0:00:02 > 0:00:05Pets, wildlife, and farm animals across the UK are in trouble.
0:00:06 > 0:00:09But don't worry, because coming to the rescue
0:00:09 > 0:00:12are today's team of junior vets on call.
0:00:17 > 0:00:20Today, feisty little meerkats.
0:00:20 > 0:00:22A big, friendly puppy.
0:00:22 > 0:00:24And... Oi, moggy, what are you up to?!
0:00:27 > 0:00:30Here I am, going for a stroll in the park,
0:00:30 > 0:00:34a safari park home to 700 wild animals
0:00:34 > 0:00:38ranging from huge elephants to venomous snakes.
0:00:38 > 0:00:42And someone has to make sure that they're all doing all right.
0:00:43 > 0:00:46It's not going to be me. Junior vets, where are you?
0:00:48 > 0:00:50- BOTH:- Junior vets, standing by.
0:00:50 > 0:00:53Whatever it takes, I'll do it. Even the horrible jobs.
0:00:53 > 0:00:56I love animals, but penguins confuse me.
0:00:56 > 0:00:59Yes, here I am with two junior vets, Amar and Rawan.
0:00:59 > 0:01:01- Welcome, girls.- Hi.
0:01:01 > 0:01:04- Now, Amar, are you up for picking up some doo-doo today?- Yes!
0:01:04 > 0:01:06Sure? Some of these animals are huge,
0:01:06 > 0:01:09- That means huge doo-doo.- Yeah!
0:01:09 > 0:01:13OK, then. Now, Rawan, I hear you've got a problem with penguins.
0:01:13 > 0:01:15- What's the problem, man? - You know their wings?
0:01:15 > 0:01:19- They don't even use them to fly, so why do they need wings?- Go on!
0:01:19 > 0:01:22What are you walking and struggling for when you need to be rushing?
0:01:22 > 0:01:24Animals are in need of help.
0:01:26 > 0:01:28The animals here at Knowsley Safari in Merseyside
0:01:28 > 0:01:32aren't the sort you find in your average household. Oh, no.
0:01:32 > 0:01:35They all need vetting, which is sometimes easier said than done.
0:01:35 > 0:01:39Because even the smallest of patients can be a handful.
0:01:39 > 0:01:41Vet Jen has called the junior vets
0:01:41 > 0:01:44to tackle some little fellas with a big attitude.
0:01:45 > 0:01:47Hi. I'm Rawan, I'm ten years old.
0:01:47 > 0:01:50- Hi, Rawan. - I can't wait to be working with you.
0:01:50 > 0:01:52- Hi there.- I'm Amar.
0:01:52 > 0:01:56Hi, Amar, I'm Jen. And these guys in here are your patients.
0:01:57 > 0:02:01Oh, meerkats! I love these little guys. Of course, in the city,
0:02:01 > 0:02:04they're called names like Sergei and Oleg and wear housecoats.
0:02:04 > 0:02:07In the wild, though, it's very different.
0:02:07 > 0:02:10They hang about in groups, and take it in turns to keep an eye out
0:02:10 > 0:02:14for dangerous animals that might want to eat them.
0:02:14 > 0:02:15What's the matter with them?
0:02:15 > 0:02:19There's a couple of these meerkats that need their toenails trimming.
0:02:19 > 0:02:21We're going to need to catch them up.
0:02:21 > 0:02:23We need to check their microchips are working.
0:02:23 > 0:02:26We need to make sure they're otherwise healthy,
0:02:26 > 0:02:28and we need to give a pedicure.
0:02:28 > 0:02:32We were so excited to work with a little animal such as that.
0:02:32 > 0:02:34And so cute.
0:02:34 > 0:02:36In the sun-baked African desert,
0:02:36 > 0:02:39meerkats spend their time digging about in the sand,
0:02:39 > 0:02:42which means their claws stay nice and trim.
0:02:42 > 0:02:45But in Merseyside, they need a helping hand.
0:02:45 > 0:02:48How do you catch a meerkat? They seem so nervous.
0:02:48 > 0:02:51Well, you need a guy with some very quick reactions.
0:02:51 > 0:02:54So you're the man I've been hearing about, yeah?
0:02:54 > 0:02:57- Yes, I guess so. - That's you, yeah?- Yeah.- OK.
0:02:57 > 0:03:00- Master catcher.- So they say.
0:03:00 > 0:03:03- Oh, right. Let's see them moves. - Let's go for it.
0:03:05 > 0:03:08They're fast, but when these meerkats get furious,
0:03:08 > 0:03:11they pack a powerful bite, so expert handling is vital.
0:03:12 > 0:03:15All right, Craig, show us your magic, man.
