0:00:02 > 0:00:05Hiya, I'm Ferne and today I'm near Swansea in Wales
0:00:05 > 0:00:08to meet Connor and Carys and their lovely pet dog
0:00:08 > 0:00:11who has gotten a little too big, so she needs to go to the vet
0:00:11 > 0:00:14- and we can go too.- And I'm Rory.
0:00:14 > 0:00:16I'm at a wildlife centre in Cheshire
0:00:16 > 0:00:20to see how the local rescued wildlife is cared for here.
0:00:25 > 0:00:27# Ferne and Rory, telling you the story
0:00:27 > 0:00:30# Of some poorly pets
0:00:30 > 0:00:32# We will take them, show you how to make them
0:00:32 > 0:00:34# Better at the vet's
0:00:34 > 0:00:36# Vet Tales
0:00:36 > 0:00:39# These are our Vet Tales
0:00:39 > 0:00:41# Vet Tales
0:00:41 > 0:00:43# Ferne and Rory's Vet Tales. #
0:00:48 > 0:00:50Hi, I'm Connor.
0:00:50 > 0:00:52Hi, I'm Carys.
0:00:52 > 0:00:54And this is Meg.
0:00:54 > 0:00:57She's a chocolate Labrador.
0:00:57 > 0:00:59She's nine years old.
0:00:59 > 0:01:02She loves playing with her toys.
0:01:02 > 0:01:05Her tail's so waggy.
0:01:05 > 0:01:07We love cuddling her.
0:01:15 > 0:01:19- Hi, Ferne.- Hi, Ferne.- Hello, you must be Connor and Carys.
0:01:19 > 0:01:23- Lovely to meet you. And you must be Mum, hi.- Hiya, Ferne.
0:01:23 > 0:01:26- Do you want to come and see Meg? - I would love to go see Meg.
0:01:26 > 0:01:27Let's go.
0:01:32 > 0:01:35Oh, hello, Meg. Hi!
0:01:35 > 0:01:38Oh, she's gorgeous. Look at that tail.
0:01:38 > 0:01:41- What's her favourite thing? - Cuddles and eating.
0:01:41 > 0:01:43She eats a lot, doesn't she?
0:01:43 > 0:01:47- She ate my sandwich. - She ate your sandwich?
0:01:47 > 0:01:49What a cheeky dog!
0:01:49 > 0:01:52- She's a bit big for her breed, isn't she?- Yeah.
0:01:52 > 0:01:56- And so does she have any health problems?- Arthritis.
0:01:56 > 0:01:59- Her joints were sore.- Poor Meg.
0:01:59 > 0:02:01A joint is where two bones meet each other
0:02:01 > 0:02:05and they can move around and this helps us to move our bodies.
0:02:05 > 0:02:08Arthritis is a disease that humans can get too
0:02:08 > 0:02:11and it causes the joints to swell up and they can get stiff
0:02:11 > 0:02:14and be very painful, and it can be sore for her to walk,
0:02:14 > 0:02:19- can't it?- Yeah.- Tamara, what are you doing to help Meg and her arthritis?
0:02:19 > 0:02:23We've put her on a weight reducing diet, she gets fed twice a day.
0:02:23 > 0:02:24Has that been helping her?
0:02:24 > 0:02:27She's doing really well. She enjoys her diet.
0:02:27 > 0:02:30- Has she gotten bigger or smaller? - Smaller!
0:02:30 > 0:02:33She's a bit smaller already. Well done, Meg!
0:02:33 > 0:02:37We're going to the vet for a checkup, do you want to come too?
0:02:37 > 0:02:39I would love to. Are you ready, Meg?
0:02:45 > 0:02:47This is vet Rhiannon.
0:02:47 > 0:02:51She wanted to be a vet because she loves all sorts of animals.
0:02:51 > 0:02:56Her favourites are cute, cuddly kittens and squeaky gerbils.
0:03:05 > 0:03:07Right, guys, how's Meg been?
0:03:07 > 0:03:11- Good.- Good? How's she been with her diet?- Very good.- Very good.
0:03:11 > 0:03:14We'll give her a check, see how she's doing,
0:03:14 > 0:03:18and then we'll get her weighed. Shall we have a look at her eyes?
0:03:18 > 0:03:22Let's see if they're nice and clear and nothing's running from them.
0:03:22 > 0:03:26We'll check her teeth and just see that they're nice
0:03:26 > 0:03:29and healthy so she can eat her food without her hurting.
0:03:29 > 0:03:33Shall we listen to your heart? Cos she is little overweight,
0:03:33 > 0:03:36her heart has to work a bit harder than most dogs
0:03:36 > 0:03:38so we just make sure it's working effectively
0:03:38 > 0:03:42and pumping that blood around nicely. That sounds really good.
