If you are reading this, you might be frustrated. Perhaps your dog has been vomiting intermittently for months. Maybe your cat is losing weight despite a ravenous appetite, or having chronic diarrhea that medications just haven’t fixed.

When blood tests and X-rays come back “normal,” it can be disheartening. You know something is wrong, but you can’t see it.

At Ormeau Vet, when we need to look closer at the digestive system, we turn to Gastroscopy.

Here is what this procedure involves and how it can finally provide the answers you need.

What is the Difference: Endoscopy vs. Gastroscopy?

It is easy to get the terms mixed up!

• Endoscopy is the general term for using a camera to look inside the body (whether it is the nose, lungs, or bladder).

• Gastroscopy is a specific type of endoscopy. It involves passing the camera down the esophagus (food pipe) to examine the Stomach and the first part of the small intestine (Duodenum).

Sometimes, if a pet has lower bowel issues, we may also perform a Colonoscopy (going in from the other end) during the same anesthetic to check the large intestine.

Why Do We Recommend Gastroscopy?

We usually recommend this procedure when a pet has “Chronic Gastrointestinal Signs.” This isn’t for the dog that ate a bad sausage yesterday; it is for the pet that has been unwell for weeks or months.

We are looking for:

1. Inflammatory Bowel Disease (IBD): Just like humans with Crohn’s or Colitis, pets can develop chronic inflammation in their gut lining that stops them from absorbing nutrients.

2. Ulcers & Erosions: Stomach ulcers are painful and can cause vomiting (sometimes with blood). They are often invisible on ultrasound but obvious on camera.

3. Cancer: We can detect tumors (like Lymphoma or Carcinoma) early, often before they grow large enough to be felt or seen on X-rays.

4. Helicobacter: A specific bacteria that can live in the stomach and cause chronic nausea.

The Power of the “Biopsy”

This is the most important part of the procedure.

When we look inside the stomach, sometimes the tissue looks perfectly normal to the naked eye—pink and healthy. But that doesn’t mean it is healthy.

During a Gastroscopy, we use tiny instruments to take multiple biopsies (pinches of tissue) from the stomach and intestinal lining. We send these to a pathologist who looks at them under a microscope. They can see cellular changes—like microscopic inflammation or early cancer cells—that we can’t see on the camera.

This allows us to diagnose a specific disease and prescribe the specific treatment (e.g., steroids or diet changes) rather than just guessing.

What to Expect: The Client Guide

1. The Fasting (Critical!)

For a Gastroscopy to work, the stomach must be completely empty. Even a tiny amount of food can cover up an ulcer or block the camera lens.

• We usually require a strict 24-hour fast for food (water is usually fine until the morning of).

• If your pet accidentally eats breakfast, please tell us! We will need to reschedule for their safety.

2. The Procedure

Your pet will be under general anesthesia. We place a tube in their airway to protect their lungs. One of our Ormeau vets then navigates the flexible scope down into the stomach. We inflate the stomach slightly with air to smooth out the folds so we can see every inch of the lining.

3. The Recovery

Because we haven’t cut through any muscle or skin, recovery is rapid.

• Your pet may be a little gassy (burping) afterwards due to the air we used.

• They might have a slightly sore throat from the tube.

• Most pets can go home the same afternoon and eat a light dinner.