0:03:17 > 0:03:20In with the tasty snacks, and boom. Simples!
0:03:20 > 0:03:22That's what I'm talking about.
0:03:22 > 0:03:25They don't call him the "meer-catcher" for nothing!
0:03:29 > 0:03:31- He's more scared of you than you are of him.- He is.
0:03:31 > 0:03:34- He is.- But then it's going to bite.
0:03:34 > 0:03:37Come on, junior vet, this moody meerkat needs a toe claw trim,
0:03:37 > 0:03:39and I ain't doing it.
0:03:39 > 0:03:43It might be little, but its teeth looked really sharp.
0:03:43 > 0:03:45Just on the tip, OK?
0:03:45 > 0:03:47- Are you going to come and do some? - I'm scared I might do it too far.
0:03:47 > 0:03:51- OK, well, I'll hold his foot. - Come on, Rawan, get stuck in.
0:03:53 > 0:03:56That's it, perfect. Well done.
0:03:56 > 0:03:58This machine scans a special number inside the meerkat
0:03:58 > 0:04:01so we know which one has been treated.
0:04:01 > 0:04:03A bit like the things at the supermarket. Boop.
0:04:03 > 0:04:06Scanning, clipping...overseeing.
0:04:06 > 0:04:08One down, one to go.
0:04:11 > 0:04:14- This one's much angrier.- Yeah!
0:04:14 > 0:04:17Step aside, I've got this one, junior vets.
0:04:17 > 0:04:20Boom! This guy is FDXB 981.
0:04:20 > 0:04:23Amar goes in for the next trim.
0:04:23 > 0:04:24- Boom.- Brilliant.
0:04:24 > 0:04:26MEERKAT HISSES
0:04:28 > 0:04:33- They're not cute any more. - I think I don't want a meerkat.
0:04:33 > 0:04:34Cross that off the list, man.
0:04:34 > 0:04:37I don't think you're on his list either, Rawan.
0:04:37 > 0:04:41Got a bit of a temper, hasn't he? Sweet he ain't.
0:04:41 > 0:04:43Let's get this little fella back to his mates.
0:04:43 > 0:04:45Your work here is done.
0:04:52 > 0:04:55I'm in the north-east today, heading to a veterinary practice
0:04:55 > 0:04:57dealing with animals of all shapes and sizes
0:04:57 > 0:05:00that are in need of urgent veterinary care.
0:05:00 > 0:05:03It's busy in there. I think I'm going to need some help.
0:05:03 > 0:05:05Junior vets, where are you?
0:05:05 > 0:05:07- BOTH:- Junior vets, standing by.
0:05:07 > 0:05:10My dog hides under the table when we show him his lead.
0:05:10 > 0:05:14We had a horse which was too unpredictable, so we had to sell it.
0:05:14 > 0:05:16Plenty of patients to fix up today.
0:05:16 > 0:05:19DOG BARKS
0:05:19 > 0:05:22And it seems Jason the vet is bringing one in with him.
0:05:22 > 0:05:25- Hi, junior vets. - BOTH:- Hello.
0:05:25 > 0:05:27We've got a really important case today.
0:05:27 > 0:05:30And it's really important because it's my own dog.
0:05:30 > 0:05:32He's coming in for an operation today,
0:05:32 > 0:05:34and I want you to lead the case.
0:05:34 > 0:05:36OK, Jason, unleash the hound.
0:05:38 > 0:05:40- His name's Riley.- Hello.
0:05:40 > 0:05:43Believe it or not, Riley is a puppy.
0:05:43 > 0:05:44He's come in for a routine operation
0:05:44 > 0:05:47that will stop him having more puppies.
0:05:47 > 0:05:51First, we need to make sure he's nice and healthy before his surgery.
0:05:53 > 0:05:56- What colour are his gums? - Pink. Nice and pink.
0:05:56 > 0:05:58What's next on our list?
0:05:58 > 0:06:01- BOTH:- Eyes. - Yeah, very good.
0:06:01 > 0:06:04- What do you think about his pupils? - They're bluey.
0:06:04 > 0:06:06- Yeah.- Yeah. Do you think that's normal?
0:06:06 > 0:06:09- No.- No. - Is that what's wrong with him?
0:06:09 > 0:06:12That's one of the things that's wrong with him. Very good.
0:06:12 > 0:06:16Quite easily missed, so you did very well to pick that up.
0:06:16 > 0:06:18Good spot, junior vets.
0:06:18 > 0:06:20Riley's had an illness called cataracts,
0:06:20 > 0:06:22which makes everything blurry.
0:06:22 > 0:06:26I felt really sorry for Riley, because he was really young
0:06:26 > 0:06:28and had eye problems at that age.
