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Australasian Veterinary Examination · Last updated November 2026

AVE Preliminary (MCQ) Examination (Australasian Veterinary Examination): free practice test

The MCQ stage of the Australasian Veterinary Examination for overseas-qualified veterinarians whose degree isn't recognised for registration in Australia or New Zealand. Paper 1 tests base veterinary knowledge across ten subject areas and Paper 2 tests clinical reasoning across species, under Australasian conditions. It runs once a year in April; the next sitting is Friday 16 April 2027.

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About the AVE MCQ exam

The MCQ stage of the Australasian Veterinary Examination for overseas-qualified veterinarians whose degree isn't recognised for registration in Australia or New Zealand. Paper 1 tests base veterinary knowledge across ten subject areas and Paper 2 tests clinical reasoning across species, under Australasian conditions. It runs once a year in April; the next sitting is Friday 16 April 2027.

What's on the exam

AVE MCQ
Infectious Diseases, Exotics and Biosecurity
7 key facts
Anatomy, Physiology and Pathology
7 key facts
Husbandry, Nutrition, Reproduction and Welfare
6 key facts
Toxicology and Envenomation
6 key facts
Pharmacology and Therapeutics
6 key facts
Public Health and Professional Practice
6 key facts
Surgery, Anaesthesia and Imaging
6 key facts
Clinical Reasoning by Species
6 key facts

Each branch is a topic in the official outline. Members see every key fact on the full mind map. Read the free study guide →

How to pass the AVE MCQ exam

  • The test is adaptive: each answer changes the difficulty of the next question. Don't panic when questions get harder; that usually means you're doing well.
  • Paper 2 has a minimum of 14 dog and 13 cattle questions. Production animal medicine is where many overseas-trained small animal vets lose marks.
  • Learn Australasian specifics: exotic and notifiable diseases, tick paralysis, snake envenomation, Hendra virus, withholding periods and the antimicrobials not registered for food animals.
  • You must re-sit both papers if you fail, and you have one sitting a year. Treat your first attempt as the one that counts.

Save your results and get your Readiness Score

Create a free account after the test: your score by topic, a mistakes bank, the complete study notes for the first topic, flashcards and the AVE High-Yield Values Sheet.

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What's in the premium AVE MCQ prep

Premium AVE MCQ prep is studied one topic at a time. Each step starts with that topic's key notes and flashcard deck, then its own question sets of 25, so you master one topic before you move to the next. When every topic is strong, the 6 full mock exams show you're ready.

3,000practice questions, every answer explained
6full-length mock exams, 160 questions each, timed
800flashcards with spaced repetition, sorted by topic
60comprehensive key notes across 8 topics

Your step-by-step study path

  1. 1
    Infectious Diseases, Exotics and Biosecurity8 key notes, 100 flashcards, then 375 practice questions in 15 sets of 25
    Notes free with an account
  2. 2
    Anatomy, Physiology and Pathology8 key notes, 100 flashcards, then 375 practice questions in 15 sets of 25
    Premium
  3. 3
    Husbandry, Nutrition, Reproduction and Welfare8 key notes, 100 flashcards, then 375 practice questions in 15 sets of 25
    Premium
  4. 4
    Toxicology and Envenomation8 key notes, 100 flashcards, then 375 practice questions in 15 sets of 25
    Premium
  5. 5
    Pharmacology and Therapeutics7 key notes, 100 flashcards, then 375 practice questions in 15 sets of 25
    Premium
  6. 6
    Public Health and Professional Practice7 key notes, 100 flashcards, then 375 practice questions in 15 sets of 25
    Premium
  7. 7
    Surgery, Anaesthesia and Imaging7 key notes, 100 flashcards, then 375 practice questions in 15 sets of 25
    Premium
  8. 8
    Clinical Reasoning by Species7 key notes, 100 flashcards, then 375 practice questions in 15 sets of 25
    Premium
  9. Final step: 6 full mock exams160 questions each, timed like test day. Pass them, then book your exam.
    Premium
Free with an account

Read the complete AVE MCQ study notes for “Infectious Diseases, Exotics and Biosecurity”

Our first full set of comprehensive notes, about 15 minutes of reading: Why Australasia is different · Reporting a suspected emergency animal disease · Endemic zoonoses with an Australasian twist · Anthrax and other sudden deaths · Diseases eradicated or never recorded, a worked exam example, the traps examiners use and a one-minute recap. Create a free account to read it and see how premium notes work before you decide.