0:03:42 > 0:03:46Let's have a feel of your ribs. She has fat over those ribs
0:03:46 > 0:03:49which does make it a little harder to feel them.
0:03:49 > 0:03:51Shall we have a look at your bad leg?
0:03:51 > 0:03:54Make sure there's not too much swelling over that bad joint
0:03:54 > 0:03:58and it can move nice and easy, and she's not too stiff
0:03:58 > 0:04:00and it's not bothering her too much.
0:04:00 > 0:04:03- Great.- So that's moving really good. That's it, good girl.
0:04:03 > 0:04:07The next bit is weighing her, so it's the moment of truth.
0:04:07 > 0:04:10- Come on, Meg! Right, this is the big one.- That's it.
0:04:10 > 0:04:14- 37 kilos.- That's great! She's lost four kilos, that's great.
0:04:14 > 0:04:17That's almost the size of another small dog.
0:04:17 > 0:04:20Will this help her with her arthritis and her heart?
0:04:20 > 0:04:24Definitely. If she's weighing less, her heart works a bit better.
0:04:24 > 0:04:27Meg's been going swimming regularly. Has that been helping?
0:04:27 > 0:04:31Definitely. I recommended she went for hydrotherapy.
0:04:31 > 0:04:35That's really good with the weight loss and also that bad leg.
0:04:35 > 0:04:38Back to the hydrotherapy - that would be brilliant.
0:04:38 > 0:04:41- Some more swimming - we can do that, can't we?- Yeah!
0:04:41 > 0:04:43Get your armbands, Meg!
0:04:43 > 0:04:44Let me explain.
0:04:44 > 0:04:47Hydrotherapy is a form of exercise
0:04:47 > 0:04:51that is done in a heated swimming pool or tank.
0:04:51 > 0:04:57Animals like dogs, horses and even cats can all do it.
0:04:57 > 0:05:01The water will help to support the animal when exercising
0:05:01 > 0:05:04and the warmth of the water will increase blood flow
0:05:04 > 0:05:09to the muscles, which helps them to get stronger and fitter.
0:05:11 > 0:05:13Come on, Meg.
0:05:13 > 0:05:16It's time for Meg to go for a hydrotherapy swim
0:05:16 > 0:05:19and I've come along to see how she gets on.
0:05:21 > 0:05:24- Hi, Kerry and Leslie.- Hi! - Kerry, you've been
0:05:24 > 0:05:28- the hydrotherapist who's been helping Meg.- Yep, that's right.
0:05:28 > 0:05:32- I think she's ready. Should we go to the pool?- Yeah.- OK, let's go.
0:05:32 > 0:05:33Come on, Meggy!
0:05:33 > 0:05:37Before Meg goes into the pool, Kerry puts a buoyancy aid on her
0:05:37 > 0:05:41to help her float, and a headband to stop the water
0:05:41 > 0:05:42getting into her ears.
0:05:49 > 0:05:51Woo!
0:05:51 > 0:05:54Well done, Meg.
0:05:54 > 0:05:56How does this help her, Kerry?
0:05:56 > 0:05:59When Meg is walking on the ground outside,
0:05:59 > 0:06:02it's really sore for her legs but in the water she floats,
0:06:02 > 0:06:05so she doesn't get the pain and she can run around
0:06:05 > 0:06:09- and it's not sore for her. - Do you think it's helped her?
0:06:09 > 0:06:11I think she's able to move a lot better,
0:06:11 > 0:06:14she's losing some weight and I think she enjoys it.
0:06:14 > 0:06:17- Is she good at swimming? - Really good.
0:06:17 > 0:06:21Labradors are really good swimmers because they've got webbed feet,
0:06:21 > 0:06:24there's skin between their toes so they can scoop the water
0:06:24 > 0:06:27- so they can swim faster. - Oh, she's speedy!
0:06:27 > 0:06:31She's a lot faster on the water than she is on the ground, isn't she?
0:06:31 > 0:06:36- How do you think she's doing? - Really good.- Yeah, really good.
0:06:36 > 0:06:38- She loves it.- She does.
0:06:38 > 0:06:41So, Labradors like to have a job in the water
0:06:41 > 0:06:43so I might get her a little toy.
0:06:43 > 0:06:44- Aww!- Well done.
0:06:44 > 0:06:48Kerry, what are you doing with Meg's legs underwater?
0:06:48 > 0:06:51I'm making sure that they're both moving the same
0:06:51 > 0:06:53and that all her joints are moving,
0:06:53 > 0:06:56cos one of her legs is more sore than the other one,
0:06:56 > 0:07:00so I'm just trying to make them kick in the water evenly.