0:06:28 > 0:06:32- He must have been really confused, as well.- You expect it to be older.
0:06:32 > 0:06:35How bad could they get? Could they lead him to go completely blind?
0:06:35 > 0:06:39Pretty much. I think... He's got pretty poor sight as it is.
0:06:39 > 0:06:41It's getting worse, so he's starting to bump into things
0:06:41 > 0:06:43that he perhaps wasn't when I first got him.
0:06:43 > 0:06:46And that can be quite upsetting for a young dog.
0:06:46 > 0:06:49I suspect that's what these scars are on his nose.
0:06:49 > 0:06:52I think he's bumped into things that he shouldn't have done.
0:06:52 > 0:06:56So the importance of seeing today how bad his cataracts are,
0:06:56 > 0:06:58and it'll give me an idea...
0:06:58 > 0:07:01I can keep monitoring and see if they're getting worse, as well.
0:07:01 > 0:07:02It's also a bit of a mystery
0:07:02 > 0:07:05why a young dog like Riley has this condition.
0:07:05 > 0:07:08Right, girls, we've got some really important tests to do now.
0:07:08 > 0:07:11- Yeah.- Some blood tests and some eye examinations.
0:07:11 > 0:07:15OK, Jason, if anyone can get to the bottom of Riley's problems,
0:07:15 > 0:07:17it's Anya and Ellie.
0:07:17 > 0:07:21Right, junior vets, we should do some pretty important tests now.
0:07:21 > 0:07:24These tests will tell us if Riley needs urgent surgery.
0:07:24 > 0:07:28We need this big, bouncy puppy a bit calmer for all this vet stuff.
0:07:28 > 0:07:32So gets to work with the clippers, because Riley needs an injection.
0:07:32 > 0:07:35- OK...- Good boy, Riley.
0:07:35 > 0:07:36Yeah, good boy.
0:07:36 > 0:07:38Now, he might yelp.
0:07:38 > 0:07:40RILEY WHINES
0:07:40 > 0:07:42Felt really sorry for him,
0:07:42 > 0:07:45because it sounded like he was in loads of pain.
0:07:45 > 0:07:48And we couldn't do anything except reassure him.
0:07:48 > 0:07:51- Bless him. - Didn't like that, did you?
0:07:51 > 0:07:55Nice bedside manner, Anya and Ellie. I think Riley's calming down.
0:07:56 > 0:07:59- Good boy.- Brilliant.
0:07:59 > 0:08:01Ellie's eye drops and this magnifying lens
0:08:01 > 0:08:05will make everything look much bigger and easier to examine.
0:08:05 > 0:08:08- Can you see how grey...? - Yeah.- Yeah.
0:08:09 > 0:08:11And that tells me a couple of things.
0:08:11 > 0:08:13The whole of his lens is affected,
0:08:13 > 0:08:16which is probably why his eyesight is so poor.
0:08:16 > 0:08:18Yeah, it's all grey, isn't it?
0:08:18 > 0:08:20Poor old Riley.
0:08:20 > 0:08:21This doesn't look good.
0:08:21 > 0:08:23No wonder he's been banging into things.
0:08:23 > 0:08:25What's next, Jason?
0:08:25 > 0:08:27- This is what we call a tonometer. - Yeah, OK.
0:08:27 > 0:08:31This little bit of kit's probably worth about £1,500.
0:08:31 > 0:08:34- All right.- And they don't like being dropped.- OK.
0:08:34 > 0:08:37- There's no pressure.- OK. - Don't drop it.- OK.
0:08:39 > 0:08:41This fancy and expensive bit of kit
0:08:41 > 0:08:44will tell us how bad Riley's eyes are.
0:08:44 > 0:08:46Because he's already got defects in his eyes,
0:08:46 > 0:08:49he could have pressure issues in his eyes.
0:08:49 > 0:08:52And high pressure in the eye is very serious.
0:08:52 > 0:08:55He could go blind, and it could be very painful.
0:08:55 > 0:08:58The pressure's on now, junior vets.
0:08:58 > 0:08:59Nice and calm, Riley.
0:08:59 > 0:09:01Let's do this.
0:09:01 > 0:09:03Gently.
0:09:03 > 0:09:07Even though he's had his eyes numbed, I was still, like, shaking.
0:09:09 > 0:09:11- Is that it?- One more for luck.
0:09:11 > 0:09:14Please make it good news for Riley.
0:09:14 > 0:09:1690, so his pressure is OK.
0:09:16 > 0:09:18So that's good news.
0:09:18 > 0:09:21Basically, because he's got relatively normal pressure
0:09:21 > 0:09:25in his eye, that means his eye is stable for the minute,
0:09:25 > 0:09:27and he's not going to need urgent surgery.
