Endoscopy

Endoscopy is a procedure performed under general anesthesia in which a fiberoptic camera is inserted into an animal's nose (rhinoscopy), mouth (gastrointestinal endoscopy), airway(bronchoscopy), reproductive, or urinary tract. This camera enables the veterinarian to visualize the inner passageways of the gastrointestinal, respiratory, urinary, or reproductive tracts of an animal. Partial thickness biopsies can be taken through an endoscope that help diagnose a variety of disorders that may not be otherwise detected by routine blood and urine tests, ultrasounds, or x-rays.

Endoscopy can sometimes be an alternative to surgical incision in cases of foreign body ingestion. This type of diagnostic procedure is not available at many veterinary clinics due to high equipment costs and the time and practice it takes for a doctor to become proficient with an endoscope.