certified.

Part II is a preview of the written examination. This section introduces you to the kinds of questions you will see on the VTNE, including questions about pharmacy, pharmacology, surgical preparation and assisting, laboratory procedures, animal care and nursing, anesthesia and analgesia, and dentistry and diagnostic imaging.

Part III is a comprehensive overview of the types of questions you will see on the VTNE. A chapter is devoted to each subject area, or domain, on the test. Each chapter begins with a review of the subject matter to refresh your memory as to what you learned in school. At the end of each chapter are practice exercises. The multiple-choice questions in the practice exercises are just like those on the actual test. Complete the questions and study the answer explanations. You can learn a great deal from these explanations. Even if you answered the questions correctly, you may discover a new tip in the explanation that will help you answer other questions.

When you feel that you are well prepared, move on to Part IV—the Practice Tests. These practice examinations contain new questions modeled after the samples provided in Information for Candidates on the Veterinary Technician National Examination, published by Professional Examination Services (PES), the company that administers the test, which is sponsored by the American Association of Veterinary State Boards (AAVSB). The questions on the Practice Tests in this book are not the actual questions that you will see on the exam. If possible, try to work through an entire exam in one sitting. On the actual test, you will have 4 hours to complete the exam, so allow yourself this amount of time. If you must divide your time, divide it into no more than two sessions per exam. Do not look at the correct answers until you have completed the exam. Remember, these tests are for practice, and they will not be scored. Take the time to learn from any mistakes you may make.

The Appendixes offer a list of medical terms and abbreviations used on the VTNE and a list of references recommended by the American Veterinary Medical Association (AVMA). Study the abbreviations until you are sure that you know them. Consult the references if you need additional veterinary information or if you have a professional question or concern.

SPECIAL STUDY FEATURES

Master the Veterinary Technician National Examination (VTNE) is designed to be as user friendly as it is complete. To this end, it includes several features to make your preparation more efficient.

Overview

Each chapter begins with a bulleted overview listing the topics covered in the chapter. This allows you to target the areas in which you are most interested.

Summing It Up

Each chapter ends with a point-by-point summary that reviews the most important items in the chapter. The summaries offer a convenient way to review key points.

Notes

Notes highlight need-to-know information about the Veterinary Technician National Exam (VTNE), whether it is details about scoring or the structure of the question type.

Tips

Tips provide valuable strategies and insider information to help you score your best on the Veterinary Technician National Exam (VTNE).

SPECIAL ADVERTISING SECTION

At end of the book, don’t miss the special section of ads placed by Peterson’s preferred clients. Their financial support helps make it possible for Peterson’s Publishing to continue to provide you with the highest-quality test-prep, educational exploration, and career-preparation resources you need to succeed on your educational journey.

YOU’RE WELL ON YOUR WAY TO SUCCESS

You have made the decision to become a veterinary technician and have taken a very important step in that process. Peterson’s Master the Veterinary Technician National Examination (VTNE) will help you score high on the exam and prepare you for everything you need to know on the day of the exam and beyond it. Good luck!

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PART I:

A Career as a

Veterinary Technician

Chapter 1: What Is a Veterinary Technician?

Chapter 2: Landing a Job as a Veterinary Technician

Chapter 1

What Is a Veterinary Technician?

OVERVIEW

Where veterinary technicians work

Educational requirements

Veterinary Technician National Examination (VTNE)

Salary and benefits

Employment outlook

Credentials

Veterinary technician specialist (VTS)

Veterinary technician societies

Advancement opportunities

Summing it up

Today’s pet owners want their pets to receive the best possible care. They prefer to take their pets to state-of-the-art veterinary facilities offering advanced procedures such as preventative dental care, sonograms, and EKGs. Veterinarians rely on the skills of veterinary technicians to offer pets the superior care that their owners desire.

Veterinary technicians are sometimes called veterinary nurses because they assist a veterinarian the way a nurse assists a physician. Veterinary technicians’ duties vary depending on the type and size of the practice in which they work, but they all provide direct animal care under the supervision of a veterinarian. A veterinary technician may examine pets, take their vital statistics, administer medications and vaccinations, draw blood, prepare tissue samples, update patients’ charts, and communicate with pet owners.