0:07:00 > 0:07:04- Do you think they have improved? - Definitely since she started.
0:07:04 > 0:07:07We're going to try Meg with some waves to make it a bit harder,
0:07:07 > 0:07:10- make her exercise a bit more. Here we go.- Whoa!
0:07:13 > 0:07:15Good girl.
0:07:15 > 0:07:19Now she's really exercising. This will help her lose more weight
0:07:19 > 0:07:22- and it will make her muscles bigger.- That's good.
0:07:22 > 0:07:26That's a really, really strong current. Meg is doing so well.
0:07:26 > 0:07:28Yeah, really, really well.
0:07:28 > 0:07:33- She's kicking her legs really hard now.- Well done, Meg!
0:07:33 > 0:07:36- Kerry, how did Meg do today? - Meg's done really well,
0:07:36 > 0:07:40worked hard, she's quite wet so she deserves a rest for today.
0:07:40 > 0:07:42- What do you think?- Definitely.- Yeah!
0:07:42 > 0:07:46While Meg dries off, let's see what else has been happening
0:07:46 > 0:07:49at the vets with Rhiannon and her team.
0:07:54 > 0:07:58Meg wasn't the only Labrador at the vets today.
0:07:58 > 0:08:01Mist had a build-up of fluid in her ear.
0:08:01 > 0:08:04She had an operation to get rid of it and now has to wear a cone
0:08:04 > 0:08:07until it gets all better.
0:08:08 > 0:08:12And another Labrador, Troy, was in for some X-rays.
0:08:12 > 0:08:17He's been feeling tired lately and has had a little cough.
0:08:17 > 0:08:21Jack is 15 years old - that's quite old for a dog.
0:08:21 > 0:08:24He's been falling over lately and being a little sick
0:08:24 > 0:08:28but all his tests were clear and he was given some medicine
0:08:28 > 0:08:30to help him get better.
0:08:30 > 0:08:33I have had a wonderful time meeting all of you
0:08:33 > 0:08:37and finding out about Meg and her love of swimming. Thank you!
0:08:37 > 0:08:40I'd love to come back and see how she's getting on
0:08:40 > 0:08:44- with her diet and exercise. Would that be OK?- Yeah.- Yeah.
0:08:44 > 0:08:47Thank you so much. I wonder what Rory's been up to today.
0:08:55 > 0:08:59Today, I'm at a wildlife hospital in Cheshire.
0:08:59 > 0:09:02I've come to meet vet Bev who's going to show me
0:09:02 > 0:09:04how they help some poorly patients.
0:09:07 > 0:09:10- Hi, Bev.- Hi, Rory. - What are we up to today?
0:09:10 > 0:09:14- We've got some water birds to help today.- Right, let's get ready.
0:09:16 > 0:09:20- OK, so...- Here we've got a puffin that's covered in oil.
0:09:20 > 0:09:24- Right, OK. Poor bird.- So you can see he's got oil on his feathers there.
0:09:24 > 0:09:26- Absolutely.- We need to get him washed.
0:09:26 > 0:09:29This is Rob and Nicky, our wildlife assistants.
0:09:29 > 0:09:32- What are you washing with? - Washing-up liquid.
0:09:32 > 0:09:36Shall we get going, then? This bird needs to be cleaned up.
0:09:36 > 0:09:41- Oil is sticky, nasty stuff.- That's why we use the washing-up liquid -
0:09:41 > 0:09:44- it gets all the grease out.- OK. What problems can oil cause?
0:09:44 > 0:09:48Water birds, like puffins, have got amazing feathers
0:09:48 > 0:09:51that are completely waterproof, which allows them to go in
0:09:51 > 0:09:54and out of the water and not sink. The oil affects
0:09:54 > 0:09:58that waterproofing and means that they can't survive.
0:09:58 > 0:10:02- There's other problems with oil too? - It's a very toxic substance,
0:10:02 > 0:10:05causes all sorts of injuries when they swallow it.
0:10:05 > 0:10:09- It's really nasty.- What are the extent of this bird's injuries?
0:10:09 > 0:10:12He's a little bit thin, but he's still quite bright,
0:10:12 > 0:10:16he's still eating a little so we're hoping that it's not too bad.
0:10:16 > 0:10:21That's good. How long do you think he is going to be at the centre for?
0:10:21 > 0:10:24We'll see if his feathers are waterproof and if not,
0:10:24 > 0:10:28he might need another wash and we want him eating fish normally,
0:10:28 > 0:10:32build up his weight and be released where he was found.
0:10:32 > 0:10:35Thanks for showing us that fascinating procedure.
0:10:35 > 0:10:38Hopefully the puffin will be back in the wild and healthy soon.