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Study tools included

3,000 practice questions

3,000 exam-style questions per exam, organized topic by topic in sets of 25. Every answer explained, with the rule it comes from.

6 full mock exams

6 full-length timed mock exams per exam, with real question counts and time limits, so test day feels like practice day.

Exam Readiness Score

One 0 to 100 number that tells you when you're ready to book. Reach 80 and you're covered by our Pass Guarantee.

800 flashcards + spaced repetition

800 flashcards per exam, in a deck for each topic, that come back right before you'd forget them. Five minutes a day keeps every number fresh.

60 comprehensive key notes

60 key notes per exam, split across its topics and each explained in full: the concepts, worked exam examples, the traps examiners use and a quick recap. Your first set is free with an account.

Mind maps

See the whole exam on one screen: every topic and the facts under it.

Sample questions with answers

These are the questions in the free test above, with answers. Try the test first. You'll learn more by getting some wrong.

1. An unvaccinated 9-year-old mare in south-east Queensland is acutely febrile with tachycardia, respiratory distress and ataxia. Flying foxes roost in trees over her paddock. What is the most appropriate first action?
Answer: Isolate the mare, use full PPE and notify the state biosecurity authority of a suspected Hendra virus case. Hendra virus is a notifiable zoonosis with flying foxes as the reservoir; unvaccinated horses near roosts in Queensland and northern NSW are at risk. Any sick unvaccinated horse with fever and respiratory or neurological signs should be treated as a suspect: isolate it, wear full PPE and notify the state authority, which advises on safe sampling and exclusion testing. Necropsy or referral would expose more people.
2. Three adult beef cattle in north-central Victoria are found dead overnight. One carcass has dark, unclotted blood at the nostrils and anus and is rapidly bloating. What should the veterinarian do?
Answer: Leave the carcass unopened, report suspected anthrax to the state authority and collect a blood sample for testing as directed. Sudden death with unclotted blood from the orifices suggests anthrax, which occurs sporadically in parts of Victoria and NSW and is notifiable. Opening the carcass lets Bacillus anthracis sporulate on contact with air and contaminate the site for decades. Report first; blood for rapid testing is collected without opening the carcass.
3. A pig-hunting dog from western Queensland has unilateral orchitis and back pain from discospondylitis. Which pathogen is most likely, given the history?
Answer: Brucella suis. Brucella suis is endemic in feral pigs in Queensland and NSW, and pig-hunting dogs are infected through contact with carcasses. It is a zoonosis and notifiable. B. abortus was eradicated from Australia in 1989, and B. melitensis has not been recorded in Australian livestock.
4. A 4-year-old dog has episodic vomiting and lethargy. Serum sodium is 129 mmol/L and potassium 6.8 mmol/L (Na:K about 19:1). Which test confirms the most likely diagnosis?
Answer: ACTH stimulation test. A low Na:K ratio with waxing and waning GI signs suggests hypoadrenocorticism. The ACTH stimulation test confirms it: post-ACTH cortisol stays very low (typically below about 55 nmol/L). A low urine cortisol:creatinine ratio supports but doesn't confirm it; the dexamethasone test is for hyperadrenocorticism.
5. In the Five Domains model of animal welfare used in Australia and New Zealand, which domain represents the animal's overall welfare state?
Answer: Mental state. The Five Domains model (Mellor) has four physical or functional domains (nutrition, physical environment, health, behavioural interactions) that feed into the fifth, mental state. The animal's experiences in the mental state domain are what determine its welfare.
6. A dog from coastal northern NSW has progressive hind-limb weakness, a changed bark and is regurgitating, two days after a bushwalk. Besides searching for and removing any ticks, what is the most appropriate specific treatment?
Answer: Tick antitoxin serum. This is the classic ascending paralysis of Ixodes holocyclus, the paralysis tick of the eastern seaboard. Holocyclotoxin reduces acetylcholine release, so treatment is tick antitoxin serum given early, removal of all ticks, a full-body search and supportive care, with attention to aspiration risk from megaoesophagus.
7. A dog in suburban Adelaide collapsed in the garden, appeared to recover within minutes, and an hour later is weak with bleeding from a venepuncture site. Which bedside finding best supports eastern brown snake envenomation?
