BIPS, or Barium Impregnated Polyethylene Spheres, provide a range of diagnostic options that reduce the need to undertake exploratory surgery on cats and dogs. Combined with X-rays, spheres of two sizes are used to detect blockages and motility problems in the stomach and intestines. The spheres are administered in food (or by mouth) to avoid the problem of giving liquid barium by stomach tube and syringe. Unlike liquid barium, the small sized BIPS behave in a similar way to food in the gut. Because they can be counted and gut transit times compared with an average speed for healthy animals, the potential for more accurate diagnosis is greatly improved. Packaged in two cards, one with 4 small spheres and the other with 1 large sphere.