0:10:38 > 0:10:42- What's next?- We've got another water bird, a cygnet,
0:10:42 > 0:10:46- a baby swan, to go and take some blood from.- Let's go.
0:10:46 > 0:10:50Cygnets are young swans and this one is actually a teenager.
0:10:50 > 0:10:53Cygnets and swans are related to ducks and geese.
0:10:53 > 0:10:56- What are we doing today? - We're going to collect some blood
0:10:56 > 0:10:59for a test for a toxic metal called lead.
0:10:59 > 0:11:02Right. What problems can lead cause?
0:11:02 > 0:11:06Lead is a metal and it causes lots of different problems.
0:11:06 > 0:11:08It can make some very wobbly, quite thin,
0:11:08 > 0:11:11sometimes runny green poo, which is not very nice.
0:11:11 > 0:11:14Not nice! How do they end up eating lead?
0:11:14 > 0:11:16Fishing weights are often made of lead
0:11:16 > 0:11:20and we see lead in other things in the environment,
0:11:20 > 0:11:22because swans have got such long necks,
0:11:22 > 0:11:24they manage to get it from the waterways
0:11:24 > 0:11:28so they end up being poisoned quite often, unfortunately.
0:11:28 > 0:11:32This guy is wobbly so we think he might have some lead in his system.
0:11:32 > 0:11:36You want to test the blood and see what the situation is.
0:11:36 > 0:11:38Yes, and then we can treat it if we need to.
0:11:38 > 0:11:41We're going to take blood from a vein in his leg.
0:11:41 > 0:11:44If you're able to hold him for me so he can't run off.
0:11:44 > 0:11:46This isn't going to hurt him?
0:11:46 > 0:11:50He shouldn't notice it. We just need to give it a good clean.
0:11:56 > 0:11:59- There we go. That's all coming out nicely.- Lovely.
0:11:59 > 0:12:02Thank you.
0:12:02 > 0:12:05Wonderful. So, that's it. He barely noticed.
0:12:05 > 0:12:08- What happens next?- Now we can test that blood in our lab,
0:12:08 > 0:12:11check if there's lead in his blood and if there is,
0:12:11 > 0:12:13- then we'll treat it.- Excellent.
0:12:13 > 0:12:16You've been a very good patient, my friend.
0:12:16 > 0:12:18Thanks for a fascinating day
0:12:18 > 0:12:20- with these water birds. - You're welcome.
0:12:24 > 0:12:26Not long ago, I met Connor and Carys
0:12:26 > 0:12:29and their lovely Labrador Meg, who was overweight.
0:12:29 > 0:12:34Now I'm back to see how her diet plan and swimming has helped.
0:12:39 > 0:12:41- Hiya, guys. BOTH:- Hi, Ferne.
0:12:41 > 0:12:44Hi, Meggie! She's looking great.
0:12:44 > 0:12:48- Hi, Rhiannon.- Hi, Ferne. - This is her big moment, isn't it?
0:12:48 > 0:12:52It is, yeah. This is weigh day to see how much weight she's lost.
0:12:52 > 0:12:55- How much did she weigh last time? - She was 37 kilos.
0:12:55 > 0:13:00Well, fingers questions she's lost a bit. Come on, Meg.
0:13:00 > 0:13:03Right, so, Meg now weighs 35 kilos.
0:13:03 > 0:13:06That is brilliant - she's lost two kilos.
0:13:06 > 0:13:09- Two whole kilos.- Good girl. Oh, well done, Meg!
0:13:09 > 0:13:12- Shall we take Meg for a walk? - I would love to.
0:13:12 > 0:13:16I'm sure Meg would too. You ready, Meggy? Come on!
0:13:21 > 0:13:25- She loves going for walks in the park, doesn't she?- Yeah.- Yeah.
0:13:25 > 0:13:28I've really enjoyed meeting you guys and lovely Meg.
0:13:28 > 0:13:31- You're doing really well. BOTH:- Thanks, Ferne.
0:13:31 > 0:13:35I hope you've enjoyed finding out all about Meg too.
0:13:35 > 0:13:38See you again soon for more Ferne and Rory's Vet Tales.
0:13:38 > 0:13:40ALL: Bye!
0:13:45 > 0:13:48# Ferne and Rory, telling you the story
0:13:48 > 0:13:50# Of some poorly pets
0:13:50 > 0:13:52# We will take them, show you how to make them
0:13:52 > 0:13:55# Better at the vet's
0:13:55 > 0:13:56# Vet Tales
0:13:56 > 0:13:59# These are our Vet Tales
0:13:59 > 0:14:01# Vet Tales
0:14:01 > 0:14:03# Ferne and Rory's Vet Tales. #