Common Diseases in Cats and Dogs and the Application of Endoscopy

I. What is a Veterinary Endoscope?

A Veterinary Endoscope is a medical device that enters the animal body cavity through a slender, flexible, or rigid tube. It is equipped with a high-definition camera and light source at the end, which can transmit real-time images from inside the body to a screen.

In modern small animal medicine, the Portable Veterinary Endoscope is becoming increasingly popular due to its lightweight portability and complete functions, suitable for clinical diagnosis and treatment of pets such as cats and dogs as well as large animals.

Compared with traditional open surgery, the advantages of endoscopy are:

• ▪️Minimally invasive: Enters the body through natural cavities, without large incisions.
• ▪️Direct visualization: Doctors can directly observe the tissue surface, avoiding blind operations.
• ▪️Diagnosis and treatment combined: Biopsy, foreign body removal, or minimally invasive surgery can be performed while observing.
• ▪️Portability: Easy to carry, suitable for outpatient, emergency, and home visits.

II. Common Diseases in Cats and Dogs Diagnosed and Treated with Endoscopy

1. Digestive System Diseases

Digestive tract problems are the most common application scenarios for endoscopy in cats and dogs.

Gastrointestinal foreign bodies
🐶 Dogs love to chew toys and swallow bones; 🐱 Cats often swallow strings.
▪️ The endoscope can directly enter the esophagus or stomach to remove foreign bodies, avoiding laparotomy.
Case: A Labrador swallowed a rubber ball, which was successfully removed with endoscopic forceps. The dog could eat again the next day.

Chronic vomiting/diarrhea
▪️ Endoscopic biopsy of the stomach and small intestine helps diagnose inflammatory bowel disease (IBD), parasitic infections, or early tumors.

Gastric ulcer and gastritis
▪️ The endoscope can detect gastric mucosal bleeding and erosion, and perform hemostasis if necessary.

2. Respiratory System Diseases

Nasal foreign bodies (such as grass seeds, wood chips)
▪️ Especially common in cats sneezing constantly, foreign bodies often get stuck in the nasal cavity. Endoscopy can reach the deep nasal cavity and safely remove them.

Chronic rhinitis and nasal polyps
▪️ Endoscopy clearly observes the nasal mucosa and assists in polyp removal.

Tracheal and bronchial problems
▪️ For pets with chronic coughing, the endoscope can enter the trachea and bronchi for tracheal lavage, collecting secretions for pathogen detection.

3. Ear Diseases

The structure of cat and dog ear canals is complex, and deep lesions are often invisible to the naked eye.

Ear canal foreign bodies
▪️ Such as grass seeds and ticks, which can be magnified and precisely removed with an endoscope.

Chronic otitis externa and otitis media
▪️ The endoscope helps clean purulent secretions and infuse drugs under direct vision.

Case: A Golden Retriever with recurrent ear infections was examined with a video otoscope, which revealed cotton-like foreign material deep in the canal. After removal, the symptoms improved quickly.

4. Urinary System Diseases

Bladder stones
▪️ The endoscope can enter the bladder to observe the size and distribution of stones, and in some cases assist in fragmentation or removal.

Urethral obstruction
▪️ Male cats often suffer from urethral stricture or crystal blockage, leading to difficulty urinating. The endoscope helps locate the obstruction and assists catheterization or dilation.

5. Reproductive System Diseases

Pyometra (common in female dogs/cats)
▪️ Endoscopy is used for diagnosis and preoperative evaluation to avoid misdiagnosis.

Male dog infertility
▪️ The endoscope can examine the vas deferens and prostate to find causes such as obstruction or inflammation.

III. Why Choose a Portable Veterinary Endoscope

Compared with traditional bulky endoscopes, the Portable Veterinary Endoscope offers more advantages:

• ▪️Lightweight and easy to carry: Weighs only a few hundred grams, can be operated with one hand, suitable for home visits or field diagnosis.
• ▪️Multi-function integration: Equipped with air insufflation, irrigation, suction, biopsy, and recording functions.
• ▪️Flexible compatibility: Can be connected to mobile phones, tablets, or monitors, with instant image capture and storage.
• ▪️Omnidirectional bending: 360° control, suitable for complex anatomical structures.
• ▪️Wide range of applications: Applicable to gastrointestinal, ENT, urinary, and reproductive system examinations in both pets and large animals.

IV. Conclusion

For cats and dogs, endoscopy is not only a diagnostic tool but also a treatment method that reduces trauma and improves animal welfare. With the increasing popularity of the Portable Veterinary Endoscope, more pet hospitals and clinics can carry out minimally invasive diagnosis and treatment, allowing animals to receive more accurate and gentle care.

JeetVet, as a professional manufacturer of portable veterinary endoscopes, is continuously promoting the popularization and application of this technology, providing reliable tools for veterinarians and contributing to animal health.