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Endoscopic Scopes for Animals: What Every Pet Owner Should Know
Created on 10.20
When your dog has swallowed something it was not supposed to, or your cat has been having stomach problems for weeks, your vet may recommend something called an endoscopic scope.
Sounds high-tech, right? It is. However, do not panic, we will tell you what it is.
This device allows vets to view inside the body of your pet without surgery. It is able to identify issues, assist in treatment and even eliminate hazardous items all by using a small camera and a flexible tube.
What Is an Endoscopic Scope?
An endoscopic scope (or simply endoscope) is a small, flexible pipe with an inbuilt small camera and a light at the end. It is designed to be inserted into the body of your pet gently by mouth, nose, or any other natural opening so that you can see inside in real time.
These scopes are typically used by the medical profession and in veterinary medicine they are modified to suit the size and shape of an animal. The idea is to provide a real time view inside the stomach, lungs, colon or bladder of your pet without cutting anything open.
Why Vets Use It, and Not Surgery
Think of this; your dog has been vomiting the last few days. Your veterinarian is assuming that there is something in the stomach that may be a toy, or a bone. Rather than doing surgery (where you have to open the abdomen), your vet can place your pet under sedation, then run the endoscope through the mouth and view the object on a screen.
That is why endoscopy is referred to as a minimally invasive tool. It uses no giant incisions, is less risky and produces quick results.
What Does It Show Inside the Body?
They take real-time, high-resolution, color photos of the organs of your pet. This lets your vet:
- Spot inflammation, ulcers, tumors or foreign bodies.
- Sample (biopsy) tissues.
- Look at bleeding, obstructions or excesses.
- Monitor the progress of chronic illness such as inflammatory bowel disease.
How Do Vets Use Endoscopy in Practice?
When your vet suggests that you undergo endoscopy, you may be wondering what goes on behind the scenes. I will take you step by step through the complete process, so you know what to expect.
Step 1: Your Pet is Checked and Prepared
Your vet will undertake physical examination and perhaps some blood tests before anything is done to ensure that your pet is well enough to undergo sedation. It is normal and nothing can go wrong.
Then, depending on what is being examined, such as chronic vomiting or difficulty urinating, your vet will choose which type of endoscope to use and where it should enter (mouth, nose, urethra, etc.).
Your pet might have to starve a few hours ahead of time, particularly when the stomach is at stake.
Step 2: Anesthesia or Sedation is Administered
Your pet will be lightly sedated or completely anesthetized to make things stress-free and still. This ensures that they remain relaxed, do not experience discomfort and do not move during the process.
Sedation is well tolerated by most animals and your veterinarian will watch the breathing, heart rate, and temperature of the animal throughout the process.
Step 3: The Scope Is Gently Inserted
After making your pet very relaxed, the vet will carefully insert the thin, flexible endoscope into the body of your pet. The direction it takes is determined by what must be investigated:
- In case of problems with the digestive system, it passes through the mouth and the stomach.
- In case of any breathing difficulties, it is inserted in the nose or windpipe.
- When the problem is regarding the urination or the bladder, the scope passes through the urethra.
It may sound serious but the extent is configured to move softly through the body without any harm. No cutting, no stitches, no outside wounds.
Step 4: Real-Time Images are Taken
The small camera at its end transmits a live video stream to one of the monitors as the scope moves around within. Your vet is also monitoring the screen attentively, with an eye on anything out of the ordinary, such as redness, swelling, ulcers, bleeding, tumors, or other things that are not supposed to be present there.
Step 5: Treatment or Sampling (Where Necessary)
When your vet notices something suspicious, then they can take immediate action through the use of small tools by inserting them into the scope.
💡As an example, say your dog has swallowed a part of a tennis ball, the vet can easily grab and remove it without surgery. In case they notice an area that appears inflamed or abnormal, then they can take a tissue sample (biopsy) to be analyzed by the lab.
It implies that you can get a diagnosis and treatment in one session.
Step 6: Recovery and Going Home
Then, once the procedure is complete, your pet is taken to a warm, quiet recovery room where the sedation wears off. The majority of animals are up in 30 to 60 minutes and returned to the house on the same day. There are no cuts, so no wound care is necessary, and healing is normally quick.
Other pets may be a bit dawsy or sore throated as the scope may have been through the mouth but this can pass in less than a day. Your vet will provide you with easy to follow care instructions and inform you when your test results (assuming there are any) will be available.
When and Why Is Endoscopy Used in Animals?
Endoscopy isn’t something a vet uses casually, it’s a tool for when your pet needs real answers. Let’s break down exactly when and why this method is chosen, and how it can make a real difference in your animal’s health.
Chronic Vomiting or Digestive Issues
If your dog or cat keeps vomiting or has ongoing diarrhea, your vet might suspect something like inflammatory bowel disease (IBD), ulcers, or even early-stage cancer.
