Equine Endoscopy

Whether you have a horse displaying symptoms of illness or are thinking about purchasing a horse, equine endoscopy can be a highly useful tool in evaluating the horse’s condition, detecting signs of illness, and diagnosing and treating illness. At Adobe Veterinary Center, we’re pleased to provide equine endoscopy services as a part of diagnostics and pre-purchase examinations.

What Is Equine Endoscopy?

An equine endoscopy is a diagnostic procedure that involves performing an endoscopy on a horse. An endoscopy is a procedure that uses a special diagnostic imaging tool called an endoscope to evaluate various parts of a horse’s internal anatomy including the upper respiratory tract, gastrointestinal system, urinary tract, and reproductive system.

With either the use of a fiberoptic endoscope or a video endoscope, endoscopy can also be used to aid with and minimize the incision size necessary for laparoscopic surgical procedures and exploratory surgeries.

When Might a Horse Require an Endoscopy?

Equine endoscopies are used to aid in the diagnosis of disease, during exploratory surgery, and as a visual tool during a variety of surgical procedures. Additionally, endoscopy is commonplace during the sale or transfer of a competitive horse.

What to Expect During an Equine Endoscopy

During an endoscopy, a long tube with a small camera and light on the end is inserted into the horse to capture real-time images, like a movie, of the horse’s internal structures. Depending on the anatomy being imaged, incisions are not always necessary. For example, an endoscopy of the respiratory system or gastrointestinal tract can use natural openings in a horse’s body as access points.

Due to the slightly invasive nature of an endoscopy, these diagnostic procedures are always performed with our patients sedated under general anesthesia both for the safety of the horse and that of our veterinarians.

Following a horse’s endoscopy, our veterinarians will evaluate and discuss our findings with you. Depending on our observations or diagnosis, we will discuss any potential concerns that we might have. Additionally, we might recommend further diagnostic testing while helping you to determine the best course of treatment for a sick horse or action regarding your purchase decision.