By examining only the external organs a veterinarian won’t have a full understanding of your pet’s health. Endoscopy is a way to explore your pet’s insides without surgery. When your pet is showing signs of illness like weight loss, vomiting or diarrhea, endoscopy is one of the exams we can use to diagnose them. To learn more about the procedure, please call us at 604-856-7707.

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What is endoscopy in pets?

Endoscopy is a procedure used to examine the inside of your pet. It is less invasive and is used to gain more information about your pet’s internal organs to avoid invasive surgery. The veterinarian uses a flexible tube (endoscope) that has a tiny camera attached to it. The tube enters their body through the mouth and passes the esophagus to examine the lungs, stomach, colon or urinary bladder. The procedure is painless, but it can be unsettling for pets, so we administer anesthesia.

How do I prepare my pet for the procedure?

To ensure nothing is blocking the view, your pet needs to fast for approximately 12 hours before the exam. Having food in the stomach or feces in the intestines can obstruct the view and prevent us from making an accurate assessment. To clean your pet’s body of waste, we may recommend oral medications or perform an enema to remove stool.

When is endoscopy practical in pets?

Endoscopy is recommended when there is no explanation for why your pet is showing signs of illness or pain. Sometimes diagnostic testing like blood tests or ultrasounds and X-rays will come back normal when something is amiss with your pet – that’s when we recommend endoscopic exams. With this procedure, our team can identify abnormal swelling, foreign objects, scarring or inflammation.

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