Episode 6 Dick 'N' Dom Go Wild

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This show features highly-trained professionals working with

dangerous and unpredictable animals.

So don't try anything you are about to see yourselves, OK?

Did you know that now,

right now, there are people all around the UK who are working

their socks off to help wounded wildlife and poorly pets?

And we've managed to get VIP passes for willing helpers to get stuck in

at the busiest vets, wildlife sanctuaries and rescue centres.

It's tough and dirty work, but somebody's got to do it.

On today's show, Clare and Mathew care for calves and help me

get handy with a cow.

-What does it feel like?

-It's warm.

Ewan and Ethan eye up an owl with a sore head.

Can you see the owl there? He's watching you with big, bright eyes.

And Dom is in at the deep end with sharks.

This get up. Explain?

Well, I was told to wear it.

Apparently, I've got to be in a vest all day.

No! It says you've got to spend all day "in a vets"!

Oh!

Make yourself decent, put some clothes on and get to work.

-Perfect.

-All right.

I've come north of the border to a vets' practice in Scotland

that offer 24 hour care to every kind of animal imaginable.

They never know what's going to come through this door next, but I do.

These two.

Meet karate kids, Matthew...

Hi-ya!

..and Clare.

Matthew loves his pet fish Speedo.

But he ain't a big fan of huge horses.

Little ponies.

Big ones with...

No, definitely, no go!

Claire is crazy about her cats and dippy about dolphins.

But like her brother, it's also a "neigh thank you"

when it comes to ponies.

One day we went up to feed a Shetland pony

and the carrots were in my hand

and the pony just wanted to bite it

and my finger was, like, dangling off.

So they might not be hot on trotting horses,

but they're still up for jumping into action at a busy Scottish vets.

Matthew, Claire, Claire, Matthew. Nice to meet you.

-Nice to meet you.

-Are you looking forward to the day?

-Yes.

-Yes.

We're transforming you into top vet's assistants.

-How does that sound?

-Good.

-Cool.

Right, well, you put that on. You put that on.

While they're getting changed we'll have a look at this.

Inglis Veterinary Hospital in Dunfermline takes in poorly pets

24 hours a day, 7 days a week,

but they do more than just look after moggies and doggies here.

They're also on call to the farms in the surrounding countryside

and that's where our pair is heading first.

They have joined up with vet Anne who is on a busy round

of horse check-ups.

This is Dylan.

The owners of 14-year-old horse, Dylan are concerned

he may have a troublesome tooth.

Our team need to complete an inspection.

How do you feel?

-A little bit scared.

-A little bit scared.

You don't need to be scared of him.

Do you want to come and say hello to him?

-OK!

-OK!

This is a big moment for Matthew and Claire.

They haven't had great experiences with horses in the past.

A promising start though.

Just put your hand very gently on his nose. Very gently.

-How does that feel?

-Rubbery.

Before the team can investigate Dylan's gnashers,

they need to pop a metal brace into his mouth to stop him getting bitey.

It feels quite heavy.

Don't worry. It doesn't hurt him.

First, Dylan is given a small injection to keep him calm.

Good boy, Dylan.

While we wait for the sedative to kick in, our brave duo prepare

themselves for their very first job as vet assistants.

At the moment, I'm feeling nervous, excited and a little bit scared.

Um...and just overall, quite curious to what's going to happen.

And later, our pair is wide-eyed and Dylan is open-mouthed

when dental duties get underway.

-Can you see his big teeth?

-Yeah.

But first, Dom is nipping to Norfolk for a spot of pet

and wildlife welfare.

Today, I'm at packed animal sanctuary in Norfolk where

I'm going to be helping out some of the 700 neglected, injured or

abandoned animals that live here and helping me out today are these two.

Meet Ewan and Ethan.

Ethan's mad about meerkats and birds of prey.

But his preferred pet of choice is...

I really, really do want a dog.

Pal Ewan isn't wowed by big wild animals.

But like Ethan, he does dote on dogs.

-Where is your pet pooch, then, Ewan?

-No pets.

My mother and father work full-time,

so there is no-one to look after a pet.

Ah, so what we have here is a pair of pet-less pals,

scouting for animal encounters.

Fear not, you're in luck today.

Get yourself to a seriously busy animal sanctuary in Norfolk.

