Small Animal and Equine Medicine, Dentistry and Surgery
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Small Animal and Equine Medicine, Dentistry and Surgery |
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Endoscopy Endoscopy utilizes a flexible fiber optic instrument to visualize in real time the anatomy and structural pathology of a variety of organ systems in the dog and cat. Usually this involves sedation or general anesthesia of the patient. Small Animal Applications Gastroscopy is particularly useful for aiding in the diagnosis of vomiting. The endoscope is passed into the stomach where the contents (such as a swallowed foreign body) and the stomach lining can be readily visualized. Foreign bodies, such as swallowed toys, can sometimes be retrieved using a grasping device attachment. Stomach ulcers can be seen and suspected cancerous growths can be biopsied. Colonoscopy is an important tool for determining the cause of rectal bleeding and for obtaining biopsies of the rectum or colon in certain types of chronic (large bowel) diarrhea. Bronchoscopy allows visualization of the pharynx, larynx and internal (lumenal) aspect of the trachea and bronchi. Equine Applications Upper respiratory Endoscopy is particularly useful in the horse in the investigation of abnormal respiratory noise, nasal discharge and cough. The endoscopic examination of the upper airway is frequently requested as part of a prepurchase examination. The urinary bladder and uterus are also readily accessible to endoscopic examination. Recently, the availability of three meter endoscopes has made gastroscopy in the horse possible. This has greatly increased our ability to diagnose and treat gastric ulcers in the horse. |
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Last modified: March 13, 2000 |