Video Capsule Endoscopy appointments cannot be scheduled online. Please call our office to arrange this service.
Video Capsule Endoscopy (VCE) is a safe, non-invasive way to look inside your dog’s stomach and intestines. This innovative procedure involves your dog swallowing a small camera capsule—about the size of a large vitamin—that captures thousands of detailed images as it travels naturally through the digestive system. And the best part is that no anesthesia is necessary!
Unlike traditional endoscopy, which requires sedation and can only reach limited portions of the GI tract, VCE can visualize the entire small intestine and colon, including areas that are otherwise impossible to examine with conventional upper GI endoscopy and colonoscopy. The intestinal camera capsule passes through your dog’s system over several hours, transmitting valuable diagnostic information without invasive procedures. This comprehensive view helps your veterinarian identify issues that may have been missed by ultrasound or traditional endoscopy.Â
Digestive Issues:
Signs of Internal Bleeding:
Suspected Conditions:
Before the Procedure: Your dog will need to fast for several hours before swallowing the capsule (your veterinarian will provide specific fasting instructions). This helps ensure clear images as the capsule travels through the digestive system.
During the Procedure: Dr. Bloomberg will administer the small camera capsule — it’s as simple as giving a pill. Your dog will stay either at Veterinary Diagnostic Centers, with you, or at your veterinarian’s office for the day while the capsule captures thousands of images as it naturally passes through the digestive tract. There’s no anesthesia and no recovery time needed.
After the Procedure:
The capsule will pass naturally and safely in your dog’s stool, there’s no need to retrieve it. Our board-certified internist will review the complete study captured during the procedure and generate a detailed written report of all findings, which will be shared with your veterinarian within about a week to guide your dog’s treatment plan.
Video Capsule Endoscopy offers several advantages as a complementary diagnostic tool to traditional endoscopy. While Upper and Lower GI endoscopy require anesthesia and involve scoping only specific portions of the digestive tract, our anesthesia-free intestinal camera can examine the entire length of the small intestine — areas that are completely out of reach for traditional scopes.
This makes VCE particularly valuable when your dog continues to show symptoms of gastrointestinal disease despite normal results from ultrasound or traditional endoscopy. The capsule technology allows us to detect bleeding lesions, ulcers, inflammation, and other abnormalities throughout the digestive tract that might otherwise go undiagnosed. Because no anesthesia is required, VCE also eliminates anesthesia-related risks and recovery time, making it a safer option for dogs where sedation may be a concern.
At Veterinary Diagnostic Centers, we’re committed to making advanced diagnostics and board-certified specialist support more accessible. Our goal is to help veterinary teams deliver the best possible care while reducing stress for dogs and their families. To create a calmer experience, our centers are Fear Free certified, operate with minimal wait times, and focus on one patient at a time. We offer anesthesia-free Video Capsule Endoscopy as a less invasive alternative to traditional endoscopy procedures, providing detailed imaging of your dog’s entire digestive tract with our advanced intestinal camera technology, all without the need for sedation.