Answer: Prolonged whole blood clotting time. Brown snake (Pseudonaja) venom contains a potent prothrombin activator that causes venom-induced consumption coagulopathy. Collapse with apparent recovery is typical, and local swelling is usually minimal. A prolonged whole blood clotting time in a glass tube is a quick, useful test while you arrange antivenom.
8. Which class of antimicrobials has never been registered for use in food-producing animals in Australia?
Answer: Fluoroquinolones. Australia has never registered fluoroquinolones for food-producing species, as part of its approach to protecting antimicrobials of high importance to human medicine. Tetracyclines, penicillins and macrolides all have registered products for livestock.
9. A feedlot client sells cattle to export markets. After treating a steer with a registered product, which period should guide the earliest date it is sent for export slaughter?
Answer: The export slaughter interval (ESI) on the label or APVMA list. The WHP is the minimum time from last treatment to slaughter for the domestic market. The ESI is the time needed for residues to fall below the limits of importing countries; it can be longer than the WHP. Export animals must meet the ESI.
10. A wildlife carer is scratched on the forearm while handling an injured flying fox. What is the recommended immediate first aid?
Answer: Wash the wound thoroughly with soap and water for 15 minutes, apply an antiseptic with antiviral action, then seek medical advice urgently. Any bite or scratch from an Australian bat is a potential Australian bat lyssavirus exposure. Immediate thorough washing for about 15 minutes, then an antiseptic such as povidone-iodine, reduces the risk; the person needs urgent medical assessment for post-exposure prophylaxis. The bat can be tested, but that should never delay first aid.
11. Which approach best follows radiation safety principles when radiographing a fractious dog's pelvis?
Answer: Sedate or anaesthetise the dog and use positioning aids so no one holds it. Radiation protection follows ALARA (as low as reasonably achievable). Chemical restraint and positioning aids remove the need for anyone to be in the primary beam. Manual restraint should be rare, never by pregnant staff or people under 18, and lead gowns don't protect hands in the primary beam.
12. During isoflurane anaesthesia, a dog's end-tidal CO2 suddenly falls from 40 mmHg to zero while the pulse oximeter still shows a good pulse and SpO2 of 97%. What is the most likely cause?
Answer: Disconnection of the breathing system or a dislodged endotracheal tube. An abrupt fall to zero means no CO2 is reaching the sampling line. With a pulse still present, the likely cause is disconnection, extubation or a blocked sampling line. Malignant hyperthermia and hypoventilation raise ETCO2; exhausted soda lime raises inspired CO2.
13. A 6-year-old Holstein cow calved 24 hours ago. She is in sternal recumbency with her head turned into the flank, cold ears, a dry muzzle, reduced rumen contractions and dilated pupils. What is the most appropriate treatment?
Answer: Slow intravenous calcium borogluconate while auscultating the heart. These are classic signs of stage 2 parturient hypocalcaemia (milk fever) in an older dairy cow just after calving. Give calcium borogluconate slowly IV while listening to the heart, and stop if arrhythmias or marked bradycardia develop. Many clinicians follow with oral or subcutaneous calcium to reduce relapse.
14. A thin Merino ewe in the last 3 weeks of pregnancy, carrying twins, has become dull over two days, stands apart, appears blind and has fine muscle tremors. Blood beta-hydroxybutyrate is 4.5 mmol/L. What is the most likely diagnosis?
Answer: Pregnancy toxaemia. Late pregnancy, twins, poor body condition, gradual onset of neurological signs and a markedly raised BHB (above about 3 mmol/L) point to pregnancy toxaemia. Hypocalcaemia has a faster onset and normal ketones; listeriosis causes unilateral cranial nerve deficits and circling; PEM isn't linked to ketosis.
15. A 3-year-old desexed male cat has strained in the litter tray for 24 hours. He is depressed, the bladder is large and painful, heart rate is 120 bpm and potassium is 8.4 mmol/L. Which problem should be treated first?
Answer: Hyperkalaemia. Urethral obstruction causes post-renal hyperkalaemia; bradycardia in a sick cat is a warning of cardiotoxicity. Stabilise first: IV fluids, calcium gluconate for cardioprotection if there are ECG changes, and insulin with dextrose to shift potassium. Then relieve the obstruction under sedation or anaesthesia.