0:09:35 > 0:09:37Burning questions, loads of them.
0:09:37 > 0:09:39And they all need answering.
0:09:39 > 0:09:40OK, let's do this.
0:09:40 > 0:09:43Laksman is our latest truth seeker.
0:09:43 > 0:09:46I've got a question that I'm burning to ask you.
0:09:46 > 0:09:48Is there anything such as a liger,
0:09:48 > 0:09:51the crossbreed of a lion and a tiger?
0:09:51 > 0:09:53If so, please can you tell me.
0:09:54 > 0:09:55A liger?
0:09:55 > 0:09:57Well, believe it or not, it's true.
0:09:57 > 0:10:01Not at... Well, would you look at that!
0:10:01 > 0:10:02Yeah, I know!
0:10:02 > 0:10:07The liger had a tiger mum and lion daddy.
0:10:07 > 0:10:10Wow! Whatever next?
0:10:10 > 0:10:12A zebra crossed with a donkey?
0:10:12 > 0:10:13A zonkey?
0:10:14 > 0:10:18Actually, Johnny, I think you'll find that's a zedonk.
0:10:18 > 0:10:20Now, I HAVE seen everything.
0:10:26 > 0:10:29In Newcastle, it looks like junior vets Anya and Ellie
0:10:29 > 0:10:32are still getting to the bottom of Riley the puppy's eye problem.
0:10:32 > 0:10:36- There we go.- Vet Jason is worried that a nasty condition
0:10:36 > 0:10:39called diabetes is causing his poor eyesight.
0:10:39 > 0:10:42This would be bad news for a young dog like Riley.
0:10:42 > 0:10:43There we go.
0:10:43 > 0:10:44Just screw the cap on.
0:10:44 > 0:10:46The blood sample will reveal all.
0:10:46 > 0:10:50That'll go up to the lab and we'll run blood tests on there,
0:10:50 > 0:10:54and we'll probably have the results back later on.
0:10:54 > 0:10:57Once we took it we were hoping that it would be the right level.
0:10:57 > 0:10:59And it would be positive results for Riley and for Jason.
0:10:59 > 0:11:01Because it's another added thing
0:11:01 > 0:11:03that you need to worry about if it was bad.
0:11:05 > 0:11:06Whilst we're waiting for the results,
0:11:06 > 0:11:09Riley can have the surgery he came in for.
0:11:09 > 0:11:11It's an important operation to stop him
0:11:11 > 0:11:13having unwanted pups.
0:11:13 > 0:11:15That's the anaesthetic going in.
0:11:16 > 0:11:18Riley is in a deep sleep now.
0:11:18 > 0:11:19Let's get him ready.
0:11:19 > 0:11:21That tube will help him breathe.
0:11:21 > 0:11:23Easy does it, Anya.
0:11:23 > 0:11:25It's quite difficult, this.
0:11:25 > 0:11:26- Down into there's his airway.- OK.
0:11:26 > 0:11:29- Yeah?- Yeah.- Keep going?- Yeah.
0:11:29 > 0:11:30Brilliant.
0:11:30 > 0:11:33You're a dog clipping expert now, Ellie.
0:11:33 > 0:11:34- Good job.- Thank you.
0:11:34 > 0:11:37Right, now we need the surgical site scrubbed.
0:11:40 > 0:11:43- We're going to take him to theatre now.- OK.
0:11:43 > 0:11:45It's already been a full-on day of vet work.
0:11:45 > 0:11:47Now for surgery.
0:11:47 > 0:11:49Tell us if you feel a little bit sick or faint.
0:11:49 > 0:11:52Let me know and I'll get one of the nurses
0:11:52 > 0:11:54to take you out of the theatre, OK?
0:11:54 > 0:11:56My prediction -
0:11:56 > 0:11:58Johnny will be the one to go, if anyone.
0:12:03 > 0:12:06When you're vetting at a busy safari park,
0:12:06 > 0:12:09you never know what sort of creature is going to need your help.
0:12:11 > 0:12:12Oh, hello.
0:12:12 > 0:12:15Hey, Sammy. Who do we have here?
0:12:15 > 0:12:16This is Cavalo.
0:12:16 > 0:12:18He's our tapir here at Knowsley.
0:12:18 > 0:12:21- It looked like...- A pig?
0:12:23 > 0:12:25A mini elephant.
0:12:25 > 0:12:27Yeah, it actually was kind of a mini elephant
0:12:27 > 0:12:29because of its long nose.
0:12:29 > 0:12:32But working with an animal that you don't even know what it is
0:12:32 > 0:12:34is very scary, at best.
