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USA veterinary · Last updated November 2026

Veterinary Technician National Exam (VTNE): free practice test

The AAVSB exam of entry-level veterinary technician competence, used by state and provincial boards as one criterion for credentialing. Its 150 scored questions cover 10 domains, led by Animal Care and Nursing at 20%. It runs in four windows a year, at PSI test centers or by live remote proctoring.

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About the VTNE exam

The AAVSB exam of entry-level veterinary technician competence, used by state and provincial boards as one criterion for credentialing. Its 150 scored questions cover 10 domains, led by Animal Care and Nursing at 20%. It runs in four windows a year, at PSI test centers or by live remote proctoring.

What's on the exam

VTNE
Animal Care and Nursing
8 key facts
Pharmacy and Pharmacology
8 key facts
Surgical Nursing
8 key facts
Anesthesia
8 key facts
Laboratory Procedures
8 key facts
Dentistry and Diagnostic Imaging
8 key facts
Emergency Medicine, Critical Care and Pain Management
8 key facts
Communication and Veterinary Professional Support Services
8 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 VTNE exam

  • 170 questions in 180 minutes is about 63 seconds each. You can't tell pilot items from scored ones, so give each the same care and answer them all, since guessing carries no penalty.
  • Animal Care and Nursing (30) plus Pharmacy, Surgical Nursing and Anesthesia (20 each) make up 90 of the 150 scored questions. Secure these four before polishing smaller domains.
  • Applied math is a listed knowledge area: pounds to kilograms, percentage solutions, dosages, fluid rates and constant rate infusions. The calculator is on screen, but setting up the problem is on you.
  • Plan your window early. Eligibility review can take up to 2 weeks, each window has a completed-application cutoff one month after it opens, and a retake needs a new application and fee at least 31 days after the last attempt.

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 VTNE prep

Premium VTNE 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, 170 questions each, timed
800flashcards with spaced repetition, sorted by topic
60comprehensive key notes across 8 topics

Your step-by-step study path

  1. 1
    Animal Care and Nursing8 key notes, 100 flashcards, then 375 practice questions in 15 sets of 25
    Notes free with an account
  2. 2
    Pharmacy and Pharmacology8 key notes, 100 flashcards, then 375 practice questions in 15 sets of 25
    Premium
  3. 3
    Surgical Nursing8 key notes, 100 flashcards, then 375 practice questions in 15 sets of 25
    Premium
  4. 4
    Anesthesia8 key notes, 100 flashcards, then 375 practice questions in 15 sets of 25
    Premium
  5. 5
    Laboratory Procedures7 key notes, 100 flashcards, then 375 practice questions in 15 sets of 25
    Premium
  6. 6
    Dentistry and Diagnostic Imaging7 key notes, 100 flashcards, then 375 practice questions in 15 sets of 25
    Premium
  7. 7
    Emergency Medicine, Critical Care and Pain Management7 key notes, 100 flashcards, then 375 practice questions in 15 sets of 25
    Premium
  8. 8
    Communication and Veterinary Professional Support Services7 key notes, 100 flashcards, then 375 practice questions in 15 sets of 25
    Premium
  9. Final step: 6 full mock exams170 questions each, timed like test day. Pass them, then book your exam.
    Premium
Free with an account

Read the complete VTNE study notes for “Animal Care and Nursing”