Veterinary technicians are part of the veterinary health-care team. They work with veterinarians, who diagnose and treat animals’ diseases and injuries, prescribe medications, and perform surgeries. Veterinary technicians might also work with veterinary technologists, who perform many of the same duties but have a higher level of education. In most veterinary practices, veterinary technicians work with veterinary assistants, who perform nonmedical duties such as comforting animals, cleaning cages, and grooming dogs and cats.

To become a veterinary technician, you must complete a program accredited by the American Veterinary Medical Association (AVMA) that leads to an associate degree after two years. Before being granted a license, most states require veterinary technicians to take and pass the Veterinary Technician National Examination (VTNE). This book prepares you to take that examination.

WHERE VETERINARY TECHNICIANS WORK

The vast majority of veterinary technicians work in private veterinary practices where the veterinarian specializes in treating small animals, such as cats, dogs, and birds. Veterinary technicians also work in veterinary practices that treat large animals, emergency animal hospitals, research facilities, and zoos.

Small-Animal Practices

Small-animal veterinary practices are busy places. Veterinary technicians working in such practices have many duties. They often see a pet and its owner before the veterinarian. They might sit beside an owner to obtain and document a pet’s medical history. Some veterinarians rely on veterinary technicians to initially examine the pet and check for parasites and abnormalities. Veterinary technicians might also obtain the pet’s vital statistics by taking its temperature, blood pressure, and pulse rate and monitoring its breathing. A veterinary technician might also assist in restraining the pet so the veterinarian may administer medical care.

In small-animal practices, veterinary technicians perform diagnostic tests on animals and prepare animals for surgery. Diagnostic tests include drawing blood, performing urinalyses, taking and developing X-rays, and preparing tissue samples. Veterinary technicians might administer sonograms, EKGs, and dental care. They play an important role in surgery by prepping the animal and preparing and sterilizing the appropriate instruments. They may administer or assist in the administration of anesthesia. Some veterinary technicians also assist in surgery by holding an animal in a certain position or assisting the veterinarian as a surgical nurse would. After surgery, a veterinary technician monitors the animal as the anesthesia wears off. Veterinary technicians also provide nursing care to pets in intensive care. They might also assist in euthanasia.

Experienced veterinary technicians may have additional responsibilities such as training new employees and explaining a pet’s condition to its owner. Such veterinarian technicians might also advise pet owners on training and housebreaking.

Large-Animal Practices

Large-animal practices treat animals such as horses and livestock. Veterinary technicians working in this type of practice have many of the same responsibilities as those working in a small-animal practice. Veterinary technicians working with large animals take their history, assess their vital signs, draw blood, and provide general nursing care. However, veterinary technicians working in this environment have additional responsibilities specifically related to large animals. They might clean hooves and perform tail and leg wraps. They may collect sterile milk samples and administer oral medication using a balling gun and a stomach tube. Veterinary technicians working with horses and livestock must be accustomed to the large-animal operating room, where they may use pulleys and restraints to position animals. In a large-animal practice, a veterinary technician may accompany a veterinarian to a farm or ranch to care for animals.

Animal Emergency Hospitals

Veterinary technicians employed at animal emergency hospitals frequently administer first aid to pets in need of immediate care. They frequently bandage wounds and assist in setting broken bones and emergency surgeries. They spend most of their time administering care to animals that are critically injured or ill. Because animal emergency hospitals are open 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, veterinary technicians work nontraditional hours.

NOTE

According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, the future job outlook for veterinary technicians is better than most jobs, but veterinary technicians hoping to land a job in a zoo or an aquarium should expect stiff competition. These working environments attract many job candidates and have a very low job turnover.

Zoos

Veterinary technicians employed at zoos assist veterinarians in providing medical care to zoo animals. Veterinary technicians working in this environment perform many of the same duties as other techs—but they might perform them on an orangutan or alligator instead of on a dog or cat. Veterinary technicians working in large zoos may choose to specialize in either clinical care or research. Those focusing on clinical care work directly with zoo animals. Those focusing on research assist with experiments and collect data in the zoo’s laboratory. Veterinary technicians at zoos usually have several years’ experience and specialize in caring for exotic animals.

Biomedical Research Labs

Some veterinary technicians work in biomedical research labs at universities or pharmaceutical companies, where they assist in the care of research animals. They might also assist in the implementation of research projects.

