PHARMACOLOGY QUESTIONS
AND ANSWERS
Pyrethrin (which is used to kill fleas) is derived or extracted from which of the following plants?
Chrysanthemum
Bougainvillea
Hibiscus
Stargazer lily - CORRECT ANSWER -Chrysanthemum
Pyrethrin comes from the Chrysanthemum plant and acts on the nervous system to cause flea death.
Which of the following drugs is NOT approved for the use in cattle?
Xylazine
Butorphanol
Diazepam
Albendazole - CORRECT ANSWER -Xylazine
Ruminants are highly sensitive to xylazine when compared with horses, dogs, and cats. They generally
require only one-tenth of the dosage required for horses to exhibit the same effect. It is not approved
for the use in ruminants but is sometimes used off-label. It is important to know how sensitive
ruminants are to this drug.
,Albendazole is a broad spectrum de-wormer commonly used in cattle.
Diazepam or Butorphanol can be used as a sedative or tranquilizer in cattle.
Ketoconazole can cause toxicity most commonly to which of the organs or tissues listed?
Pancreas
Retinas
Liver
Cardiac muscle - CORRECT ANSWER -Liver
Ketoconazole can be associated with hepatotoxicity. Liver values should be closely monitored when
using this medication. Fluconazole and itraconazole are more widely used because they are less
hepatotoxic, but the cost is higher for these medications.
What is the etiology of Clostridium botulinum, the toxin that causes botulism in cattle?
Contamination of deep puncture wounds
Trauma
Ingestion
Direct contact - CORRECT ANSWER -C. botulinum is found in decomposing plants and animals, and toxins
are produced in the decaying material. The most common source of the toxin for cattle is feed
contaminated by carcasses of mice and birds.
Botulism is characterized by a progressive muscle weakness (paralysis). Affected animals may be weak,
stagger about, or go down. Cattle characteristically display flaccid paralysis and occasionally protrusion
of the tongue as seen in this photo.
, Patients that have received prednisone chronically need to be tapered off slowly to avoid which of the
following?
Signs of hyperadrenocorticism (Crohn's Dz)
Signs of exocrine pancreatic insufficiency
Signs of hyperinsulinism
Signs of diabetes insipidus
Signs of hypoadrenocorticism (Addison's Dz) - CORRECT ANSWER -Signs of hypoadrenocorticism
(Addison's Dz)
Chronic prednisone administration can lead to atrophy of the adrenal gland due to the absence of
signaling to produce cortisol. If prednisone is suddenly stopped, the adrenal gland will not be capable of
producing enough cortisol, and the animal may show signs of hypoadrenocorticism (Addison's disease).
An 11-year old female spayed dog is diagnosed with a bladder tumor. She is still able to pass urine, but
she strains towards the end of her urination and needs to go out frequently. Her bloodwork is
unremarkable. What medication is sometimes prescriped specifically to alleviate symptoms from
bladder tumors in dogs?
Tramadol
Amoxicillin-clavulanic acid
Cranberry extract
Piroxicam - CORRECT ANSWER -Piroxicam
Piroxicam is a non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drug that has some anti-cancer properties against
transitional cell tumors and nasal adenocarcinoma in dogs. Piroxicam can cause renal papillary necrosis
as a rare side-effect, so is usually reserved for cases that have no underlying renal issues.