0:12:35 > 0:12:39These guys are from South America, or Central America.
0:12:39 > 0:12:40So how come one's here?
0:12:40 > 0:12:43They're part of our breeding programme.
0:12:43 > 0:12:46We actually hold a bachelor group of males.
0:12:46 > 0:12:49Their nose looks like an elephant's trunk.
0:12:49 > 0:12:53Yes, a lot of people do say that they're a little elephant baby.
0:12:53 > 0:12:55But, no, these guys are one of a kind.
0:12:55 > 0:12:58They are prone to getting footcare problems.
0:12:58 > 0:13:01So in the dry season, they can tend to crack.
0:13:01 > 0:13:04But on rainy days like this, it's not too bad.
0:13:04 > 0:13:07But we've just had really dry days.
0:13:07 > 0:13:10So they get, like, corns and bunions and all that, yeah?
0:13:10 > 0:13:13Yeah, so we're just treating them with some coconut oil.
0:13:13 > 0:13:14I use the same stuff.
0:13:14 > 0:13:17Cavalo's dad Shaun is getting treated first,
0:13:17 > 0:13:19but the junior vets have got to find him.
0:13:19 > 0:13:21Well, call him, then.
0:13:21 > 0:13:23- BOTH:- Shaun!!!
0:13:24 > 0:13:26You have to be louder, girls.
0:13:26 > 0:13:30- Here we go.- Oi, Shaun!!! Come on, Shaun.
0:13:30 > 0:13:32One of those days, sweat at it!
0:13:32 > 0:13:34Shaun!
0:13:34 > 0:13:36Into the treatment room, Shaun.
0:13:36 > 0:13:40Now, get this - some tapirs like Shaun love a little tickle.
0:13:40 > 0:13:43If we can hit the right spot, Shaun will be putty in our hands.
0:13:46 > 0:13:49- There's a good boy. - Give him a good tickle, girls.
0:13:49 > 0:13:51No?
0:13:51 > 0:13:53That's it. 'We're not messing around here.
0:13:53 > 0:13:55'There is a real vet reason we're doing this.'
0:13:55 > 0:13:57At the moment, we are trying to tickle him
0:13:57 > 0:13:59because we're trying to get him to lie down
0:13:59 > 0:14:01so we can do his feet.
0:14:01 > 0:14:04It's just creating that bond between us,
0:14:04 > 0:14:07just in case we have to do any vet procedures.
0:14:07 > 0:14:09It's just kind of nice for him.
0:14:09 > 0:14:11Oh, you like that.
0:14:11 > 0:14:12You like that.
0:14:12 > 0:14:14He's being a bit stubborn. He doesn't want to lie down.
0:14:14 > 0:14:16Yeah, he's definitely being stubborn.
0:14:16 > 0:14:19Come on, Shaun, mate, we need to treat your feet.
0:14:19 > 0:14:21He just ain't in the mood today.
0:14:23 > 0:14:25He wouldn't lie down.
0:14:25 > 0:14:27And, like, he was distracted and busy.
0:14:29 > 0:14:30He's a wild animal, remember.
0:14:30 > 0:14:34We can't force him, or he might be scared of vets in the future.
0:14:34 > 0:14:36I don't think he wants to lie down, does he, girls?
0:14:36 > 0:14:39- No.- I don't think he wants his feet to be checked out.
0:14:39 > 0:14:41Sometimes this does happen.
0:14:41 > 0:14:44So what we'll do is to try his son,
0:14:44 > 0:14:47and we'll bring Cavalo back in, who you met earlier.
0:14:47 > 0:14:51If we, like, swap them over, when is he going to have his?
0:14:51 > 0:14:52We'll try again tomorrow.
0:14:52 > 0:14:54And we'll keep on doing it as that.
0:14:54 > 0:14:58This is the thing with working with wild animals, junior vets.
0:14:58 > 0:14:59They do what they like.
0:15:03 > 0:15:06Right, Cavalo, you're up next.
0:15:06 > 0:15:08Oh, yeah, he's a tickle fan, all right.
0:15:08 > 0:15:09He's loving it.
0:15:10 > 0:15:12He looks asleep, doesn't he?
0:15:12 > 0:15:13Right, on with the vetting.
0:15:13 > 0:15:17That's his weak spot, there we go. Perfect.
0:15:17 > 0:15:19That's what I'm talking about. Teamwork.
0:15:19 > 0:15:22Amar is on distraction duty, while Rawan - on with the feet.
0:15:24 > 0:15:26It was very squidgy, and really gross.
0:15:28 > 0:15:29I'll punk it out.
0:15:30 > 0:15:32Cavalo was sort of, like,
0:15:32 > 0:15:35he didn't even notice we were tickling his feet.