Dib dib dib, dub dub dub, here I am, it's bob a job.

Is that the Scouts' motto?

-BOTH:

-No, it's "Be prepared"!

Ha-ha. The question is, my friends, are you prepared for today?

-BOTH:

-Yes!

-Are you prepared for us to throw any kind of animal your way?

-Yes!

So, look, that's for you and that's for you, and go and get prepared.

Wonderful!

People For Animal Care Trust

is packed with over 700 neglected, injured and abandoned animals

from geese to goats and peacocks to ponies.

This place is all about rescuing, rehabilitating and rehoming.

So all change, boys, for a busy working day.

Lovely.

Charlotte, there's clearly no shortage of animals here.

You've got tons! What animal are we working with first?

-Let's start with the animals we have the most of.

-Which is?

-Rabbits.

Rabbits are the third most popular pet after cats and dogs.

There are over 100 of the cuddly creatures holed up here.

Sadly, many of them have been rescued from places

where they've not been looked after properly.

There was a case where you brought in a whole load of rabbits together.

-Yes.

-How many did you bring in?

There was approximately 70 rabbits that we rescued

from a shed in Norwich.

-You have got pictures?

-I have.

-Have a look, lads.

The bedding was so high that some of the rabbits couldn't stand up.

The mess was so awful and had never been cleaned.

There was no food or water in any of the cages.

What was the smell like?

It was so strong with rabbit urine and rabbit mess

and rat urine that it made your eyes stream.

It was one of the worst rabbit rescues I've ever been to.

'The poor things. These rabbits have had a lucky escape,

'but they are safe now.

'They still need looking after though until new owners are found.

'And that's where Ethan and Ewan come in.

'These rescued rabbits need rounding up

'so that our boys can clean all of the dirty droppings.

'Get bunny herding, boys.'

Job well done.

Who knew that two rabbits could make all this mess?!

In no time at all, our lucky bunnies have shiny new rooms

all ready to get mucked up again.

Cracking team work.

And later, can Ethan and Ewan get Floppy

through her medical inspection?

Back in Dunfermline, Matthew and Claire are hoping to shine

as vet dental assistants.

-This isn't as scary as I thought.

-He's not scary. He's lovely.

They're about to do an important dental check-up on Dylan here.

Now remember these two weren't keen on anything horsey

at the start of the day.

These are his incisors which are like our front teeth. See them?

-See his big teeth at the back?

-Yeah!

Adult horses teeth never stop growing.

When they get too long an expert is called to file them down.

It's called rasping and isn't something to try yourselves.

But with Ann supervising, our privileged pair

are allowed to have a go at rasping.

Just put the rasp in. Can you see?

Like so.

And then just very gently rasp it up and down.

Matthew is turning into a right old rasper!

A jumpy Dylan won't stop these two.

Now sister Claire leaps in and continues filing Dylan's gnashers.

How do you feel?

A little bit scared.

You're a natural at this. Well done.

Crunch time now.

It's time for Dylan to test the team's handiwork

with a nice juicy carrot.

Success!

These hesitant horse helpers are starting to take it in their stride.

It was really petrifying being close to a big horse.

After I'd done that dental appointment, I wasn't scared of him.

When we arrived, I still thought horses were a bit scary.

But now I feel quite proud of myself and happy

and I feel like I've achieved something.

And later, hands up who wants to do a cow pregnancy test?

You can change your mind and come and do it for me.

-It's OK.

-You sure?

In Norfolk, Ethan and Ewan have been busy with a big bunny clean up.

Now it's time to help with a medical examination

of some recently rescued rabbits.

This lot arrived here in a terrible state.

They're recovering well, but many are still weak

and the team need to look out for signs of illness and disease.

Floppy is up first.

OK, if you turn round we're looking for the rabbit's nice bright eyes.

Rabbits often suffer from a nasty disease called Myxomatosis

that can blind or even kill them.

So first our team check for any signs of the disease.

OK, nice clear eyes. No sleepers.

No horrible bits in there.

Lovely. Time to check Floppy's ears for parasites.

They are nice and pink there.

-Do they get fleas or anything?

-They can pick up fleas.

Rabbits tend to suffer more from mites which you treat as and when.

Do you have to cut their claws or anything?

