specialty veterinarian careers winter haven fl

Bronchoscopy for Dogs and Cats in Winter Haven, FL

Bronchoscopy is a technique where we use a flexible endoscope to view, examine, and/or obtain samples from the lower and upper respiratory tracts of dogs and cats. An endoscope is a long tube (which can be flexible or rigid, depending on the procedure) with a camera and light attached to the end. Endoscopes are extremely useful for examining various body cavities and can be a much less invasive alternative to exploratory surgery and surgical biopsy here in Winter Haven.

Have a pet or patient that needs a bronchoscopy? Make an appointment or referral today!

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When Would We Recommend a Bronchoscopy?

Our specialists typically use bronchoscopy procedures to help treat patients with respiratory issues that can’t be easily diagnosed with a physical exam. And if a visual of the inside of the respiratory tract is insufficient, we can use the endoscope to obtain a small tissue sample. Finally, if your pet has a foreign body lodged in their respiratory tract, we may be able to use the endoscope to remove the object.

Conditions that may warrant a bronchoscopy procedure:

  • Chronic coughing
  • Parasites in the airway
  • A possible bacterial or fungal infection in the lungs
  • Asthma in cats (feline bronchial disease)
  • Neoplasia (cancer)
  • Chronic pneumonia

How Bronchoscopy Procedures Work

To safely and effectively perform a bronchoscopy on a dog or cat, we first need to anesthetize them. Before doing that, we will need to assess their health with a physical exam and pre-anesthetic blood work. Once we have ascertained that your pet is healthy enough and are able to administer the anesthesia, we will be able to proceed.

The endoscope is carefully inserted into the mouth, down through the trachea, and into the lungs. During this procedure, your veterinarian will be to view the tracheal walls and the bronchi (airways leading from the trachea to the lungs). When viewing these areas, we typically look for signs of:

  • Bleeding
  • Swelling
  • Redness
  • Pus
  • Masses
  • Foreign bodies

The Benefits of Bronchoscopy Over Surgery

Surgery to remove a foreign body or perform an exploratory procedure is invasive and painful, and requires at least a week of recovery for the patient. A bronchoscopy:

  • Requires less time under anesthesia
  • Causes little to no pain for dogs and cats
  • Requires minimal recovery time
  • May leave no scarring at all
  • Lessens your pet’s risk of infection
  • May be able to solve multiple issues for your pet at once, requiring fewer vet visits
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