Peer-reviewed veterinary case report
Video capsule endoscopy risks and use in small dogs under 7 kg
By St-Jean, Camille et al.·Published in Journal of veterinary internal medicine·2025·Department of Clinical Studies, Canada·View original on PubMed →
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Original publication title: Feasibility and complications of videocapsule endoscopy in dogs weighing 7 kg or less.
- Species:
- dog
Plain-English summary
A small dog weighing 5.6 kg underwent a procedure called videocapsule endoscopy to investigate gastrointestinal issues. Out of 26 dogs studied, many had incomplete results, especially those weighing less than 5 kg, which had a higher chance of the capsule not working properly. Despite some challenges, like a capsule battery dying or being vomited, the procedure was generally safe, with only one dog experiencing vomiting as a complication. Overall, videocapsule endoscopy can be a helpful tool for diagnosing GI problems in small dogs, but owners should be aware of the risks if their dog is very small.
People also search for: dog vomiting after endoscopy · small dog GI problems · videocapsule endoscopy for dogs · dog weight and endoscopy risks
Abstract
BACKGROUND: Videocapsule endoscopy (VCE) is a valuable tool for investigating gastrointestinal (GI) diseases in dogs. Its use is not recommended in dogs ≤4.3 kg, because of risks of GI endoscopic capsule (EC) retention and bowel obstruction. OBJECTIVES: Describe the feasibility and complications of VCE in dogs ≤7 kg. ANIMALS: Twenty-six client-owned dogs. METHODS: Retrospective study describing the signalment, previous GI imaging, indications, findings, and complications of canine VCE studies submitted to Infiniti Medical between March 2020 and January 2023. RESULTS: The median weight and age of dogs was 5.6 kg (range, 3-7) and 8.8 years (range, 1-16), respectively. Two capsules were administered endoscopically into the duodenum (1) and stomach (1). Sixteen out of 26 (62%, 95% CI, 40.51-79.70) dogs that underwent VCE had incomplete studies. Of the 24 capsules administered per os, 15 led to incomplete studies (battery died in the stomach (14), EC was vomited (1)). Body weight <5 kg significantly increased the risk of an incomplete study (OR: 3.67, 95% CI, 1.56-inf, P = .0074). Median esophageal, gastric, and small bowel transit time were 5 seconds (range, 1-180), 240 minutes (range, 17-335), and 73.5 minutes (range, 5-168), respectively. All 10 dogs with overt GI bleeding had a possible origin identified with VCE. Complications were limited to vomiting (1/26, 3.85%, 95% CI, 0-11.20). CONCLUSIONS AND CLINICAL IMPORTANCE: Videocapsule endoscopy is a safe and informative procedure even when performed in dogs as small as 3 kg. However, weighing <5 kg increases the risk of incomplete studies.
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Search related cases →Original publication on PubMed: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/39792325/