Our first full set of comprehensive notes, about 15 minutes of reading: Patient assessment · Nutrition and feeding tubes · Clinical procedures · Nursing procedures and medication routes · Behavior, restraint and safety, 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. A 16-kg dog is being fed through an esophagostomy tube. Using RER = (30 x body weight in kg) + 70 and a liquid diet containing 1.1 kcal/mL, what volume meets the full daily RER?
Answer: 500 mL. RER is (30 x 16) + 70 = 550 kcal/day, and 550 divided by 1.1 kcal/mL is 500 mL. Leaving out the +70 gives 436 mL, and multiplying by 1.1 instead of dividing gives 605 mL. Divide kcal by kcal/mL, and remember that full RER is usually reached in steps, often starting near one-third on day 1.
2. An indirect Doppler reading on a calm 4-kg cat is 190 mm Hg. The cuff in use measures about 20% of the limb circumference. What should the technician do next?
Answer: Repeat the readings with a cuff about 30 to 40% of limb width. A cuff that is too narrow overestimates pressure, so this value can't be trusted. Choose a cuff about 30 to 40% of limb circumference in cats (about 40% in dogs), then average several readings in a calm patient and record the cuff size and site. No fixed correction exists for a wrong cuff, and a cuff that is too wide reads falsely low.
3. A cat in an exam room is crouched at the back of its carrier with flattened ears, dilated pupils and a tucked tail. No urgent treatment is needed. Which approach is best?
Answer: Remove the carrier top, drape a towel and use minimal restraint. These are signs of fear, and forceful restraint escalates it and makes injury to staff more likely. Taking the top off the carrier lets the cat stay in a familiar space, and a towel gives cover with minimal restraint. Direct staring is threatening to cats, and if handling stays unsafe the veterinarian can consider sedation or a return visit with pre-visit medication.
4. A 33-lb dog is ordered metoclopramide at 2 mg/kg/day as a CRI in LRS running at 60 mL/hr. Metoclopramide is 5 mg/mL. How much should be added to a new 1-L bag?
Answer: 4.2 mL. 33 lb is 15 kg, so the daily dose is 30 mg. At 60 mL/hr the dog receives 1,440 mL/day, so 1,000 mL must hold 30 x (1,000/1,440) = 20.8 mg, which is 4.2 mL. Adding the full daily 6.0 mL ignores that one bag lasts under 24 hours, and 9.2 mL comes from using 33 as kilograms.
5. A hospital is restocking controlled substances. Under federal DEA rules, which drug must be ordered on DEA Form 222 or its electronic equivalent?
Answer: Hydromorphone. Hydromorphone is Schedule II, and Schedule I and II drugs need Form 222 or the electronic CSOS equivalent. Buprenorphine and ketamine are Schedule III and butorphanol is Schedule IV, so invoices serve as the ordering record. Federal rules require controlled drug records to be kept at least 2 years, and states may ask for longer.
6. A chemical indicator strip from the center of an autoclaved pack has not changed, although the indicator tape on the outside has. What should the technician do?
Answer: Reprocess the pack and check how the load and pack were prepared. External tape shows only that the outside of the pack was exposed to the process; the internal indicator shows whether conditions reached the center. An unchanged strip means the pack must be treated as unsterile and reprocessed. Look for packs that are too large or tight, overloading, or a short cycle, and never downgrade a failed pack for use.
7. During the final sterile prep of the ventral abdomen, a technician's prep sponge has reached the outer edge of the clipped area. What is the correct next step?
Answer: Discard the sponge and start a new one at the incision site. Prep moves from the planned incision outward, in concentric circles or straight lines, so that less clean skin is never carried back to the center. A sponge that has reached the periphery is discarded and the next begins at the incision site. Keep alternating antiseptic and rinse as the product directs, and respect the contact time.
8. On a circle system, a capnograph shows ETCO2 rising and an inspired CO2 baseline that no longer returns to zero. Which problem should the technician check first?
Answer: The CO2 absorbent is exhausted or a one-way valve is stuck. A raised baseline means the patient is rebreathing CO2, which on a circle points to exhausted absorbent or an incompetent unidirectional valve. An empty vaporizer lightens the patient but doesn't add inspired CO2, and a leaking cuff tends to lower the reading. Replace the granules on schedule and check valve movement during the machine check.
9. A dog under isoflurane has MAP 52 mm Hg, pink mucous membranes, no jaw tone and no response to surgical stimulation. What is the most appropriate action?
Answer: Lower the vaporizer if safe and alert the veterinarian promptly. MAP should stay above about 60 mm Hg to protect kidney and brain perfusion, and isoflurane causes dose-dependent vasodilation. These signs suggest the dog is deep, so reducing the vaporizer while alerting the veterinarian, who may order fluids or other support, addresses the cause. Oxygen flow has no meaningful effect on blood pressure.
10. A veterinarian suspects Giardia in a puppy with soft stools. Which fecal test is the best choice for finding the cysts?
Answer: Centrifugal flotation in zinc sulfate, SG 1.18. Zinc sulfate at about SG 1.18 floats Giardia cysts with less distortion than denser solutions, and centrifugation improves recovery. Cysts in high specific gravity solutions shrink and are easily missed. A saline smear can show motile trophozoites but has low sensitivity, and sedimentation is mainly used for heavy eggs such as flukes.
11. A bisecting-angle radiograph of a maxillary canine shows a foreshortened tooth. How was the x-ray beam most likely aimed?
Answer: Perpendicular to the plane of the sensor. The beam should be perpendicular to the line that bisects the angle between tooth and sensor. Aiming too nearly perpendicular to the sensor shortens the tooth image, while aiming too nearly perpendicular to the tooth elongates it. Remember the pair: sensor shortens, tooth lengthens.
12. A radiograph taken at 60 kVp and 10 mAs is too light. Using the 15% rule, which kVp roughly doubles the exposure if the mAs stays at 10?
Answer: 69 kVp. Raising kVp by 15% has about the same effect on exposure as doubling mAs, and 60 x 1.15 is 69 kVp. Doubling kVp to 120 would badly overexpose the image, and 66 kVp is only a 10% change. Higher kVp also lowers contrast, so choose mAs when you need more exposure without changing the scale of contrast.
13. Four patients arrive together. Which one should be taken to the treatment area first?
Answer: Male cat straining to urinate, weak, with a heart rate of 100/min. A weak blocked male cat with a slow heart rate may be severely hyperkalemic, which can cause fatal arrhythmias; a heart rate of 100 is abnormal in a sick cat. The others have stable airway, breathing and circulation. In triage, look for the patient whose vital signs are failing rather than the injury that looks the most dramatic.
14. The treatment sheet for a dog lists meloxicam this morning and dexamethasone this afternoon. No note explains the combination. What should the technician do before giving the second drug?
Answer: Verify the order with the veterinarian before administering it. NSAIDs and corticosteroids should not be combined routinely because together they sharply raise the risk of gastrointestinal ulceration and perforation; prednisone carries the same risk. A technician doesn't change doses or substitute drugs, so the correct step is to query the order. A washout period is typically needed when switching between the two classes.
15. A technician sees a dog with multiple rib fractures at different stages of healing, and the owner's explanation does not fit. What is the most appropriate first action?
Answer: Document the findings objectively and tell the veterinarian. Fractures of different ages with an inconsistent history are a recognized sign of possible abuse. Record what was seen and said in objective terms, then report to the veterinarian so that the practice can follow state reporting law, which varies by jurisdiction. Confronting the owner can put the animal and staff at risk, and confidentiality doesn't require ignoring suspected abuse.

