Free Veterinary Pathology MCQs with Answers
60 Veterinary Pathology MCQs from Veterinary Science, each with the correct answer and a written explanation of why it is correct. Free and unlimited, with no account needed.
Covers the causes and mechanisms of disease, cellular injury, inflammation, healing, circulatory disturbances, neoplasia and disorders of major organs. It also includes gross and microscopic pathological changes, specimen interpretation and the distinction between aetiology, pathogenesis, clinical signs and lesions.
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60 questions · page 2 of 3
- A. Fibrinous exudate
- B. Serous exudate
- C. Catarrhal exudate
- D. Purulent exudate
Explanation: A fibrinous exudate contains fibrin formed from fibrinogen that escapes into tissue or body cavities.
Correct answer: Fibrinous exudate- A. Excess platelet production
- B. Consumption of clotting factors
- C. Reduced red cell formation
- D. Increased plasma albumin
Explanation: DIC causes widespread formation of small thrombi, which consumes platelets and clotting factors.
Correct answer: Consumption of clotting factors- A. Transcoelomic spread
- B. Perineural spread
- C. Lymphatic spread
- D. Direct spread through bone
Explanation: Carcinomas commonly spread first through lymphatic vessels to regional lymph nodes.
Correct answer: Lymphatic spread- A. Thin smooth ileal mucosa
- B. Diffuse rectal hemorrhage
- C. Multiple gastric ulcers
- D. Thickened corrugated ileal mucosa
Explanation: Johne disease produces chronic granulomatous enteritis, especially in the ileum, causing marked mucosal thickening and a corrugated…
Correct answer: Thickened corrugated ileal mucosa- A. Prostaglandin E2
- B. Bradykinin
- C. Histamine
- D. Nitric oxide
Explanation: Prostaglandin E2 acts in the hypothalamus to raise the thermoregulatory set point during fever.
Correct answer: Prostaglandin E2- A. Excessive bronchial mucus secretion
- B. Obstruction of pulmonary blood flow
- C. Collapse of the tracheal rings
- D. Permanent enlargement of alveoli
Explanation: A thromboembolus blocks pulmonary arteries and reduces perfusion to ventilated regions of the lung.
Correct answer: Obstruction of pulmonary blood flow- A. A thin wall with clear fluid
- B. Diffuse edema without neutrophils
- C. A fibrous capsule around purulent material
- D. A purely hemorrhagic cavity
Explanation: A chronic abscess is often surrounded by granulation tissue and a fibrous capsule that walls off the persistent infection.
Correct answer: A fibrous capsule around purulent material- A. Sheets of keratinized epithelium
- B. Only circulating erythrocytes
- C. Mature adipocytes without inflammation
- D. Multinucleated foreign-body giant cells
Explanation: Foreign-body granulomas commonly contain macrophages that fuse to form multinucleated foreign-body giant cells around material too large…
Correct answer: Multinucleated foreign-body giant cells- A. Emphysematous necrotizing myositis
- B. Diffuse fibrous hepatitis
- C. Caseous lymphadenitis
- D. Granulomatous nephritis
Explanation: Blackleg causes acute necrotizing myositis with gas production, giving affected muscles a dark, dry, and crackling appearance.
Correct answer: Emphysematous necrotizing myositis- A. Diffuse hepatic cirrhosis
- B. White splenic infarction
- C. Serous pericardial effusion
- D. Bilateral renal hypertrophy
Explanation: Complete arterial obstruction in the spleen commonly causes an anemic, or white, infarct because the organ has limited collateral blood…
Correct answer: White splenic infarction- A. The amount of extracellular fluid
- B. The number of individual cells
- C. The size of individual cells
- D. The degree of nuclear atypia
Explanation: Hypertrophy means enlargement of existing cells, usually because they synthesize more structural or functional components.
Correct answer: The size of individual cells- A. Lymphatic obstruction only
- B. Reduced vascular permeability
- C. Increased plasma oncotic pressure
- D. Increased hydrostatic pressure
Explanation: Failure of the heart raises venous and capillary hydrostatic pressure, forcing more fluid into the interstitial space.
Correct answer: Increased hydrostatic pressure33. Which tissue is classified as a labile tissue because its cells continuously divide throughout life?
- A. Intestinal epithelium
- B. Cardiac muscle
- C. Neurons of the central nervous system
- D. Skeletal muscle fibres
Explanation: Intestinal epithelial cells are continuously lost and replaced from actively dividing stem cells.
Correct answer: Intestinal epithelium- A. Mature bone and adipose tissue
- B. New capillaries and proliferating fibroblasts
- C. Neutrophils and dense keratin
- D. Hyaline cartilage and smooth muscle
Explanation: Granulation tissue contains numerous newly formed capillaries, fibroblasts, and inflammatory cells within a loose extracellular matrix.
Correct answer: New capillaries and proliferating fibroblasts- A. Type I collagen
- B. Type II collagen
- C. Type III collagen
- D. Type IV collagen
Explanation: Type III collagen is deposited early in repair and later becomes partly replaced by stronger type I collagen.
Correct answer: Type III collagen- A. A healed skin incision
- B. Local tissue necrosis with normal calcium
- C. A localized abscess only
- D. Systemic hypercalcaemia
Explanation: Metastatic calcification occurs in otherwise viable tissues when circulating calcium or phosphate levels are increased.
Correct answer: Systemic hypercalcaemia- A. Reduced cell size and functional activity
- B. Increased cell size and protein synthesis
- C. Increased cell number from mitosis
- D. Replacement by a different mature cell type
Explanation: Atrophy involves a reduction in cell size and often a corresponding decrease in organ function.
Correct answer: Reduced cell size and functional activity- A. Erythrocytes and platelets
- B. Epithelial cells and neurons
- C. Hepatocytes and osteoclasts only
- D. Mature collagen fibres
Explanation: Canine distemper virus can produce intracytoplasmic and intranuclear inclusions in epithelial cells and nervous tissue cells.
Correct answer: Epithelial cells and neurons- A. Fat necrosis only
- B. Liquefied pus
- C. Caseous necrosis
- D. Serous fluid
Explanation: Mycobacterium bovis commonly produces granulomas with central caseous necrosis surrounded by macrophages, epithelioid cells, giant cells…
Correct answer: Caseous necrosis- A. Periosteum of the proximal tibia
- B. Synovial membrane of the fetlock joint
- C. Flexor tendon within the carpal sheath
- D. Laminae attaching the distal phalanx to the hoof wall
Explanation: Laminitis is an inflammatory and degenerative disease of the sensitive and insensitive laminae that support the distal phalanx within the…
Correct answer: Laminae attaching the distal phalanx to the hoof wall