• 60 questions

VTNE Practice

Unofficial VTNE prep for the Veterinary Technician National Examination, in the ten domains of its content outline.

The veterinarian orders 0.2 mg/kg of a drug for a 25 kg dog. The vial holds 10 mg/mL. What volume is drawn up?

Pick an answer, then press Check answer. Then you see Correct or Not quite, with the reason. Keys: A to D pick, Enter checks.

Print covers the next 57 questions. Share this set copies a link to the same questions in the same order.

Exam mode: 57 questions, 60 minutes.

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Unofficial practice questions, not affiliated with the American Association of Veterinary State Boards. Bank checked October 13, 2026.

The real exam, as AAVSB describes it

Questions
170
Time limit
180 minutes
Fee
$375 application fee
Retakes
At least 31 days after the last attempt, at most three times in a calendar year. Five attempts are permitted; a sixth needs a letter from the jurisdiction.
Scored questions
150 of the 170. The other 20 are unscored pilot questions, not marked any differently.
Result
A scaled score from 200 to 800, with 425 to pass. Scores are not reported as a number or percentage correct. Pass or fail shows right after the exam.
Question style
Multiple choice with four choices and one correct or best answer. There is no penalty for guessing.
Schedule
Given four times per year, in testing windows.

Checked October 13, 2026 against VTNE Candidate Information Handbook, American Association of Veterinary State Boards. Rules change, so confirm with the agency itself before your test.

AAVSB's own VTNE page

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All 60 questions

Pharmacy and pharmacology 8

  • A client asks for a refill on the original prescription for a Schedule II drug. What does 21 CFR 1306.12 say? 21 CFR 1306.12(a). Outline: Domain 1, Pharmacy and Pharmacology.
  • A clinic stocks ketamine and butorphanol. Under 21 CFR 1301.75, where does a practitioner store controlled substances in Schedules II to V? 21 CFR 1301.75(b). Outline: Domain 1, Pharmacy and Pharmacology.
  • After the first inventory, how often at least must a registrant count all controlled substances on hand, under 21 CFR 1304.11? 21 CFR 1304.11(c). Outline: Domain 1, Pharmacy and Pharmacology.
  • In which federal schedule does 21 CFR part 1308 list ketamine? 21 CFR 1308.13. Outline: Domain 1, Pharmacy and Pharmacology.
  • Under 21 CFR 1304.04, for how long at least must controlled substance inventories and records be kept available for inspection? 21 CFR 1304.04(a). Outline: Domain 1, Pharmacy and Pharmacology.
  • The veterinarian orders 0.2 mg/kg of a drug for a 25 kg dog. The vial holds 10 mg/mL. What volume is drawn up? Arithmetic on the numbers in the question. Outline: Domain 1, task C, calculate medications.
  • The veterinarian orders fluids at 60 mL/kg per day for a 12 kg dog. What is the rate in mL per hour? Arithmetic on the numbers in the question. Outline: Domain 1, task C, calculate fluid therapy rate.
  • Which of these drugs does 21 CFR part 1308 list in Schedule II? 21 CFR 1308.12, 1308.13 and 1308.14. Outline: Domain 1, Pharmacy and Pharmacology.
Show all 60 questions (52 more)

Surgical nursing 8

  • A standard steam autoclave cycle holds a load in pressurized saturated steam at which temperature and gauge pressure? Wikipedia, Autoclave, Uses. Outline: Domain 2, Surgical Nursing.
  • Compared with braided (polyfilament) suture, what is true of monofilament suture? Wikipedia, Surgical suture, Monofilament versus polyfilament. Outline: Domain 2, Surgical Nursing.
  • Ethylene oxide gas is used for items that heat would damage. Why does the traditional process end with an aeration phase? Wikipedia, Sterilization (microbiology), Ethylene oxide. Outline: Domain 2, Surgical Nursing.
  • How does an ultrasonic cleaner loosen debris from the hinges and serrations of surgical instruments? Wikipedia, Ultrasonic cleaning, Process. Outline: Domain 2, Surgical Nursing, task F.
  • How is the body of a taper suture needle shaped? Wikipedia, Surgical suture, Needles. Outline: Domain 2, Surgical Nursing.
  • Under 29 CFR 1910.1047, what is the permissible exposure limit for ethylene oxide as an 8-hour time-weighted average? 29 CFR 1910.1047(b) and (c). Outline: Domain 2, Surgical Nursing.
  • Which organism's spores do most biological indicators for steam sterilization contain? Wikipedia, Sterilization (microbiology), Steam. Outline: Domain 2, Surgical Nursing.
  • Why are packs spaced apart, never stacked tight, when an autoclave is loaded? Wikipedia, Autoclave, Air removal and In medicine. Outline: Domain 2, Surgical Nursing, task I.