EDUCATIONAL REQUIREMENTS

To become a veterinary technician, you need at least a two-year associate degree from a community college offering a veterinary technician program accredited by the American Veterinary Medical Association (AVMA). To date, about 160 colleges in forty-five states offer accredited veterinary technician programs. You can search for accredited colleges in your state on the AVMA’s Web site, http://www.avma.org. These colleges offer veterinary technician courses in clinical and laboratory settings with live animals. The AVMA recommends that high school students interested in pursuing a career as a veterinary technician take as many science—especially biology—and math courses as possible.

The course sequence for a Veterinary Technician program at an accredited community college might look like this:

First Semester

Introduction to Veterinary Technology

Anatomy & Physiology of Domestic Animals I

Veterinary Clinical Chemistry I

Pre-Calculus

English Composition I

Second Semester

Anatomy & Physiology of Domestic Animals II

Laboratory Animal Science

Veterinary Clinical Pathology I

Basic Computer Skills

English Composition II

Third Semester

Pharmacology/Anesthesia

Principles of Medicine

Radiation Surgery/Radiology

Veterinary Clinical Chemistry II

Social Science Elective

Fourth Semester

Advanced Nursing Skills

Veterinary Clinical Pathology II

Exotic Animal Management & Nutrition

Social Science Elective

Humanities Elective

Fifth Semester

Small Animal Internship or Practicum

Sixth Semester

Large or Small Animal Internship or Practicum

VETERINARY TECHNICIAN NATIONAL EXAMINATION (VTNE)

After graduating with an associate degree from an accredited college, you must register to take the Veterinary Technician National Examination (VTNE), which is sponsored and updated by the American Association of Veterinary State Boards (AAVSB). You register for the test by accessing the AAVSB Web site (www.aavsb.org) and clicking the link to apply/register for the VTNE. While some states give different tests, most give the VTNE. To register, you complete an application and pay a fee. Once you have completed the VTNE registration and the AAVSB has verified that you have graduated from a veterinary technician program accredited by the American Veterinary Medical Association (AVMA), you will receive an Authorization-to-Test (ATT) letter by e-mail from Professional Education Services (PES), the company that administers the test.

Scheduling a Test Date

After you receive an ATT letter, you have to schedule a test date. The VTNE is administered at Prometric Testing Centers located around the United States and Canada. To schedule yourself for a specific test date and testing center, visit www.prometric.com/aavsb. If you have a disability and need to make other arrangements for your exam, visit the AAVSB Web site to learn about what documents you should complete and submit. As of 2010, the VTNE is administered throughout the United States and Canada three times a year. Since you have only three chances per year to take the exam, it’s important that you meet the application deadlines.

Rescheduling and Withdrawing from Tests

If you have to reschedule your test date, you should contact Prometric through its Web site (www.prometric.com/aavsb) or by phone. You must reschedule no later than 12:00 p.m. two days (48 hours) before the test. If you need to withdraw from the test, visit the AAVSB site for information about withdrawing. You must withdraw from the exam no later than 12:00 p.m. two days (48 hours) before the test. You will be refunded your entire original fee except for a $50 processing fee.

If you fail to attend the exam without a valid excuse, you will lose your entire original fee, and you must reapply and pay the fee again to take the test. If you do not take the exam, but have a valid excuse, you will be refunded your entire original fee except for a $50 processing fee. For more information about which excuses are valid, visit the Prometric Web site. In addition, if your name or address changes after you have applied for or scheduled the exam, you should contact the AAVSB as soon as possible. You will be required to show identification at the testing site, and the name and address on your ID must match the name and address you registered with.

At the Testing Center

On the day of your scheduled exam, you should arrive at the Prometric Testing Center at least 30 minutes before your exam. Bring with you your ATT letter and a valid form of identification. Prometric Testing Centers accept government-issued passports, driver’s licenses, and military IDs as forms of identification. At the testing site, you will be given further instructions about where in the building to go to take your exam. Because they are testing facilities where people need to concentrate, Prometric Testing Centers have specific rules you will be expected to follow while you take the exam. You can find more information about these rules on the Prometric Testing Centers Web site at www.prometric.com/aavsb.

Once you find the room where your test will be administered, take a seat in front of a computer. Before you begin your test, you will review tutorials to