Endoscopy
What Is an Endoscopy?
An endoscopy is a diagnostic procedure that, in some cases, can eliminate the need for performing exploratory surgery on a pet that is exhibiting emergency symptoms that are commonly associated with a gastrointestinal issue.
During an endoscopy, a veterinarian feeds an endoscope (a narrow tube with a small camera on the end) through a pet’s gastrointestinal system via the mouth in order to view the pet’s internal organs, looking for signs of abnormalities, disease, injury, or blockages.
Why Your Pet Might Need an Endoscopy
Endoscopy can be incredibly useful in aiding the detection and diagnosis of problems involving a pet’s gastrointestinal tract. Endoscopy is not only a powerful diagnostic imaging tool but can also, in some cases, be used to collect tissues for biopsy or to remove an ingested foreign object.
We recommend performing an endoscope on your pet if they exhibit the following symptoms:
- Vomiting
- Diarrhea
- Weight loss
- Loss of appetite
- Difficulty swallowing
- Distended abdomen
We might also perform an endoscopy in the event your pet has ingested a foreign object. To achieve a definitive diagnosis, endoscopy might be used in conjunction with other diagnostic tests such as x-ray, ultrasound, and/or laboratory testing.
What to Expect During an Endoscopy Procedure
For your pet’s safety and comfort, an endoscopy is performed with a pet fully sedated under general anesthesia. Depending on your pet’s medical history and condition, blood tests might be performed before putting your pet under general anesthesia to ensure they are strong and healthy enough to receive and process the anesthetics.
Pets might experience some slight nausea following the procedure, but endoscopies typically result in minimal side effects and do not require many additional care considerations for recovery. Once the endoscopy is complete, we will have your pet recover and wake up from the anesthesia while under our care, and we will discuss our findings and any subsequent treatment recommendations with you as soon as possible.
Advanced Emergency Veterinary Diagnostics in Lakeland, FL
At Veterinary Emergency Triage & Surgery, we have an array of in-house diagnostic tools available to aid in the swift diagnosis and treatment of pets in emergency situations. To learn more about our advanced diagnostic and emergency treatment abilities, we welcome you to contact our office to establish your pet’s care with our emergency provider.
