Pet Endoscopy, Rhinoscopy & Bronchoscopy

What is endoscopy for pets?

Endoscopy uses a small camera to look inside your pet’s body. Depending on your pet’s symptoms, this may involve examining the digestive tract, nasal passages, throat, airways or lungs.

Endoscopy may help us:

• Investigate chronic vomiting, diarrhoea or weight loss
• Examine the oesophagus, stomach and upper intestines
• Retrieve some swallowed foreign objects without major surgery
• Collect biopsies from abnormal tissue
• Investigate chronic coughing or breathing problems
• Examine the nasal passages in pets with ongoing sneezing or discharge
• Look for inflammation, infection, polyps, masses or other abnormalities

For many pets, endoscopy provides important answers without the need for more invasive exploratory surgery.

When might my dog or cat need an endoscopy?

Your pet may need an endoscopy if they have symptoms that are ongoing, unexplained or not responding as expected to treatment.

Endoscopy may be recommended for pets with:

• Chronic vomiting
• Ongoing diarrhoea
• Unexplained weight loss
• Suspected inflammatory bowel disease
• Suspected ulcers or gastrointestinal inflammation
• A swallowed object that may be retrievable
• Persistent coughing
• Noisy breathing or airway concerns
• Ongoing nasal discharge or sneezing
• Suspected nasal foreign body, such as a grass seed
• Suspected masses, polyps or abnormal tissue

Your vet will assess your pet’s symptoms, history and any previous test results before recommending whether endoscopy is the right next step.

Endoscopy for swallowed objects and foreign body removal

Some swallowed objects can be removed using endoscopy before they move further into the digestive tract and cause a blockage.

This may include items such as small toys, pieces of bone, fabric, grass seeds or other objects that are still reachable with the endoscope. If suitable, endoscopic retrieval can help avoid major abdominal surgery and reduce recovery time.

However, not every foreign object can be removed this way. The best approach depends on what your pet swallowed, where it is, how long ago it happened and whether there are signs of obstruction or damage.

If your pet has swallowed something, call us straight away for advice.

Gastrointestinal endoscopy for vomiting, diarrhoea and weight loss

Gastrointestinal endoscopy allows us to examine parts of the digestive tract, including the oesophagus, stomach and upper intestine.

It may be used to investigate:

• Chronic vomiting
• Chronic diarrhoea
• Weight loss
• Suspected inflammatory bowel disease
• Gastrointestinal ulcers
• Stomach or intestinal inflammation
• Suspected masses or abnormal tissue
• Foreign objects in the stomach or oesophagus

During the procedure, we can often collect small biopsy samples to help diagnose inflammation, infection, cancer or other gastrointestinal disease.

Rhinoscopy for nasal discharge, sneezing and breathing noise

Rhinoscopy uses a small camera to examine the nasal passages and back of the nose.

It may be recommended if your pet has:

• Chronic sneezing
• Persistent nasal discharge
• One-sided nasal discharge
• Noisy breathing through the nose
• Nosebleeds
• Suspected grass seed or nasal foreign body
• Suspected nasal polyps, tumours or fungal disease

Rhinoscopy helps us see areas that cannot be properly assessed from the outside and can be very useful when nasal symptoms do not settle with standard treatment.

Bronchoscopy for coughing and airway problems

Bronchoscopy allows us to examine the throat, trachea and lower airways.

It may be used for pets with:

• Chronic coughing
• Wheezing
• Breathing difficulty
• Suspected airway collapse
• Suspected bronchitis or airway inflammation
• Recurrent respiratory infections
• Suspected foreign material in the airway
• Lung or airway abnormalities

In some cases, bronchoscopy also allows us to collect samples from the airways, which can help identify infection, inflammation or other respiratory disease.

What happens during an endoscopic procedure?

Before the procedure, our vet will examine your pet and talk you through why endoscopy is being recommended, what we are looking for, and what results may mean.

Most endoscopic procedures require a general anaesthetic so your pet remains still, comfortable and safe. During the procedure, our vet uses a camera to view the area in real time. Depending on what is found, we may collect biopsies, take samples, or remove a suitable foreign object.

Because there are no large surgical incisions, many pets recover quickly and can go home the same day, depending on the procedure and their overall health.

Is endoscopy less invasive than surgery?

Yes. Endoscopy is often considered minimally invasive because it allows us to see inside the body without making large incisions.

This can mean:

• Less discomfort
• Lower surgical impact
• Faster recovery
• Reduced need for major surgery in suitable cases
• Earlier diagnosis for ongoing symptoms
• The ability to collect samples in a targeted way

Endoscopy is not the right choice for every condition, but when it is suitable, it can be an excellent diagnostic and treatment option.