0:15:35 > 0:15:38They are prone to cracking around the heel,
0:15:38 > 0:15:41and just on that soft little tissue just there.
0:15:41 > 0:15:44So you're just checking in between his little toes.
0:15:45 > 0:15:48Cavalo now has the softest feet in Merseyside.
0:15:49 > 0:15:51- Goodnight, Cavalo.- Bye, Cavalo.
0:15:51 > 0:15:53Have a nice sleep.
0:15:53 > 0:15:54All done, Cavalo.
0:15:55 > 0:15:59That's what I call bedside manner, junior vets.
0:15:59 > 0:16:01He is proper sparko.
0:16:01 > 0:16:04Oi, Cavalo, treatment's done, mate, you can go.
0:16:04 > 0:16:05Go on.
0:16:07 > 0:16:10Come on, Barker, let's have a nice run out.
0:16:10 > 0:16:12BARKING What's that, boy?
0:16:12 > 0:16:14You've found some ace animal video treats?
0:16:14 > 0:16:16Well, you know what to do, Barker.
0:16:16 > 0:16:17Take it away.
0:16:19 > 0:16:21# Doggy
0:16:21 > 0:16:23# Doggy lift your tail up
0:16:23 > 0:16:25# Doggy Doggy lift your tail up
0:16:25 > 0:16:26# Doggy
0:16:26 > 0:16:28# Doggy lift your tail up
0:16:28 > 0:16:31# Doggy lift your tail up and show us what you've got. #
0:16:34 > 0:16:37This is my cat Dash, and he has a really special trick.
0:16:37 > 0:16:38An unusual habit.
0:16:48 > 0:16:53He climbs up the cactus, and sometimes...
0:16:53 > 0:16:57he sits on the top of it.
0:16:57 > 0:16:59But most of the time, he just wants the hand
0:16:59 > 0:17:01so he can get the treat.
0:17:01 > 0:17:04She's not making it easy for him.
0:17:04 > 0:17:06Hey, hey - keep watching. Keep watching, mate.
0:17:08 > 0:17:09Like that.
0:17:11 > 0:17:13Oh, nicely done, Dash.
0:17:13 > 0:17:16See? How cool was that?
0:17:19 > 0:17:21Very cool. Very cool.
0:17:22 > 0:17:24Not cool. Not cool.
0:17:25 > 0:17:27At the north-east vets,
0:17:27 > 0:17:29Anya and Ellie are about to give Riley the dog
0:17:29 > 0:17:32an operation to stop him having unwanted puppies.
0:17:32 > 0:17:34I thought we were going to be, like, standing outside, watching...
0:17:34 > 0:17:36Watching Jason do it.
0:17:36 > 0:17:38- But we were actually hands on. - Yeah.
0:17:38 > 0:17:41If anything went wrong, it would be our fault.
0:17:41 > 0:17:42Little incision.
0:17:43 > 0:17:45This is serious stuff.
0:17:45 > 0:17:49Jason needs to remove Riley's testicles so he won't have pups.
0:17:51 > 0:17:53- These clamps all right here? - Yeah, they're great.
0:17:53 > 0:17:55Keep doing what you're doing.
0:17:55 > 0:17:57- Wasn't as bad as I thought it was good to be.- No.- No.
0:17:57 > 0:18:01Anya's making sure Riley's heartbeat is healthy.
0:18:01 > 0:18:03I found it quite hard to focus on, like, trying to hear it
0:18:03 > 0:18:05and making sure it was all good.
0:18:05 > 0:18:07So what's their average heart rate?
0:18:07 > 0:18:10It's between 60 and 120 for a dog.
0:18:10 > 0:18:14- OK, so that's all right. - Yeah, that's all right.- All good.
0:18:14 > 0:18:16- Is he bleeding? - No, I don't think so.
0:18:16 > 0:18:17- Safe to go?- Yeah, it's fine.
0:18:17 > 0:18:19On your head...
0:18:19 > 0:18:21Look at that face!
0:18:21 > 0:18:23- Yeah!- It's fine.
0:18:23 > 0:18:25Jason definitely reassured us a lot. Kept us calm.
0:18:25 > 0:18:27- Yeah.- I'm really glad he was there.
0:18:27 > 0:18:28- Talked through it, as well.- Yeah.
0:18:28 > 0:18:31I can't believe how well you're doing here, junior vets.
0:18:31 > 0:18:34Feeling all right, Johnny?
0:18:34 > 0:18:37I'll all right, yeah, it's just... it's just different.
0:18:37 > 0:18:38- Different.- Different, yeah.
0:18:39 > 0:18:42Phew! I'm glad that's over.
