Gastrointestinal Fiberscopy in dogs: A review

Abstract

Endoscopy is one of the most diagnostically useful tools available in small animal medicine. The word Endoscopy is derived from the Greek word “Endo” meaning “inside” and “Skopeein” meaning “to see”. Endoscopes are of two types rigid and flexible. Endoscopes and related equipment should be cleaned and decontaminated immediately after use, following manufacturers' written instructions. As compare to radiology and ultrasonography, endoscopy has a greater advantage for the physician to give a possibility to analyze tissue and moreover take a biopsy sample from the organ under investigation. It is curative in the case of digestive foreign bodies. Definitive diagnosis of chronic gastric pathology, gastric tumor or chronic intestinal disorders would have been impossible without the use of endoscopy. Apart from this diagnosis of gastric ulcers and hemorrhagic gastritis might be diagnose on the basic of clinical examination, but the characterization of lesions and it’s extent could be properly diagnosed by endoscopy. Colorectal carcinoma needs also endoscopic examination for a definitive diagnosis. Endoscopes and their accessories should be cleaned and processed according to the manufacturers specific instructions.