Dog & Cat HospitalCalabasas

Patient Education

Endoscopy

Endoscopy lets our team look directly inside your pet's airways, esophagus, stomach, intestines, or colon using a slender camera — obtaining a precise view and tissue samples without the need for open surgery.

Endoscopy is a minimally invasive procedure that uses a flexible or rigid fiberoptic camera (endoscope) to visualize the mucosal lining of internal passages in real time. At Dog & Cat Hospital Calabasas, our endoscopy suite enables rhinoscopy (nasal passages), upper gastrointestinal endoscopy (gastroduodenoscopy — esophagus, stomach, and duodenum), lower gastrointestinal endoscopy (colonoscopy — colon and terminal ileum), and bronchoscopy (airways). Endoscopy allows direct visualization of lesions that imaging alone cannot characterize, directed biopsy of the mucosal lining or masses, and retrieval of foreign bodies from the esophagus and stomach — often avoiding surgical intervention entirely. Chronic vomiting, diarrhea, foreign body ingestion, and unexplained nasal discharge are among the most common indications.

Why It's Recommended

Endoscopy is recommended when imaging and bloodwork suggest gastrointestinal or airway disease but cannot characterize it fully, or when directed tissue sampling is needed for diagnosis:

  • Chronic vomiting or regurgitation — to evaluate the esophagus and stomach for ulcers, masses, polyps, or motility disorders
  • Chronic diarrhea — colonoscopy or upper endoscopy with biopsies to diagnose inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) or intestinal lymphoma
  • Foreign body ingestion — to retrieve objects lodged in the esophagus or stomach endoscopically rather than surgically
  • Unexplained weight loss with normal or equivocal imaging — mucosal biopsies frequently reveal infiltrative disease invisible to ultrasound
  • Nasal discharge that is chronic, bloody, or unresponsive to treatment — rhinoscopy evaluates for nasal tumors, polyps, or foreign bodies
  • Abnormal bronchoscopic findings — visualizing and sampling airway lesions in cats with chronic bronchitis or dogs with suspected tracheal disease

What It Detects

Endoscopy provides direct mucosal visualization and the ability to obtain diagnostic tissue:

  • Gastric and intestinal mucosa: erosions, ulcers, polyps, masses, parasites (such as Physaloptera in cats), and infiltrative disease causing blunted intestinal villi
  • Inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) vs. intestinal lymphoma: biopsies are essential because these conditions look similar on ultrasound but require very different treatment
  • Esophageal disease: strictures (narrowing), hiatal hernia, esophagitis, masses, and foreign bodies
  • Foreign bodies: bones, toys, string (particularly dangerous in cats), and other objects in the esophagus and stomach
  • Nasal disease: fungal plaques (aspergillosis), tumors, foreign bodies (grass awns are a classic finding)
  • Airway disease: tracheal collapse grade, bronchial wall changes in cats with asthma or chronic bronchitis

Is your pet having chronic GI symptoms or did they swallow something?

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How It Works

All endoscopic procedures are performed under general anesthesia to keep the pet completely still, protect the airway, and allow thorough, methodical examination:

  • The endoscope is lubricated and gently passed through the mouth (for GI endoscopy) or nose (rhinoscopy) into the target region
  • Air is insufflated (gently pumped in) to open the lumen and improve visualization
  • The veterinarian advances the scope systematically, examining every region of the mucosa for abnormalities
  • Biopsy forceps, grasping tools, or baskets are passed through the instrument channel of the scope to collect tissue samples or retrieve foreign objects — without any incision
  • For colonoscopy, the scope is passed retrograde through the anus
  • Biopsy specimens are submitted to a veterinary pathologist for histopathology — the definitive diagnostic step

Preparation

Proper preparation is essential for endoscopy and varies by the region being examined:

  • Upper GI (esophagus, stomach, duodenum): no food for 12–16 hours before the procedure; an empty stomach is required for safe visualization and reduces aspiration risk; water may be withheld for 4 hours
  • Colonoscopy: requires bowel preparation — typically a low-residue diet the day before plus a laxative or enema the morning of the procedure; our team will provide specific instructions at scheduling
  • Rhinoscopy and bronchoscopy: standard anesthetic fasting (8–12 hours from food)
  • Pre-anesthetic bloodwork is required before all endoscopic procedures — general anesthesia is used throughout
  • Disclose any medications, particularly non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) and steroids, as these may affect mucosal appearance or biopsy results