Dentistry 4

  • A dental chart records stage 1 periodontal disease. What does stage 1 mean? Merck Veterinary Manual, Periodontal Disease in Small Animals, stages of periodontal disease. Outline: Domain 3, Dentistry.
  • During charting, how many areas around one tooth are probed for a full circumferential evaluation? Merck Veterinary Manual, Periodontal Disease in Small Animals, periodontal probing. Outline: Domain 3, Dentistry, task C.
  • What is dental calculus, also called tartar? Merck Veterinary Manual, Periodontal Disease in Small Animals, Plaque and Calculus. Outline: Domain 3, Dentistry.
  • What is the normal periodontal probing depth in a dog, by the Merck Veterinary Manual? Merck Veterinary Manual, Periodontal Disease in Small Animals, Clinical findings. Outline: Domain 3, Dentistry.

Laboratory procedures 5

  • A microhematocrit tube is spun. The red cell column measures 18 mm and the whole column 45 mm. What is the packed cell volume? Wikipedia, Hematocrit, Measurement methods; arithmetic on the numbers in the question. Outline: Domain 4, Laboratory Procedures.
  • In the Gram stain, which reagent is the counterstain that colors gram-negative bacteria pink? Wikipedia, Gram stain, Staining mechanism. Outline: Domain 4, Laboratory Procedures, task C.
  • On a Gram-stained slide, what color are gram-positive bacteria, and why? Wikipedia, Gram stain. Outline: Domain 4, Laboratory Procedures, task C.
  • Which additive is in a lavender-top blood tube, the tube used for a complete blood count? Wikipedia, Vacutainer, Contents. Outline: Domain 4, Laboratory Procedures, task B.
  • Which instrument reads urine specific gravity from a drop of urine? Wikipedia, Urine specific gravity. Outline: Domain 4, Laboratory Procedures, task C.

Animal care and nursing 12

  • A paper strip is hooked inside the lower eyelid for a Schirmer test. What does the test measure? Wikipedia, Schirmer's test. Outline: Domain 5, Animal Care and Nursing, task D.
  • A resting cat's heart rate is 130 beats per minute. By the Merck Veterinary Manual's resting heart rate table, how does that read? Merck Veterinary Manual, Resting Heart Rates. Outline: Domain 5, Animal Care and Nursing.
  • A wet-to-dry bandage is ordered for a wound that needs debridement. When is the gauze removed? Merck Veterinary Manual, Wound Bandages and Dressings for Small Animals. Outline: Domain 5, Animal Care and Nursing, task C.
  • At which strength does the Merck Veterinary Manual describe chlorhexidine diacetate for wound lavage with minimal tissue inflammation? Merck Veterinary Manual, Initial Wound Management in Small Animals, Wound lavage. Outline: Domain 5, Animal Care and Nursing, task C.
  • By the Merck Veterinary Manual's table, what is the normal rectal temperature range of a dog? Merck Veterinary Manual, Normal Rectal Temperature Ranges. Outline: Domain 5, Animal Care and Nursing.
  • Cast padding or roll cotton usually forms which layer of a bandage? Merck Veterinary Manual, Wound Bandages and Dressings for Small Animals. Outline: Domain 5, Animal Care and Nursing, task C.
  • What can a limb bandage that is applied too tight lead to? Merck Veterinary Manual, Wound Bandages and Dressings for Small Animals, complications. Outline: Domain 5, Animal Care and Nursing, task C.
  • What does the primary layer of a bandage do? Merck Veterinary Manual, Wound Bandages and Dressings for Small Animals. Outline: Domain 5, Animal Care and Nursing, task C.
  • What is the resting respiratory rate range of a dog, by the Merck Veterinary Manual's table? Merck Veterinary Manual, Resting Respiratory Rates. Outline: Domain 5, Animal Care and Nursing.
  • Which resting heart rate is inside the normal range for a horse, by the Merck Veterinary Manual's table? Merck Veterinary Manual, Resting Heart Rates. Outline: Domain 5, Animal Care and Nursing.
  • Which setup delivers the 7 to 8 psi recommended for lavage of a dirty or contaminated wound? Merck Veterinary Manual, Initial Wound Management in Small Animals, Wound lavage. Outline: Domain 5, Animal Care and Nursing, task C.
  • Which wound lavage fluid does the Merck Veterinary Manual call the least toxic to healing tissue? Merck Veterinary Manual, Initial Wound Management in Small Animals, Wound lavage. Outline: Domain 5, Animal Care and Nursing, task C.

