Emergency Medicine and Critical Care

7% of the VTNE · blueprint VTNE content outline approved by the AAVSB Board, March 2023

Short answer

Emergency Medicine and Critical Care is 10 of the 150 scored VTNE items. It covers triage and initial assessment, CPR including compressions, ventilation and emergency drug preparation, recognising and supporting shock with fluid resuscitation, trauma stabilisation, common toxicoses and their management, and monitoring the critically ill patient.

Why it matters on this exam

These items ask what you do first. The correct answer is almost always the one that addresses the most immediately life-threatening problem.

Key concepts

Triage: airway, breathing, circulation, disability — and the presentations that go straight to the treatment area (respiratory distress, uncontrolled haemorrhage, collapse, dystocia, urethral obstruction, toxin ingestion).
CPR: compression rate and depth by patient size, lateral versus dorsal recumbency considerations, ventilation ratio, and the technician's role in the timing and drug preparation.
Shock: recognising compensatory and decompensatory stages, and that cats often present with bradycardia and hypothermia rather than the canine tachycardic picture.
Fluid resuscitation: shock doses given in aliquots with reassessment, not as a single unmonitored bolus.
Toxicology: when decontamination is appropriate and when it is contraindicated (corrosives, hydrocarbons, compromised consciousness).
Monitoring: trends matter more than single values in the critical patient.

Common mistakes

Inducing emesis after a corrosive or hydrocarbon ingestion.
Applying canine shock signs to a cat and missing decompensated shock.

Worked example

A blocked male cat presents flat, bradycardic and hypothermic. That is decompensated shock with likely hyperkalaemia: stabilisation and the potassium problem come before relieving the obstruction.

Original practice questions

Emergency Medicine and Critical CareDifficulty 3/5

In which situation is inducing emesis contraindicated?

AIngestion of a corrosive substance or in a patient with reduced consciousness
BIngestion of a known toxic dose of grapes within the previous hour
CIngestion of an over-the-counter medication in a stable, alert patient
DRecent ingestion of a large quantity of chocolate in an alert dog

Show answer and rationale

Correct: A. Corrosives cause further injury on the way back up, and a patient with reduced consciousness cannot protect the airway. Both are standard contraindications to emesis.

D — Chocolate in an alert dog is a common indication for emesis.
B — Recent grape ingestion in a stable patient is an indication.
C — An alert, stable patient with a recent ingestion may be a candidate.

Emergency Medicine and Critical CareDifficulty 3/5

A blocked male cat presents collapsed, bradycardic and hypothermic. What does this presentation indicate?

ACompensated shock, which will improve once the obstruction is relieved
BDecompensated shock with likely hyperkalaemia requiring stabilisation first
CA vasovagal response to pain that resolves with analgesia alone
DHypothermia from environmental exposure during transport to the clinic

Show answer and rationale

Correct: B. Cats decompensate with bradycardia and hypothermia rather than tachycardia. In urethral obstruction this pattern signals hyperkalaemia, and stabilisation precedes relieving the obstruction.

A — Bradycardia with collapse is decompensation, not compensation.
C — Attributing collapse to pain alone misses a life-threatening electrolyte problem.
D — Hypothermia here reflects shock rather than ambient temperature.

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Primary references

VTNE Candidate Information Handbook — American Association of Veterinary State Boards (AAVSB) · primary · retrieved 2026-09-22, verified 2026-09-22

Last reviewed: 2026-09-22Next review by: 2026-11-06Draft — pending editorial reviewHow we verify facts