You can clip the very ends of the claws as and when

they need to be taken down.

But usually, if you've got a combination of soft and hard ground,

the nails should wear down themselves.

The eyes and ears have been given the all clear, the nails look good

and Charlotte is happy with Floppy's gnashers.

This is a very young rabbit,

so she's got slightly yellow colour on the teeth.

Okay, that is to determine their age. Nice and short there.

They meet in the middle. They've got nice pink gums.

It's great news for this bunny. She passed her medical

and is ready to be put up for adoption. Nice work, guys!

Before I came in, I thought rabbits were really boring,

but now I've held them and cleaned them out,

I don't think they're boring any more.

I had a very, very fun experience cleaning up the poo

and I think it's changed my mind about how much I like rabbits.

And later, our boys are called to a troubled tawny owl.

If you look very closely, he's got two different-sized pupils.

And that possibly indicates there is either some damage

to the brain or some damage to the eye itself.

But first, somebody is swimming with sharks and it isn't me.

Look good.

Feeling good. You like it, don't you?

You do! What job do you think you are going to be doing today?

Washing a dog?

-Don't be stupid. You'll be cleaning this tank.

-Boring, isn't it?

Bit over the top. All of this for that.

Not from the outside. You're going in there with the sharks and that.

Uhhh!

This shark tank contains over four and a half million litres of water.

And it's home to some of the UK's most endangered toothy sharks.

Oh, and seven big sand tiger sharks including one that's over

twice the length of my old pal, Dom.

-Are you ready?

-Yeah, I am.

How come I have to do this kind of thing and you don't?

Because my dad won't let me. In you get.

Don't worry, there's nothing dangerous. It's safe.

And if anything does happen, I'll be down there filming it, all right?

I can't believe I've convinced him to get in there.

He's terrified of sharks!

Now, do not ever attempt to get inside a giant shark tank

with only a small sponge for protection.

Time for a quick bite to settle my nerves.

Sorry, what?

I think he's saying that at least 21 different species of sharks

live around the UK coast.

Not sand tiger sharks though. They live in warmer waters

and in this giant aquarium.

Fear not, these bad boys don't eat people, not that he knows that.

They'll do anything they can to avoid humans

and have only ever been known to attack as a form of self defence.

Don't look behind you?

Doing really well, aren't I?

I can't believe how calm you've been with the size of those things.

You don't seem frightened at all.

Hang on a minute. If you're here that can't be you there.

Course it is.

Look at me swimming around like a lovely black and red fish.

Oh, yes. I didn't think you'd have it in you.

Come on, I'll buy you an egg custard.

You know what? I love sharks.

Matthew and Claire are helping vet Ann complete a hectic round

of farmyard health checks in Dunfermline.

Next, the team have to catch up with a pair of two-month-old calves

that need a medical examination.

Go on, Matthew. Get it.

Well done, Matthew. Now over to Claire.

She's a dab hand with a stethoscope this girl.

Let's hope for a healthy heartbeat.

-Claire, what can you hear?

-It's kind of like a beating of a drum.

-Have you ever been that close to a calf before?

-No, never ever.

The calves are all healthy. Good team work, you two.

Time to moo-ve onto something a bit bigger!

This is Nell, a 1.7 metre, 750 kilo cow

who needs a pregnancy test...

and I've been asked to help out.

You were very good with the calves.

-Are you sure you don't want to go round the back and...

-No chance.

Right. I'll go and put the kettle on, shall I?

-No.

-Right. This is going to be TV gold.

'If Nell is pregnant, I should be able to feel a bag full of fluid

'in the area where the baby calf will form.

'If not, it will feel like an empty sack.

'This traditional method is often done on working farms.'

-BOTH:

-Good luck, Dick!

There's still time left. You can change your mind and do it for me.

-No, it's OK.

-You sure?

'Well, there's no backing out now.

'It seems like I'm going to have to take the plunge.

'Not really sure I need to say this, but please,

'never try and anything like this yourselves.'

-What does it feel like?

-It's warm.

Urgh!

'After a good rummage around,

'I haven't managed to find any signs of pregnancy.

'Just to be sure,

'I'll pass this job back to the expert for a second opinion.'

Obviously, Ann, there is a serious side to this,

because we were seeing whether the cow was pregnant and it's not.

