Name _________________
VME 5110A, Endocrinology Practice Exam
October 23, 2014
1. Which of the following is/are true?
(a) Acromegaly can lead to development of insulin-dependent diabetes mellitus.
(b) Adrenalectomy is the treatment of choice for primary adrenocortical tumors.
(c) Cretinism is hypothyroidism occurring during adulthood
(d) a and b
(e) all of the above
2. Which of these animals is the most likely to spontaneously recover?
(a) Dog with diabetes mellitus
(b) Cat with a pheochromocytoma
(c) Hyperthyroid cat
(d) Cat with diabetes mellitus
(e) Dog with panhypopituitarism
3. Steroid hormones…
(a) are stored and secreted on demand.
(b) travel as free molecules (not bound to any protein or other carrier) through the blood.
(c) are produced by cells with abundant RER.
(d) bind to intracellular receptors in target cells and then the hormone-receptor complex
binds directly to the DNA.
(e) a and d
4. Which statement is true?
(a) DHEA can be converted to a potent glucocorticoid in the circulation.
(b) Radioactive iodine would be an appropriate treatment for hypothyroidism.
(c) Some types of diabetes mellitus do not (at least initially) involve a lack of insulin
(d) Right before a big exam, vet students will have low levels of epinephrine in the blood due
to stress.
(e) Diabetes mellitus is often seen in young dogs
5. Which of the following is/are true regarding the StAR protein?
(a) Facilitates transport of cholesterol across the mitochondrial membrane
(b) Found in Leydig cells
(c) Stimulated by LH
(d) all of the above are true
(e) none of the above are true
6. Which of the following is true about insulin?
(a) Porcine insulin is not effective in dogs.
(b) Insulin causes glycogen catabolism in the liver.
(c) Insulin is secreted in response to low amino acid levels in the blood.
(d) Production of insulin can be inhibited by somatostatin.
(e) none of the above
7. What is a goiter?
(a) enlargement of the thyroid gland
(b) enlargement of the adrenal due to Addison’s disease
(c) enlargement of the pituitary as a secondary result of hyperthyroidism
(d) a compound use to treat hyperthyroidism
8. Mrs. Miller from down the street has called in saying that she thinks her female Dachshund
Fluffy has developed diabetes mellitus. Which of the following symptoms might you see?
(a) glycosuria
(b) polyuria / polydypsia
(c) hyperphagia
(d) a and b
(e) all of the above
9. In which of the following conditions might you see alopecia as a symptom?
(a) Growth hormone imbalance
(b) Thyroid hormone imbalance
(c) Glucocorticoid imbalance
(d) a and c
(e) all of the above
10. Which of the following are not pulsatile?
(a) LH
(b) oxytocin
(c) testosterone
(d) GnRH
(e) none of the above are pulsatile
11. Fluffy is a 5 year old unspayed female golden retriever showing signs of body weight gain,
lethargy, decreased estrous cycling, and alopecia. Blood T4 levels are low but increase
sharply following injection with TSH. However, T4 remains low following injection of TRH.
Which of the following disorders would you consider to be most likely?
(a) primary hypothyroidism
(b) secondary hypothyroidism
(c) tertiary hypothyroidism
(d) cretinism
(e) terminal liver failure
12. Which of the following is stimulated by luteinizing hormone (LH)?
(a) testosterone production by the Leydig cells of the male
(b) GH release
(c) CRH production by the hypothalamus
(d) all of the above are stimulated by LH
13. Growth hormone causes ________ to decrease.
(a) glucose uptake by muscle and fat
(b) blood glucose
(c) insulin resistance
(d) lipolysis
(e) all of the above
14. Long-term exogenous glucocorticoid administration would be an appropriate treatment for…
(a) primary hyperadrenocorticism
(b) secondary hypoadrenocorticism
(c) iatrogenic hypoadrenocorticism
(d) all of the above
(e) none of the above – glucocorticoids are potentially dangerous drugs and should never be
used as a long-term treatment.
15. In conditions of stress, you would expect to see high levels of which hormone(s)?
(a) cortisol
(b) GnRH
(c) epinephrine
(d) a and c
(e) all of the above
16. Which of the following hormones show marked diurnal
variations?