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VTNE exam FAQ

How many questions are on the VTNE exam?

170 multiple-choice questions: 150 scored and 20 unscored pilot questions, which look the same, with a time limit of 3 hours (180 minutes); test center breaks run on the exam clock. Format: closed book, computer-based. four options per question with one correct or best answer, no penalty for guessing, on-screen calculator; psi scratch paper at test centers or a mini whiteboard for remote exams.

What is the passing score for VTNE?

Scaled 425 on a 200 to 800 scale; the AAVSB does not report number or percent correct, so practice to 75% or higher.

How much does the VTNE exam cost?

US$375 per application, paid again for each retake (AAVSB reviews fees annually); US$90 for a one-time move to the next window. AVBC reviews its fees, so confirm the current schedule at avbc.asn.au before you apply.

Which languages is the VTNE exam offered in?

English; candidates residing in Canada may request French.

Where do I take the VTNE exam?

PSI test centers in the US and Canada, or PSI live remote proctoring; four windows a year (Feb 15-Apr 15, May 15-Jul 15, Aug 15-Oct 15, Nov 15-Jan 15).

Is this VTNE 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 VTNE prep is Premium at A$217 a month for this exam.

What's in the premium VTNE prep?

3,000 practice questions organized topic by topic (Animal Care and Nursing: 375; Pharmacy and Pharmacology: 375; Surgical Nursing: 375; Anesthesia: 375; Laboratory Procedures: 375; Dentistry and Diagnostic Imaging: 375; Emergency Medicine, Critical Care and Pain Management: 375; Communication and Veterinary Professional Support Services: 375), 6 full-length timed mock exams of 170 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 American Association of Veterinary State Boards (AAVSB) before you book. AVEVetExam is not affiliated with AVBC or any veterinary registration board.

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