Diagnostic imaging 4

  • Time, distance and shielding are the basic radiation protection measures. Why does stepping back from the source cut the dose? Wikipedia, Radiation protection, Fundamentals. Outline: Domain 6, Diagnostic Imaging.
  • Under 29 CFR 1910.1096, which employees must an employer supply with personnel monitoring equipment such as a film badge or pocket dosimeter? 29 CFR 1910.1096(d)(2). Outline: Domain 6, Diagnostic Imaging.
  • Which exposure setting controls radiographic contrast? Wikipedia, Peak kilovoltage. Outline: Domain 6, Diagnostic Imaging.
  • Which exposure setting is the primary control of radiographic density? Wikipedia, Peak kilovoltage. Outline: Domain 6, Diagnostic Imaging.

Anesthesia 8

  • Anesthesia has been discontinued. Where does OSHA's guidance for veterinary clinics say to empty the breathing bag? OSHA, Anesthetic Gases: Guidelines for Workplace Exposures, Veterinary Clinics and Hospitals, Work practices. Outline: Domain 7, Anesthesia, task D.
  • By OSHA's guidance, what ceiling does NIOSH recommend for a worker's exposure to a halogenated agent such as isoflurane? OSHA, Anesthetic Gases: Guidelines for Workplace Exposures, Introduction. Outline: Domain 7, Anesthesia, task C.
  • How does OSHA's guidance for veterinary clinics say to check that a tracheal tube cuff is inflated enough? OSHA, Anesthetic Gases: Guidelines for Workplace Exposures, Veterinary Clinics and Hospitals, Work practices. Outline: Domain 7, Anesthesia, task E.
  • The indicating dye in the soda lime canister has changed color. What does that tell the technician? Wikipedia, Soda lime, Anaesthetic use. Outline: Domain 7, Anesthesia, task D.
  • What does the minimum alveolar concentration (MAC) of an inhalant anesthetic state? Wikipedia, Minimum alveolar concentration. Outline: Domain 7, Anesthesia.
  • Which monitor follows carbon dioxide in the breath and gives early warning of hypoventilation, esophageal intubation and circuit disconnection? Wikipedia, Capnography. Outline: Domain 7, Anesthesia, task F.
  • Which of these can make a pulse oximeter read falsely low? Wikipedia, Pulse oximetry, Limitations. Outline: Domain 7, Anesthesia, task F.
  • Why does a non-rebreathing system need a greater fresh-gas flow than a circle system? OSHA, Anesthetic Gases: Guidelines for Workplace Exposures, Veterinary Clinics and Hospitals. Outline: Domain 7, Anesthesia, task C.

Emergency medicine and critical care 4

  • A dog arrives with cyanotic or muddy mucous membranes. What does the Merck Veterinary Manual's triage table link that color with? Merck Veterinary Manual, Initial Triage and Resuscitation of Small Animal Emergency Patients, Parameters to Evaluate During Triage. Outline: Domain 8, Emergency Medicine/Critical Care, task B.
  • By the Merck Veterinary Manual's triage table, what does a capillary refill time of more than 2 seconds suggest? Merck Veterinary Manual, Initial Triage and Resuscitation of Small Animal Emergency Patients, Parameters to Evaluate During Triage. Outline: Domain 8, Emergency Medicine/Critical Care, task B.
  • During CPR, how long is one uninterrupted cycle of chest compressions before the people compressing and ventilating change roles? Merck Veterinary Manual, Cardiopulmonary Resuscitation of Small Animals, Basic life support. Outline: Domain 8, Emergency Medicine/Critical Care, task C.
  • What chest compression rate is used in CPR of a dog or cat, whatever the animal's size? Merck Veterinary Manual, Cardiopulmonary Resuscitation of Small Animals, Basic life support. Outline: Domain 8, Emergency Medicine/Critical Care, task C.

Pain management and analgesia 4

  • A patient is given an opioid for pain. Which side effects are listed for this drug class? Wikipedia, Veterinary anesthesia, Anesthetics by drug type. Outline: Domain 9, Pain Management/Analgesia.
  • By the Merck Veterinary Manual's triage table, which findings point to pain in a patient? Merck Veterinary Manual, Initial Triage and Resuscitation of Small Animal Emergency Patients, Parameters to Evaluate During Triage. Outline: Domain 9, Pain Management/Analgesia, task B.
  • How do local anesthetics such as lidocaine and bupivacaine stop pain signals? Wikipedia, Veterinary anesthesia, Anesthetics by drug type. Outline: Domain 9, Pain Management/Analgesia.
  • How is pain best recorded, by the Merck Veterinary Manual's triage table? Merck Veterinary Manual, Initial Triage and Resuscitation of Small Animal Emergency Patients, Parameters to Evaluate During Triage. Outline: Domain 9, Pain Management/Analgesia, task B.