0:18:42 > 0:18:44Now we need to stitch Riley backup.
0:18:44 > 0:18:47Right, there we go. Done.
0:18:47 > 0:18:48Do you want to wake him up?
0:18:48 > 0:18:51If one of you wants to give them the injection?
0:18:53 > 0:18:55Great.
0:18:55 > 0:18:57But Riley's not out of the woods yet.
0:18:57 > 0:18:59Earlier, the team took a blood sample
0:18:59 > 0:19:01and sent it to the lab to test for diabetes.
0:19:01 > 0:19:04- Riley is coming round really nicely now.- OK, yeah.
0:19:04 > 0:19:05We'll leave him in recovery,
0:19:05 > 0:19:07and we'll perhaps go and have a look at his blood tests now.
0:19:07 > 0:19:09Fingers crossed, Riley.
0:19:10 > 0:19:11Right, junior vets.
0:19:11 > 0:19:13Have a look at these blood results.
0:19:13 > 0:19:15What I want you to have a look at
0:19:15 > 0:19:18is that everything's within normal range.
0:19:18 > 0:19:20Here's the sciencey bit.
0:19:20 > 0:19:23If the amount of sugar in Riley's blood, known as glucose,
0:19:23 > 0:19:25is too high, that's bad news.
0:19:25 > 0:19:28- If we look at the glucose, that's where it should be.- Yeah.
0:19:28 > 0:19:30- So, that's good. - So what does that mean, then?
0:19:30 > 0:19:31- He's not diabetic.- Yeah.
0:19:31 > 0:19:34- So that's a good result, isn't it? - Yeah.- It is, yeah.
0:19:34 > 0:19:35Basically, that means he's not diabetic,
0:19:35 > 0:19:38- and has cataracts are probably more developmental.- Yeah.
0:19:38 > 0:19:41It was obviously such a relief to find out that Riley was OK.
0:19:41 > 0:19:44- Yeah.- He's all good.
0:19:44 > 0:19:48So, basically, those blood results are really good news.
0:19:48 > 0:19:51He's now castrated, so his temperament's going to be better.
0:19:51 > 0:19:54- So, the future looks very bright for him.- Yeah.
0:19:54 > 0:19:56You've been a big, big part of that.
0:19:56 > 0:19:58So, you've done really well today.
0:19:58 > 0:19:59- Thank you.- Thank you.
0:20:01 > 0:20:02Brilliant result, junior vets.
0:20:02 > 0:20:04Good luck, Riley.
0:20:09 > 0:20:11Back at the very rainy safari park,
0:20:11 > 0:20:14the junior vets are moving on to the big stuff.
0:20:14 > 0:20:16That's right - I'm talking elephants.
0:20:18 > 0:20:21Hi, my name's Steve, I'm the elephant keeper here in Knowsley.
0:20:21 > 0:20:24We're going to be working with the two female elephants.
0:20:25 > 0:20:27I didn't believe it.
0:20:27 > 0:20:30It was a nice opportunity to have, to work with an elephant.
0:20:30 > 0:20:33Firstly, one of you is going to help call him over to the fence, here.
0:20:33 > 0:20:35And then, when we get inside,
0:20:35 > 0:20:36just going to do a bit of foot-scrubbing,
0:20:36 > 0:20:38tail-scrubbing, checking his ears.
0:20:38 > 0:20:40No problem, Steve!
0:20:40 > 0:20:42One elephant MOT coming right up!
0:20:42 > 0:20:45- Are we going to get started? - Yeah, straightaway.
0:20:45 > 0:20:48Look at this! The junior vets are up for it, Steve.
0:20:50 > 0:20:52Elephant 1 to elephant 4.
0:20:52 > 0:20:55Can you be ready at the gates? I want to call the girls away now.
0:20:55 > 0:20:58How do we get these big girls inside for treatment?
0:20:58 > 0:21:01Well, Amar is going for the old tempting treat plan.
0:21:02 > 0:21:04Ashanti!
0:21:04 > 0:21:08And Rawan's closing the gate behind them to keep everyone safe.
0:21:08 > 0:21:09OK!
0:21:09 > 0:21:11Opening gates.
0:21:11 > 0:21:13This is dangerous work, Rawan.
0:21:13 > 0:21:15Better be clear with your instructions.
0:21:15 > 0:21:16Closing gate!
0:21:16 > 0:21:17Yeah, that was clear.
0:21:20 > 0:21:24I had to shout really loud so everyone knew what they were doing.
0:21:24 > 0:21:27You're good at that, aren't you?
0:21:28 > 0:21:29Gate safe.
0:21:29 > 0:21:31Yes, I got that, Rawan.