(a) follicle stimulating hormone
(b) growth hormone
(c) cortisol
(d) b and c
(e) all of the above
17. Fluffy the 8-year-old cat is not looking good. Her weight is normal, but the cartilage and
bone in her ears, nose and jaw seem to be enlarged and, and she is mildly hyperglycemic.
Fluffy has:
(a) developmental hypersecretion of growth hormone
(b) acromegaly
(c) panhypopituitarism (dwarfism)
(d) adult-onset growth hormone deficiency
18. Which of the following is true about catecholamines?
(a) Epinephrine is the major regulator because there is more of it.
(b) Epinephrine is the major regulator because it is the only active catecholamine.
(c) Norepinephrine is the major regulator because there is more of it.
(d) Norepinephrine is the major regulator because it is the more active form.
(e) Epinephrine and norepinephrine are not catecholamines.
19. Catecholamines…
(a) are produced from the amino acid tryptophan.
(b) are stored in membrane-bound granules.
(c) cause vasodilation in all blood vessels of the body.
(d) Take 2-3 minutes to be released from the time of stimulation.
(e) none of the above
20. BPH is a significant clinical problem in:
(a) cats
(b) dogs
(c) humans
(d) b and c
(e) all of the above
21. Fluffy the dog has been diagnosed with a chromaffin cell tumor (pheochromocytoma),
leading to excessive production of epinephrine. Which of the following symptoms would
you not expect?
(a) dilated pupils
(b) decreased intestinal motility
(c) catabolism of muscle tissue
(d) increased fat deposition
(e) all of the above.
22. Which of the following is/are necessary for normal growth?
(a) growth hormone
(b) epinephrine
(c) thyroxine
(d) a and c
(e) all of the above are necessary for growth
23. Prolactin…
(a) is essential for bone growth
(b) is inhibited by dopamine.
(c) is not present in males.
(d) stimulates milk letdown from the mammary glands.
(e) all of the above
24. Injections of epinephrine would cause increases in blood glucose (TRUE/FALSE)
(a) True
(b) False
25. Which statement regarding parathyroid hormone (PTH) is correct?
(a) “Parathyroid hormone” is the same as “parathormone.”
(b) Hyperparathyroidism can result from tumors or adenomas of the parathyroid.
(c) High blood Ca2+ decreases PTH production.
(d) Calcitriol inhibits PTH production of PTH
(e) All of the above are correct
26. Fluffy the cat’s blood work is not looking so great. Her calcium levels are normal or just a
bit depressed, she seems to have mild osteoporosis, and her PTH is high. Fluffy has:
(a) primary hyperparathyroidism
(b) secondary hyperparathyroidism
(c) hypervitaminosis D
(d) hypercalcemia resulting from a malignancy
(e) not enough information to say
27. Which of the following are true?
(a) T3 is the more active form. T3 is present in higher levels in the blood.
(b) T3 is the more active form. T4 is present in higher levels in the blood.
(c) T4 is the more active form. T3 is present in higher levels in the blood.
(d) T4 is the more active form. T4 is present in higher levels in the blood.
(e) The only important thyroid hormone is T57.
28. Which of the following is true?
(a) Cretinism is developmental hyperthyroidism.
(b) Primary hypothyroidism is less common than the secondary or tertiary forms.
(c) Older cats are more likely to develop hyperthyroidism than younger dogs.
(d) Animals with hypothyroidism are likely to exhibit bulging of the eyes.
(e) none of the above
29. The following hormone(s) is/are produced by adipose tissue:
(a) leptin
(b) ghrelin
(c) cortisol
(d) a and b are correct
(e) a, b and c are correct
30. Thyroid hormone deficiency in a puppy would lead to
(a) fruity-smelling breath (a sign of ketosis)
(b) increased GH
(c) increased fat mobilization
(d) impaired growth
(e) all of the above
31. Which is false?
(a) Hypoadrenocorticism is uncommon in dogs and even rarer in cats.
(b) Hydrocortisone cream is topically effective at relieving inflammation because it contains
glucocorticoids.
(c) Inadequate secretion of aldosterone by the neurohypophysis is the major cause of
diabetes insipidus.
(d) Adipose tissue is regulated by many hormones.
(e) c and d
32. Glucophage is a drug used to increase the sensitivity of peripheral insulin receptors. In
which species is Glucophage likely to be a more effective treatment?
