Bronchoalveolar ravage (BAL) is a method for retrieving cells and proteins from small airways and alveoli. It is particularly useful in the diagnosis of infectious and neoplastic disease in people and domestic animals. A stranded male bottlenose dolphin did not respond to empirical therapy. Bronchoscopy was performed on two occasions using a sterilized, pediatric gastroscope (Olympus XQ10, length 1080 mm, od 9.8 mm). No sedation was used for the first scoping, and Valium was administered prior to the second. No gross lesions were present. For BAL the scope was lodged snugly in a 3rd generation bronchus. Sterile saline was infused through the biopsy channel of the scope, and immediately retrieved by suction using the same syringe. For the first attempt, BAL was performed with 50 cc per site divided into 2 equal portions. The retrieved fluid contained predominantly epithelial cells, indicative of a bronchial washing rather than BAL. For the second attempt, 75-100 cc of fluid per site divided into 2 portions was infused. The resulting fluid contained primarily macrophages and neutrophils, consistent with a deeper lung specimen. The procedure was well tolerated by the dolphin. Although pulmonary pathology was not identified in this case, BAL has great potential for assisting in the diagnosis of pulmonary disease in dolphins. In addition to routine cytology and culture, further evaluation such as flow cytometry, protein and enzyme analysis, and fluorescent antibody staining, can be performed.