What to Expect

Your pet arrives fasted, is anesthetized, and the procedure is completed before they wake — most endoscopic exams take 30–60 minutes, though complex cases or those requiring multiple regions may take longer. Your pet goes home the same day and generally recovers quickly from endoscopy compared to open surgery. The procedure itself leaves no external wound. Tissue biopsies take 3–5 business days to return from the pathologist, at which point our team contacts you with results and a treatment recommendation. For retrieved foreign bodies, the object is shown to owners and the stomach is checked for mucosal injury at the same time.

Is It Safe?

Endoscopy is a very safe procedure when performed under proper anesthesia with appropriate fasting preparation. The main risks are those of general anesthesia itself — minimized by pre-operative bloodwork and continuous monitoring — plus a very small risk of mucosal perforation during biopsy, which is uncommon with standard biopsy forceps in non-friable tissue. Retrieving sharp foreign bodies carries a small risk of esophageal injury during removal, which must be weighed against the risk of leaving a sharp object in place. Full colonoscopic preparation is important: an incompletely prepped colon significantly reduces visualization quality and diagnostic value.

Frequently Asked Questions

1My dog ate a toy — can endoscopy remove it without surgery?
Endoscopy can successfully retrieve many foreign objects from the esophagus and stomach — especially smooth objects like toys, bones, and marbles — without surgery. Objects that have passed into the small intestine are beyond endoscopic reach and usually require surgery or may pass on their own depending on size and shape. We can assess your dog's situation and determine the best approach.
2What is the difference between endoscopy and abdominal ultrasound for GI disease?
Ultrasound evaluates the wall thickness and layering of the GI tract from outside, provides great information about the surrounding organs, and can guide needle biopsies — but it cannot see the mucosal surface or take targeted mucosal biopsies. Endoscopy directly visualizes the mucosal lining and takes biopsies of the inner surface, which is where IBD and intestinal lymphoma are confirmed. They are complementary, not competing, tools.
3Will my cat need general anesthesia for endoscopy?
Yes — endoscopy in cats and dogs always requires general anesthesia. It is not possible to perform a thorough, safe examination of the GI tract in an awake pet, and the airway must be protected throughout to prevent aspiration of fluid or debris.
4How long does pet endoscopy take?
The procedure itself typically takes 30–60 minutes depending on the region examined and what is found. Your pet will be at the hospital for most of the day when accounting for anesthesia induction, the procedure, and recovery. Most pets go home the same afternoon.
5How much does endoscopy cost for a dog or cat?
Cost depends on which region is scoped (upper GI, colon, nasal, airway), whether biopsies are taken (which add pathology fees), and whether a foreign body is retrieved. We provide a written estimate before the procedure. Contact our team for current pricing.
6My cat has had chronic diarrhea for months. Will endoscopy tell us what's wrong?
Endoscopy with mucosal biopsies is frequently the test that provides a definitive diagnosis in cats with chronic diarrhea — particularly differentiating between inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) and small cell lymphoma, two conditions that look nearly identical on ultrasound but require very different treatments. A biopsy result from a pathologist is usually necessary to distinguish them.
7How long does it take to get endoscopy biopsy results?
Biopsy specimens are submitted to a veterinary pathologist and results typically return in 3–5 business days. Our team will call you with the findings and discuss the treatment plan based on the pathologist's report.
8Is nasal endoscopy (rhinoscopy) different from GI endoscopy?
Yes — rhinoscopy uses a small, rigid scope (or a very slender flexible scope) passed into the nasal passages to look for polyps, tumors, fungal plaques, or foreign bodies such as grass awns. It is performed under general anesthesia and takes 20–30 minutes. It is particularly valuable for cats and dogs with chronic unilateral (one-sided) nasal discharge or sneezing that does not respond to antibiotics.

Related

ConditionsVomiting & DiarrheaConditionsForeign Body Ingestion

Is your pet having chronic GI symptoms or did they swallow something?

Endoscopy provides answers that imaging alone often can't — and can sometimes solve the problem in the same procedure. Our team will help you determine if it's the right next step.

Book an Appointment