-So what happens now? Is it all OK?

-Yes, everything's fine.

She can go back into the field with all the rest

and we know she's not pregnant and you've done an excellent job.

Hmm. Thanks, I think(!)

Now over to Matthew and Claire to finish things off.

HE LAUGHS

Perfect, home and hosed.

Having just seen that...

No, I wouldn't like to be a vet. Definitely not.

If they have to do that, uh-uh.

Watching Dick do the test was, like, hilarious

and it was like one of the funniest things I've ever seen.

And erm, I am really glad it wasn't me doing it.

The super siblings get their hands on a surgeon's laser later.

I'll just show you what it can actually do.

Don't set fire to the dog.

No, I've not set fire to the dog.

Back in Norfolk and Ethan and Ewan are striding out

as top animal helpers at a busy sanctuary.

And next in need of the boys' help is a battered up bird of prey.

Can you see the owl at the top?

It's watching you with big, bright eyes, isn't it?

This tawny owl was found injured on a road side three weeks ago.

He had probably been hit by a car.

There are more tawny owls in the UK than any other owl species.

But they're only active at night and rarely seen.

I'm quite surprised how it's not flying around all over the place

trying to escape.

Usually, if you are quite quiet and quite quick at catching them

they tend not to be as stressed.

Shall we pop it in the box and take it down to the vet to look at?

Gents, how are you doing?

-Now, listen, have you got an owl in that box?

-Yes.

Good, because I've got a vet in this shed.

-Shall we go and get the owl sorted out?

-Yes.

-Good!

Vet Rob is on the case today and I doesn't take him long

to spot something that gives him cause for concern.

If we look very closely, he's got two different sized pupils.

-Is the one on the right bigger?

-It is, yes.

That possibly indicates that there is damage to the brain

or damage to the eye itself which we could expect after a car accident.

The only way for us to find out how badly he's been hurt

is to shine a bright light into his eyes and then for the team

to look for a reaction in his pupils.

What we spot isn't good.

As you can see, there is very little change in that pupil.

That means that there is some damage to the sight in this eye.

We'll have to decide how we are going to treat it.

Vet Rob decides the eye injury should heal itself

after a few weeks of rest and recuperation.

It's back to the safety of his cage for our young hooter.

He'll have the space to recover here and fingers crossed

should be stalking the night skies within weeks.

Getting so close to an owl like that was so extraordinary.

I will probably never be able to do that again.

When I heard that he wasn't going to be released I was disappointed.

But then he is staying here and he can have loads of food

and a comfy cage.

So he will be really happy.

The boys help Holly the Lhasa Apso get ready for her new home later.

We're going to get you nice and clean for your new owners.

But first, Dick is confused by hooved things.

These are goats.

I know that. I have been learning something while doing all this.

They can actually jump over one and a half metres.

Everyone knows that.

The young ones are kids and the dads...

Like reading books to the kids. It's easy.

-The dads are bucks.

-They like to look after the kids, it's obvious.

-No, no.

-That's a nanny's job.

-Goats have nannies?

-Yes. The nanny is the female.

So the mummy lets the nanny read books to the kids

while the dad practices jumping.

-Who'd think goats could be so confusing!

-True.

In Norfolk, Ethan and Ewan are busy working behind the scenes

at an animal sanctuary.

This place is home to all kinds of injured and abandoned animals.

Next up for our dog-loving dudes is a homeless hound

in need of their help.

Holly is a nine-month-old Lhasa Apso cross who was brought here

because her original owners couldn't afford to keep her.

The great news is, a new home has hopefully been found.

So, Holly needs a bit of a brush up to impress her potential new owners.

I know just the boys for the job.

Give it a good shake.

Shake, shake, shake.

Rub, rub, rub.

Underneath as well.

Is this like the shampoo we use in the shower?

It's slightly different. It's not got so many chemicals in.

Lhasa Apso's were,

believe it or not, used as guard dogs by Tibetan monks centuries ago.

They were thought to be sacred.

We are going to get you nice and clean for your new owners.

Holly isn't sacred. She's just soaking through.

So get the towels, chaps.

How come she's shivering when she's got fur to keep her warm?

Because we've just washed her,

a lot of the oils have come out of her coat.

It just makes her a little bit chilly.

