What is endoscopy?

Endoscopy services at Vet24

We are proud to be able to offer a range of minimally-invasive endoscopy techniques here at Vet 24, using our high-definition Olympus endoscopes integrated to a 190 Video System which uses cutting-edge technology for unsurpassable visualization. We have endoscopes of varying length and diameter which allow us to perform internal examinations in small cats up to the largest of dogs!

Our hospital team is available for urgent procedures such as endoscopic oesophageal or gastric foreign body removal, and our Internal Medicine clinician, Dr Janine Stone, is experienced in a variety of endoscopic procedures and able to also offer the following:

Upper gastrointestinal endoscopy:

Invaluable for patients with signs of regurgitation, vomiting, diarrhoea or weight loss, flexible     video-endoscopes are used to examine the oesophagus, stomach and duodenum for the presence of oesophageal abnormalities, hiatal hernia, ulcers, foreign bodies, structural abnormalities (such as pyloric hypertrophy) or growths. Narrow-band imaging (NBI) capability enhances the visibility and differentiation between healthy and abnormal tissue, which can help target biopsy samples. A feeding tube (PEG tube) may be placed into the stomach under endoscopic guidance to allow delivery of nutrition and a speedier recovery for those patients unable or unwilling to eat for a period of time.

Lower gastrointestinal endoscopy:

A colonoscopy (+/- examination of the ileum, the lower portion of the small intestine) is recommended for patients with chronic diarrhoea or rectal bleeding. Biopsies may be taken and, in some instances, small polyps may be removed. 

Nasopharyngoscopy and rhinoscopy:

A combination of flexible and rigid endoscopes may be used to examine the nasal cavity and nasopharynx for patients with signs of nasal disease and reverse sneezing. Foreign body removal, biopsy of mass lesions or sampling for suspected fungal or chronic inflammatory rhinitis are facilitated using this approach.

Tracheobronchoscopy:

A small diameter flexible scope allows for complete examination of the upper and lower airways, and our new URF-V scope is of such small diameter (3.2mm) that it can be used to examine the bronchi and allow targeted bronchoalveolar lavage (BAL) even in small dogs and cats. Tracheobronchoscopy also allows dynamic airway assessment for the diagnosis of airway collapse, and bronchial foreign body removal in certain patients.

Introducing the URF-V uretero-reno videoscope

The URF-V flexible video ureteroscope delivers the highest quality, bright, color-consistent images as well as Narrow Band Imaging (NBI) that enhances visibility of vascular structures. These scopes are used in humans to access the ureters and kidneys to allow laser-assisted urinary stone removal. This makes the URF-V perfect for procedures in dogs and cats where a small, sterile scope with excellent visibility is required, such as tracheobronchoscopy and urogenital studies in larger male dogs.