0:21:31 > 0:21:33HE SIGHS
0:21:34 > 0:21:37It's too dangerous to go inside the pen to treat Ashanti,
0:21:37 > 0:21:40so the keepers train her to come to them.
0:21:42 > 0:21:45Ashanti's had a poorly shoulder since she was born,
0:21:45 > 0:21:48and it's important that vets keep an eye on it.
0:21:48 > 0:21:49She's got a slight dislocation,
0:21:49 > 0:21:53so she can't lift her foot all the way through the foot port.
0:21:53 > 0:21:54So what we're doing, is we've been building
0:21:54 > 0:21:57the physiotherapy up, so she lifts is to a certain height.
0:21:57 > 0:22:01Elephants are really good at adapting to these things.
0:22:02 > 0:22:04That's the physio part of the treatment done.
0:22:04 > 0:22:08Now, for a bit of cleaning to keep Ashanti's feet spick and span.
0:22:08 > 0:22:11Good girl, Ashanti!
0:22:11 > 0:22:13It's the first time I've ever...
0:22:14 > 0:22:17..you know, like, been near an elephant.
0:22:17 > 0:22:20It's the first time I've been cleaning an elephant's feet.
0:22:21 > 0:22:22Good girl, Ashanti.
0:22:22 > 0:22:24Ain't her trunk amazing?
0:22:24 > 0:22:27It's got more than 40,000 muscles in it.
0:22:27 > 0:22:30We have less than 700 in our whole body!
0:22:30 > 0:22:32Incredible.
0:22:33 > 0:22:35What we'll do now is get her to present her tail,
0:22:35 > 0:22:37and there's two reasons we do this.
0:22:37 > 0:22:42Firstly, it's so we can take any dead skin off her tail,
0:22:42 > 0:22:46but also, if we ever need to give any medicine at a later date,
0:22:46 > 0:22:48via her back passage,
0:22:48 > 0:22:52we can lift the tail up and put our hands in if we have to.
0:22:52 > 0:22:56I was very nervous to actually clean the elephant's tail.
0:22:56 > 0:22:59I mean, its tail, its...bum.
0:22:59 > 0:23:00They have to, like, stick it in.
0:23:00 > 0:23:03It's gross. It's gross.
0:23:03 > 0:23:06Come on, Rawan, this is important vetting.
0:23:06 > 0:23:08I mean, what's the worst that can happen?
0:23:08 > 0:23:10Shall we just give it a good scrub?
0:23:10 > 0:23:11All over, really scrub it.
0:23:11 > 0:23:13This will help remove all that old skin.
0:23:13 > 0:23:17She's got really thick skin, so she can't feel it as such.
0:23:17 > 0:23:19- PFFRRT - Whoa!
0:23:19 > 0:23:20What was that?!
0:23:23 > 0:23:25Proper stinks.
0:23:25 > 0:23:28I think she trumped because she doesn't like me.
0:23:28 > 0:23:33It was very loud, very smelly, and very gross.
0:23:33 > 0:23:34Unlucky.
0:23:34 > 0:23:36I'd rather she was in that job.
0:23:41 > 0:23:44Ha-ha! You know what, junior vets?
0:23:44 > 0:23:46That might have been Ashanti's way of saying,
0:23:46 > 0:23:49"I've had enough treatment for today." Good luck, Ashanti.
0:23:49 > 0:23:52We are all better off with her being out in the fresh air, I think.
0:23:52 > 0:23:54Vetted.
0:23:55 > 0:23:58An almighty effort from all over the junior vets today.
0:23:58 > 0:23:59Good boy.
0:23:59 > 0:24:01Shaun!
0:24:01 > 0:24:02You've done really well today.
0:24:02 > 0:24:04PFFRRT
0:24:04 > 0:24:06Whoa!
0:24:06 > 0:24:08Tell you what, junior vets, today has been an education.
0:24:08 > 0:24:10Learnt some stuff today.
0:24:10 > 0:24:13I learnt that if you want a wild animal to do anything at all,
0:24:13 > 0:24:15you've got to give him a little tickle first.
0:24:15 > 0:24:18I've learnt that meerkats aren't as cute as they look.
0:24:18 > 0:24:21I've learnt that never get close to an elephants' bottom,
0:24:21 > 0:24:23otherwise they might trump like it just did to me.
0:24:23 > 0:24:24Good advice.
0:24:26 > 0:24:28Nice one, junior vets.
0:24:28 > 0:24:30Another set of happy, healthy patients.
0:24:33 > 0:24:35Fancy getting vetting yourself?
0:24:35 > 0:24:37Well, get on the CBBC website right now
0:24:37 > 0:24:39and start earning hearts and points
0:24:39 > 0:24:41by helping the animals that need you.