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How much does an endoscopy for dogs cost?
An endoscopy — a camera on a flexible tube, used to examine the digestive tract, retrieve a swallowed object, or take biopsies without opening the abdomen — is published by PetMD at $800–$3,000, varying with region and the type of procedure. The Pet Vet publishes $800–$2,000 for the procedure including the pre-anesthetic evaluation, anesthesia, the procedure itself and immediate recovery care, with biopsy analysis by a pathologist adding $150–$300.
| Endoscopy — published figures by source | Figure |
|---|---|
| Endoscopy (PetMD) | $800–$3,000 |
| Endoscopy, incl. anesthesia & recovery (The Pet Vet) | $800–$2,000 |
| Biopsy analysis, where samples are taken (The Pet Vet) | + $150–$300 |
| Exploratory surgery, for comparison (The Pet Vet) | $1,500–$3,500 |
What drives the price
What the scope is doing is the first driver: PetMD notes a quick foreign-body retrieval can cost significantly less than collecting biopsies from an internal organ. Then the type of endoscopy (upper GI, colonoscopy, airway or nasal scopes are different procedures), whether biopsies are taken and sent to a pathologist, and whether the work is done at a specialty referral hospital or a primary-care facility. Where endoscopy cannot retrieve an object or get the sample, the fallback is open surgery — the comparison line above, and the foreign body surgery guide, show what that step up costs.
Endoscopy requires general anesthesia even though there is no incision, and whether a scope, surgery, or monitoring is the right route for a swallowed object is a veterinary decision — timing matters with obstructions. This page prices the procedure; it does not recommend it.
See what open foreign-body surgery costs when endoscopy isn’t an option.
Read the foreign body surgery cost guideSources: PetMD — Veterinary Endoscopy: What Is It, and Why Do Pets Need It? · The Pet Vet — Pet Endoscopy: 5 Essential Facts. Researched October 2026 — prices change; confirm with your clinic.