Patients who have undergone a colonoscopy are generally able to go home the same day as their procedure. However, the animal will still have some diarrhea. The clinician treating your pet will be able to discuss with you what to expect.
Your pet may be referred to the University of Missouri Veterinary Health Center for a colonoscopy for a variety of reasons. Some of the common reasons include diarrhea, irregular or bloody stools, or a confirmed or suspected mass. An important part of a colonoscopy is the preparation. The bowels must be free of most stool in order for our doctors to see the inside through the scope.
Ensuring a thorough preparation for a colonoscopy is essential. We must have clear visualization for our camera so we are able to assess the mucosal lining in the colon (i.e., large intestines) as well as navigate to needed areas. This allows for a more useful test and a shorter time under general anesthesia. Also, the cleaner the colon, the better our diagnostic samples will be. With every colonoscopy, we take small biopsies from various regions that must be free of feces to be analyzed.
During the colonoscopy, an endoscopist will take small biopsy samples of select areas in the colon. Most patients are able to go home the same day as their procedure, but will continue to have loose stool. Our clinicians will be able to give you immediate information about what they saw during the procedure; however, the biopsy samples take about a week to process. We will contact you by phone once all the tests are completed.
The Small Animal Internal Medicine Service sees new appointments Monday through Thursday. Pets are required to have an appointment at the hospital a minimum of 24 hours before the scheduled colonoscopy. The best appointment times for your pet are early! The sooner we can start your pet’s bowel preparation, the better.
What do you do if you don’t see any abnormal areas?
Many diseases cause changes that can only be detected by histopathology, or a microscopic inspection of the tissues. Therefore, even if the organ or tissues appear normal, biopsies are taken. In many cases, biopsy of the stomach of a vomiting dog or of the colon of a dog with diarrhea will be very helpful in determining if disease is present.
Can viewing an abnormal area give the diagnosis?
While seeing an abnormal lesion or suspicious area gives us valuable information, it is usually necessary to biopsy the area in order to reach a diagnosis. The endoscope has a tiny channel through which a biopsy instrument can be passed. Precise biopsy samples can be taken of any abnormal areas. These samples consist of tiny “bites” or pieces of tissue cut from the lining of the organ by the biopsy instrument. These tissue samples, called “pinch biopsies” are then submitted to a veterinary pathologist for microscopic evaluation.
How long does a colonoscopy take? Ask the Doctor with Gastroenterologist Dr. Olufemi Abiodun
Many people want to know how to plan for the day of a colonoscopy, including how long the colonoscopy will take. This timeline is important not only for patients but also for caregivers who come with them to a colonoscopy appointment.
A colonoscopy procedure typically takes 30-60 minutes, depending on whether the doctor needs to remove polyps or take biopsies. However, patients and caregivers should plan to spend 2-3 hours total at the hospital or endoscopy center to account for the time needed for preparation and recovery.
During colonoscopy preparation and recovery, caregivers either wait in a waiting room or give their number to the office staff to receive a call when it is time to pick up the patient. Patients will need the remainder of the day to rest and recover at home; those who work should plan to take the day off.
About 30-60 minutes prior to the colonoscopy, the patient changes into a gown, and a nurse will get an IV started. The doctor or a nurse will go over what will happen during the procedure and any risks associated with it.
Then, the patient is usually administered light sedation via pill or IV. Due to the sedation, it is unlikely the patient will remember the colonoscopy itself.
Once the procedure is over, the patient will need about 30-60 minutes to recover from the sedation before getting dressed and leaving the building. As a last step before leaving, the doctor will review what he or she found during the colonoscopy and discuss next steps, if there are any.
If the doctor removed polyps or took tissue samples (biopsies), those will be sent to a lab to determine if they are benign, precancerous, or cancerous. In cases where a polyp or growth is too big to be removed during a colonoscopy, the doctor will recommend seeing a specialist or surgeon who can do so. In these cases, the doctor may advise following a low residue diet for a period of time.
Because the residual effects of sedation can last for up to a day, patients cannot drive themselves home and should not make any important decisions until the effects have completely worn off. During the rest of the day following a colonoscopy, the patient may feel bloated and pass gas while clearing air from the colon.