Communication and professional support 3

  • A caller's dog has a stick lodged in its side. What is the owner told about the stick for the trip to the clinic? Merck Veterinary Manual, First Aid and Transport of Small Animals. Outline: Domain 10, Communication and Veterinary Professional Support Services, task A.
  • A client asks how rabies usually passes from one animal to another or to a person. What does the Merck Veterinary Manual say? Merck Veterinary Manual, Rabies in Animals, Transmission. Outline: Domain 10, Communication and Veterinary Professional Support Services, task A, zoonosis.
  • An owner phones: her dog was just hit by a car and is snapping at her. What is the first concern in the Merck Veterinary Manual's first aid advice? Merck Veterinary Manual, First Aid and Transport of Small Animals. Outline: Domain 10, Communication and Veterinary Professional Support Services, task A.

How this list was compiled: Our own questions, written to the VTNE Content Outline of the American Association of Veterinary State Boards (approved by its Board of Directors in March 2023), printed with its task area statements in the VTNE Candidate Information Handbook (https://www.aavsb.org/wp-content/uploads/2026/09/VTNE-Candidate-Info-Handbook-1.pdf, linked from https://www.aavsb.org/students-exams/veterinary-technician-national-exam/, read 2026-10-13). Its ten domains and their shares of the 150 scored questions: Pharmacy and Pharmacology 13%, Surgical Nursing 13%, Dentistry 7%, Laboratory Procedures 9%, Animal Care and Nursing 20%, Diagnostic Imaging 6%, Anesthesia 13%, Emergency Medicine/Critical Care 7%, Pain Management/Analgesia 7%, Communication and Veterinary Professional Support Services 5%. The bank holds 8, 8, 4, 5, 12, 4, 8, 4, 4 and 3 questions in that order. Every fact was read on 2026-10-13 in the public source the question names: the Merck Veterinary Manual (reference tables of temperature, heart rate and respiratory rate; periodontal disease; wound management and bandages; triage; cardiopulmonary resuscitation; first aid and transport; rabies); 21 CFR 1301.75 and parts 1304, 1306 and 1308 (controlled substances) and 29 CFR 1910.1047 and 1910.1096 (ethylene oxide and ionizing radiation) on ecfr.gov; OSHA's Anesthetic Gases: Guidelines for Workplace Exposures, with its section on veterinary clinics; and Wikipedia articles on sterilization, sutures, laboratory methods, radiography and anesthetic monitoring, each named under its question. Three answers are arithmetic on the numbers printed in the question. Licence: Questions, choices and explanations are original work of this site. Short quoted phrases are from federal regulations and federal guidance, which are public documents.

How it works

These 60 free practice VTNE questions are our own, weighted like the real exam. This page is unofficial and not affiliated with, endorsed by or sponsored by the American Association of Veterinary State Boards (AAVSB).

Read the full guide

What the VTNE covers

The AAVSB content outline, approved March 2023 and read October 13, 2026, has ten domains: pharmacy 13%, surgical nursing 13%, dentistry 7%, laboratory procedures 9%, animal care and nursing 20%, diagnostic imaging 6%, anesthesia 13%, emergency care 7%, pain management 7% and communication 5%. This bank holds 8, 8, 4, 5, 12, 4, 8, 4, 4 and 3.

VTNE study guide: figures to know

Dog: rectal temperature 99.5 to 102.5 °F, resting heart rate 70 to 120, probing depth 1 to 3 mm. CPR: 100 to 120 compressions a minute in 2-minute cycles. Autoclave: 121 °C at 15 psi. Ketamine is Schedule III; fentanyl is Schedule II.

Timing

Exam mode asks 57 questions in 60 minutes, a third of the real exam's 170 at the same pace.

  • Animal care and nursing is the largest domain, a fifth of the exam: vital signs, bandage layers and wound lavage.

Questions and answers

Is this VTNE practice test free?

Yes. There is no charge and no sign-up. Each question shows the right answer, a short reason and the public source it was read in.

How many questions are on the VTNE?

170 multiple-choice questions in three hours: 150 are scored and 20 are unscored pilot questions. Scores are reported on a scale of 200 to 800, and 425 passes, by the AAVSB candidate handbook.

Is there a VTNE radiography practice test?

Diagnostic imaging is 6% of the exam. Four questions here work as a short radiology VTNE study guide: kVp and contrast, mAs and density, time, distance and shielding, and the dosimeter rule of 29 CFR 1910.1096.

Is there a free VTNE study guide online?

This page doubles as a free, digital VTNE study guide: every answer names its source, from the Merck Veterinary Manual to the federal controlled substance rules, so you can open it and read further. The AAVSB handbook holds the full outline.

Are these the real VTNE questions?

No. These VTNE prep questions are our own, written from the AAVSB outline and public sources. AAVSB offers its own practice tests; none of their questions, or the exam's, is used here.

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