Endoscopy helps by giving a clear, up-close look inside the stomach or intestines, and allows for precise biopsies to be taken, all without needing open surgery.
🟢 We’ve seen countless cases where pets went through weeks of trial-and-error with medications or diet changes. Endoscopy helped cut through the guesswork and gave vets the answers they needed, fast.
⚡Pro Tip: If your pet has had gastrointestinal symptoms for more than two weeks without improvement, it might be time to explore this option.
Foreign Object Removal
This is one of the most common emergency uses for an endoscope. Whether it’s a swallowed sock, string, bone fragment, or toy, pets get into things they shouldn’t.
Instead of opening the abdomen, your vet can use an endoscope to locate and remove the object through the mouth or rectum, depending on where it’s stuck. We’ve helped vets treat cases where the animal was able to return home the same day.
⚡Pro Tip: Always act quickly. The sooner a swallowed object is removed, the safer it is for your pet.
Persistent Sneezing or Nasal Runny Nose
Endoscopy does not always mean the digestive tract. Your vet can also look inside the airways and the nostrils with the right tools to determine the presence of polyps, tumors, or fungus. Such problems are difficult to detect using routine imaging, particularly in cats.
The vets can use a rhinoscope to enter through the nostrils and have a live picture of the issue, which they can often treat right there, particularly when it involves a foreign object such as grass or debris.
Urinary Tract Problems
In case of difficulty in urine passing, blood in the urine, and recurrent infections of your pet, the bladder and urethra may also be studied with the help of endoscopy. A cystoscope can be used by your vet to locate bladder stones, inflammation or even tumors that would otherwise be undetected by other imaging.
We have observed this particularly in female dogs where some problems are more readily visualized and treated by direct endoscopy.
Early Disease Detection
Sometimes, the signs are vague, a bit of weight loss, low energy, or changes in appetite. Endoscopy can help detect hidden conditions like cancer, ulcers, or infection before they escalate. This kind of early intervention can make all the difference in long-term treatment and recovery.
Types of Veterinary Endoscopic Scopes
There isn’t just one type of endoscope for every situation. Vets choose from several kinds depending on your pet’s symptoms and what part of the body needs to be explored.
Here's a simple breakdown:
Scope Type | Used For | When Vets Use It |
Gastroscope | Stomach and upper intestines | For vomiting, suspected foreign bodies, ulcers, or inflammation in the digestive tract. |
Colonoscope | Colon and large intestine | To explore chronic diarrhea, bloody stools, or screen for polyps and tumors. |
Bronchoscope | Trachea and lungs | When your pet has chronic coughing, breathing issues, or possible lung infection. |
Rhinoscope | Nasal passages and sinuses | For sneezing, nasal discharge, or when there might be a foreign object or growth. |
Cystoscope | Bladder and urinary tract | To check for stones, inflammation, or structural issues in pets with urination problems. |
Otoscope | Ears (canal and eardrum) | Used to inspect for chronic ear infections, masses, or mites not visible from outside. |
Laparoscope | Abdominal cavity (through incision) | Sometimes used for spays, biopsies, or when a vet needs a wide internal view with minimal surgery. |
If your clinic is already using modern veterinary scopes like these, that’s a great sign.
🟢 And if they're using Reescope equipment, you can trust that these tools are designed with vets and animals in mind, lightweight, accurate, and built for the specific needs of both small and large animals.
Final Thoughts
Endoscopy provides vets with a safe, minimally invasive means of having a look inside and operate quickly. It is often the instrument that can relieve faster and prevent unneeded surgery. In case it is available in your clinic, inquire on how it would benefit your pet.
🟢 At Reescope, we are specialized in designing veterinary-specific scopes that help deliver real results in real moments. We think each animal needs to be treated with accuracy, sensitivity, and equipment. Your questions matter. And the proper equipment can supply the answers your pet needs.
❓Frequently Asked Questions❓
What is endoscopy in a veterinary?
Veterinary endoscopy is a less invasive type of procedure in which a vet inserts a camera-equipped scope into the body of an animal. It can be used to diagnose or treat problems without necessarily major surgery.
Can you scope a dog's stomach?
Yes, vets can use a gastroscope via the mouth to look inside a dog esophagus, stomach and upper part of the intestines. They are common with chronic vomiting, suspected ulcers or removal of foreign objects.
What is the price of a veterinary endoscope?
Most endoscopes used in veterinary practice cost between $500 and $10000, though prices are variable and depend on functionality, size and video resolution. The entry-level or basic models are cheaper, and the more complex systems containing accessories are costly.
What is the procedure of establishing any endoscope in veterinary?
Preparation typically requires connecting the scope to a light source, camera processor and monitor and calibrating the image.
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