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Certification guide

AVE MCQ exam guide (2027 sitting): The Preliminary (MCQ) Examination is the second step of the [Australasian Veterinary Examination](https://avbc.asn.au/for-veterinarians/australasian-veterinary-examination/), after the Eligibility Assessment and before the five-day Clinical Examination. It tests whether an overseas-qualified veterinarian has the knowledge and clinical judgement of a new Australasian graduate. It runs once a year; the next sitting is Friday 16 April 2027.

AVE MCQ exam FAQ

How many questions are on the AVE MCQ exam?

160 multiple-choice questions in two papers: Paper 1 Base Knowledge (80) and Paper 2 Clinical Reasoning (80), with a time limit of 4 hours 30 minutes: paper 1 2 hours, paper 2 2.5 hours, same day with a scheduled break. Format: closed book, computer-based adaptive test, on-screen basic calculator, note paper provided.

What is the passing score for AVE MCQ?

Combined scaled cut-score (500) across both papers, set by computerised adaptive testing with Rasch scoring; there is no published percentage, so practise to 65% or higher.

How much does the AVE MCQ exam cost?

A$3,620 for the MCQ (2026 AVBC schedule), after the A$515 AVE Eligibility Assessment; the Clinical Examination is A$9,325. AVBC reviews its fees, so confirm the current schedule at avbc.asn.au before you apply.

Which languages is the AVE MCQ exam offered in?

English.

Where do I take the AVE MCQ exam?

AVBC, secure computer delivery at supervised venues (Melbourne, Sydney, Brisbane, Perth, Auckland, London, Dubai, New Delhi and Singapore listed by AVBC).

Is this AVE MCQ practice test free?

Yes. The 15-question practice test on this page is free, with an explanation for every answer and no signup. A free account also unlocks the complete study notes for the first topic. The full AVE MCQ prep is Premium at A$217 a month for this exam.

What's in the premium AVE MCQ prep?

3,000 practice questions organized topic by topic (Infectious Diseases, Exotics and Biosecurity: 375; Anatomy, Physiology and Pathology: 375; Husbandry, Nutrition, Reproduction and Welfare: 375; Toxicology and Envenomation: 375; Pharmacology and Therapeutics: 375; Public Health and Professional Practice: 375; Surgery, Anaesthesia and Imaging: 375; Clinical Reasoning by Species: 375), 6 full-length timed mock exams of 160 questions, 800 flashcards and 60 comprehensive key notes split across all 8 topics, plus a mistakes bank and the Readiness Score.

Related practice tests

Exam details are summarized from the official candidate information available in November 2026. the Australasian Veterinary Boards Council (AVBC) changes formats and fees, so confirm with Australasian Veterinary Boards Council (AVBC) before you book. AVEVetExam is not affiliated with AVBC or any veterinary registration board.

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