(a) cats, because dogs will show allergic reactions to these drugs
(b) cats, because diabetic dogs rarely have many pancreatic B cells remaining.
(c) dogs, because cats rarely suffer from NIDDM.
(d) dogs, because diabetic cats rarely have many pancreatic B cells remaining.
(e) None of the above
33. Which is false?
(a) ADH is produced in the hypothalamus.
(b) Oxytocin stimulates uterine contractions.
(c) Hyperprolactinemia could result from deficient production of dopamine by the
hypothalamus.
(d) Postparturient paresis (milk fever) is characterized by elevated blood calcium.
(e) b and d
34. Inhibition of the enzyme 1-hydroxylase in the kidney would likely lead to…
(a) increased absorption of calcium by the intestinal tract.
(b) increased calcitriol production.
(c) decreased intestinal calcium absorption.
(d) increased calcification of bone.
(e) none of the above.
35. Which of the following would NEVER measure serum cortisol in their patients?
(a) small animal veterinarians
(b) large animal veterinarians
(c) lab animal (rats + mice) veterinarians
(d) human doctors
36. Which is true about glucocorticoid induced glucose “sparing?”
(a) “Glucose sparing” is necessary because above all else, it is important that glucose be
available for proper liver function.
(b) “Glucose sparing” is necessary to insure an adequate supply of fuel for muscle
(c) “Glucose sparing” is necessary because the brain is an obligatory user of glucose and low
glucose levels will lead to unconsciousness and death
(d) all of the above
37. Calcitonin…
(a) decreases renal tubular reabsorption of calcium.
(b) increases bone breakdown
(c) is produced by the parathyroid gland
(d) stimulates calcitriol production.
(e) a and c are both correct
38. Which of the following have effects on adipose tissue?
(a) insulin
(b) glucagon
(c) epinephrine
(d) a and b
(e) all of the above
39. Thyroid hormones…
(a) are derived from cholesterol precursors.
(b) act through only one type of receptor.
(c) act via membrane-bound receptors.
(d) feed back negatively on the hypothalamus and anterior pituitary.
(e) none of the above
40. Fluffy the poodle has never seen a veterinarian before but is showing signs of PU/PD,
polyphagia, muscle weakness, lethargy, and distended abdomen. Blood tests show high
glucose, high cortisol, low CRH, and high ACTH. Which of the following conditions do you
expect that Fluffy has?
(a) hypothyroidism
(b) primary adrenocortical tumor
(c) pituitary-dependent hyperadrenocorticism (PDH)
(d) iatrogenic Cushings
(e) tummy-ache
41. Fluffy the female cat suffers from the rare “Mullerian-ducts-are-goners” syndrome, where the
animal does not develop Mullerian ducts. What organ(s) would Fluffy be missing in
adulthood?
(a) Ovary
(b) Uterus
(c) Mammary glands
(d) Epididymis
(e) both b and c are correct.
42. “Killer” the male Basset hound suffers from the rare “Sertoli-no-go-ee” syndrome, where the
animal does not develop Sertoli cells during reproductive tract development. What organ(s)
would Killer HAVE in adulthood that his NORMAL male littermate “Bruiser” would not?
(a) Ovary
(b) Uterus
(c) Testis
(d) Epididymis
43. “Tiny” the male St. Bernard Basset suffers from a genetic mutation in his androgen receptor
that renders it totally non-functional. What do you think happened to Tiny’s Wolffian duct
during development?
(a) formed an ovary
(b) formed a uterus
(c) degenerated and didn’t form anything
(d) formed a prostate
44. What would Tiny’s external genitalia look like? (I just mentioned this in passing, but you
should be able to figure it out)
(a) Typical male
(b) Atrophic male external genitals
(c) Typical female
(d) No external genital structures of any type present.
45. You go for a relaxing weekend at your classmate’s farm. You ride Stanley the stallion, and
he throws you off, then kicks you in the head. As you stagger back through the pasture, Bob
the bull charges and gores you. As you almost get back to the house, Phil, a male Lowland
Silverback gorilla, chases you for 300 yds, screaming at the top of his lungs (your
classmate’s farm is in Central Africa). From this experience, you conclude that:
(a) Androgens stimulate male aggressive behavior
(b) Anything can happen in these questions
(c) It is better to study over the weekend than try to go off and do something fun
(d) a, b and c are all correct