Gentlemen, I was walking down the road and I could smell this

amazing smell and I bet it's Holly's coat, is that right?

-Yes.

-Can I have a whiff? Holly, come here. Let me have a whiff.

Ah, smells gorgeous. You look really happy about that, Holly!

Both our boys are desperate to have a pet of their own.

Holly here is helping them prove they would be top pet carers

given half a chance.

Time to say goodbye though, because it's brilliant news,

Holly's new owner has arrived to take her to a lovely new home.

This is Heather who has come to take Holly away.

-Hi, Heather.

-Hi.

The boys have been super troopers and given Holly a really good walk

and even given her a bath and a shower, so she smells great.

Hand her over. Are you sad to let her go?

Yes, but the good news is that she's going to a good home.

-Have you enjoyed today?

-Yes.

-Best bit?

-Owls.

Owls, OK. Hopefully, Mr Owl is now going to be rehabilitated here

and be very fat and happy. And what about you?

-Rabbits.

-You like rabbits. Would you like to take one home?

-Yes.

-You might have to have a word with your mum about that first.

I know you are going to miss Holly, a lovely dog.

I had a word with Holly and Holly has got a lovely present

for you to take home to remember her by.

So that's yours. Put it somewhere you will see it every day,

on the shelf or the mantelpiece. All right. See you later.

-BOTH:

-Bye!

Matthew and Claire have returned from their farmyard vet call outs

and are busy lending a hand at the animal hospital in Dunfermline.

Inglis Veterinary Centre.

Time for them to scrub up and prepare for surgery,

because their next patient is ready and waiting.

This little chap is Jamie and he's visiting the vets today,

because he's got a painful problem in a sensitive area of his body.

He's an eight-year-old West Highland terrier and he's got a tumour

on his bottom, so we'll remove it today with the laser

and it will reduce the pain because it will seal off the nerve endings.

It may not be a life-threatening tumour,

but it's a very uncomfortable lump for the wee terrier.

After an anaesthetic jab, he's out for the count

and ready for the operation.

Matthew helps with shaving his fur.

Can Jamie feel this?

No. He's completely asleep so he's no idea what's going on.

And then Claire steps in to vac up the hairy cuttings.

And with Jamie prepped, it's time to get on with the tumour removal.

First, Jamie is neutered.

This is a small op that will reduce the chances of the tumour returning

and stop him becoming a dad to unwanted puppies in the future.

Now it's time for Matthew to switch on the laser

they are going to use to cut away Jamie's lump.

That's the guiding light from the laser. That's not the laser beam.

Obviously, the same as with a laser, the further away you pull it,

the less strength the laser will have.

I'll show you what it can actually do.

Don't set fire to the dog.

No. I'll not set fire to the dog.

That's me quite far back from it and I'm giving it a very brief touch.

This high tech laser allows vet Ken to accurately burn away

the troublesome tumour and avoid damage to healthy tissue.

So normally, if you were cutting this with a scalpel,

there would be a lot of bleeding.

You can see just how little bleeding there is.

Almost there.

All done. The lump is zapped.

When will Jamie wake up from his anaesthetic?

Probably be pretty much awake even in ten minutes.

In an hour from now he'll look as if he's never had an anaesthetic.

Now time to get Jamie back into his kennel.

Nice work, guys.

So this is Jamie. Was it good?

Was it interesting?

-Yeah.

-Do you want to put him into his pen there,

because he's got to have some rest. In you go, Jamie. Gently does it.

Jamie will be up and running in no time.

Meanwhile, how have Matthew and Claire enjoyed their working day?

You conquered your fear of horses. Done!

You helped out with the calves.

Done! And you performed laser surgery on a dog.

Done. All in all, a fantastic days work.

What's been your best bit?

Probably seeing you stick your hand up a cow's bum.

-Thanks. Lovely(!)

-My best bit was probably the operation.

-When you're older, do you still want to be a doctor?

-Kind of.

-And you want to be a dentist?

-I've changed my mind.

-I would like to be a vet now.

-Correct answer!

I can't believe you thought I was in there.

No, you didn't!

How are you doing that with the signs?

Oh, clever, right, OK.

In that case, what is the biggest fish in the sea?

Ha-ha, it's actually the whale shark. Clever.

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