Abstract: Background – Best practices for colonoscopy preparation have not been established for dogs and cats. Therefore, small animal internal medicine (SAIM) specialists select protocols based on individual preferences and experiences. Objective – To assess preferred methods of colonoscopy preparation amongst SAIM specialistsSubjects – 171 SAIM specialists, 143 complete and 28 partial responsesMethods – A Qualtrics survey link was distributed to the American College of Veterinary Internal Medicine SAIM listserv. The survey included 39 questions regarding respondent’s preferred colonoscopy preparation protocols and the perceived adequacy of preparation for colonoscopy in dogs and cats. Results – There were 154 unique dog and 142 unique cat protocols reported. When asked how often the preferred protocol produced adequate preparation, 42% (65/154) of dog protocols and 39% (57/143) for cat protocols were reported to achieve adequate preparation over 75% adequate of the time (Figure 1). Amongst these protocols specifically, the preparation in dogs most frequently used: PEG as a laxative (34/65), a fasting period of 24-36 hours (24/65), and administration of three enemas prior to colonoscopy (15/65). For cats, preparation protocols most commonly used: PEG laxatives (24/57), a fasting period of 12-24 hours (28/57), and administration of three enemas (12/57).Conclusions – A wide variety of colonoscopy preparation protocols were reported; most common protocols include PEG, a fasting time of 24-36 (dogs) or 12-24 hours (cats), and enemas. A minority of respondents report adequate preparation in at least 75% of their patients, suggesting optimal preparation protocols should be investigated.
