Interventional Radiology & Endoscopy

What is Interventional Radiology & Endoscopy?

We use real-time or live x-ray and a scope that looks inside your pet’s body to diagnose and treat disease. Our veterinarians have been fortunate to be a part of the limited number to have undergone the extensive training required.

What does Minimally Invasive Mean?

This means your pet’s procedure can be done through natural body openings or smaller surgical openings made in the body.

What is the Advantage for my Animal?

  • Diagnosis and treatment can be performed at the same time
  • Decreased pain
  • Shorter hospitalization times
  • Decreased anesthesia times
  • Decreased recovery time
  • Can be an option for otherwise untreatable disease

Examples of Disease Prevention and Treatment for My Pet

Whether it is due to abnormal position of the bladder, incontinence, polyps, stones, infection, scar tissue, or cancer; your pet may need Interventional treatment to remove them before they become life threatening; causing need for more invasive treatments. Some of the common treated diseases are:

  • Ureteral : the tube that connect the kidney to the bladder to allow urine to drain
  • Urethral: the tube that connects the bladder to the outside world
  • Bladder Stone: where the urine is held until release to the urethral tube and there is blockage preventing full function of the bladder
  • Ectopic Ureters: occurs when the ureter opens in an abnormal position in the bladder or directly into the urethra; caused by abnormal formation in utero
  • Chronic Kidney Disease: caused by a progressive loss of kidney function over time
  • Urinary incontinence: can occur when there is loss in strength and uretral sphincter tone

Inability to urinate, blood in your pet's urine, incontinence, or frequent urination are at home sign of kidney or bladder issues in your pet. Other methods of detection, such as blood work, can be done at your veterinarian's office.

Other Abnormalities that these Non-Invasive procedures can treat:

  • Tracheal collapse: the trachea is the tube that allows air to pass into your lungs from your nose and mouth. Tracheal collapse can occur if the trachea’s cartilage or tissue becomes weak. This can be treated in a non-invasive manner by placing a stent within the trachea to open it back up and allow air to pass. Tracheal foreign bodies and some forms of cancer and inflammation can also be removed in a minimally invasive manner through the scope.
  • Nasopharyngeal stenosis: when the is area that is located above the soft palate, behind the nasal passages, becomes obstructed by scar tissue or cancer. We are able to treat this disease using balloon dilation or stents to open up the nasopharynx. What are some symptoms that my pet may have Nasopharyngeal Stenosis? If your pet has this you may notice nasal discharge and difficulty breathing.
  • Polyps: Polyps are benign (not cancerous), pre-malignant, or malignant (cancerous) growths that can be found in many locations in the body. For gastrointestinal and tracheal polyps, we are now able to remove them in a minimally invasive manner through a scope using a snare, which is specialized tool resembling a lasso. We are now able to remove them in a minimally invasive manner through a scope using a snare, which is specialized tool resembling a lasso.

Meet our Interventional Radiology & Endoscopy Team


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