0:00:02 > 0:00:04We Brits love our animals.
0:00:05 > 0:00:09From livestock in the fields, to pooches in the park.
0:00:12 > 0:00:15It's the job of the nation's vets to keep them healthy.
0:00:17 > 0:00:19Whether consulting in the countryside...
0:00:19 > 0:00:21There is something very nice
0:00:21 > 0:00:23about being next to a nice cow.
0:00:26 > 0:00:29..or horsing around in the stables...
0:00:29 > 0:00:33I spend all my job outwitting animals.
0:00:33 > 0:00:34Got him!
0:00:36 > 0:00:39..they're passionate about their patients.
0:00:39 > 0:00:43It's always very tempting to take animals home.
0:00:43 > 0:00:45You're a terrifying dog, aren't you?
0:00:45 > 0:00:46Yes!
0:00:49 > 0:00:53On call when the animals need them most.
0:00:53 > 0:00:57If we leave it any longer he almost certainly is going to not make it.
0:00:58 > 0:01:02They're the dedicated vets, patching up pets,
0:01:02 > 0:01:08and caring every day for More Creatures...Great And Small.
0:01:18 > 0:01:19Coming up...
0:01:19 > 0:01:22In Teesdale, Steve treats a scrapping cat.
0:01:22 > 0:01:26I don't think that's another cat that's done that.
0:01:26 > 0:01:29Sybil takes the Highland bull by the horns.
0:01:29 > 0:01:31Come on, come on.
0:01:31 > 0:01:35While in Fife, Angela has a worrying case with a Rottweiler.
0:01:35 > 0:01:39- There's a tumour going on inside there.- Right.- That might have weakened the tissues.
0:01:46 > 0:01:48Teesdale...
0:01:48 > 0:01:52rich in scenery and wildlife, with a thriving rural community.
0:01:58 > 0:02:02Today, small-animal vet Steve is at one of the biggest
0:02:02 > 0:02:05agricultural events in the local calendar, The Bowes Show.
0:02:07 > 0:02:10It's a chance for the farming community to meet up
0:02:10 > 0:02:14and compete in horse, sheep and dog championships...
0:02:16 > 0:02:19..and for Steve to meet his clients.
0:02:20 > 0:02:23These are all my patients. I'll have seen them over the years
0:02:23 > 0:02:26and it's just nice to see them out and about,
0:02:26 > 0:02:29rather than on the end of a needle or worried in my consulting room.
0:02:29 > 0:02:34And judging the annual dog contest is just another perk of the job.
0:02:34 > 0:02:37This is fun, OK? So nobody's allowed to lynch me afterwards.
0:02:37 > 0:02:42OK, just do a little loop there for me.
0:02:44 > 0:02:47Oh, Henrietta.
0:02:47 > 0:02:49What do they say, never work with kids and animals.
0:02:49 > 0:02:51There you see a responsible young owner,
0:02:51 > 0:02:55his pocket full of bags, picking up his dog's poo. Good lad.
0:02:56 > 0:02:59The time has come for Steve to pick the best dog in show.
0:02:59 > 0:03:01This is a tough one.
0:03:01 > 0:03:03It's not so easy. I thought it would be.
0:03:07 > 0:03:10Congratulations, young man.
0:03:10 > 0:03:12If you look after her, she'll look after you. Yeah?
0:03:12 > 0:03:15I think you are a special little puppy.
0:03:15 > 0:03:17I can really see the bond between you
0:03:17 > 0:03:19and I can see that she loves you and you love her.
0:03:19 > 0:03:23It's quite an honour to be asked to come and be the judge here.
0:03:23 > 0:03:26It makes you feel part of the community.
0:03:26 > 0:03:31And being valued by the community was important during a recent health scare.
0:03:32 > 0:03:35One Tuesday afternoon my ticker decided that, actually,
0:03:35 > 0:03:38I wasn't as healthy as I thought I was and I had a heart attack.
0:03:38 > 0:03:42I had this pile of get-well cards from clients,
0:03:42 > 0:03:46who'd heard via the grapevine and they just came flooding in every day
0:03:46 > 0:03:51and when you have an event like this and you get all...
0:03:51 > 0:03:57You know, care and love and concern come charging back,
0:03:57 > 0:04:01it suddenly makes you realise how many lives you've perhaps touched.
0:04:02 > 0:04:05Touching people's lives through their pets
0:04:05 > 0:04:08is a huge part of any vet's life.
0:04:09 > 0:04:12In Dunfermline, small-animal vet Angela
0:04:12 > 0:04:15knows it's a big responsibility.
0:04:15 > 0:04:19The bond with an animal can be huge
0:04:19 > 0:04:22and that's very important to be aware of as you're a vet.
0:04:22 > 0:04:26You know, that looks worse because it looks so much bigger
0:04:26 > 0:04:28but it is better.
0:04:28 > 0:04:31It's not uncommon for some people to occasionally say,
0:04:31 > 0:04:34I prefer the dog to my wife, or vice-versa.
0:04:34 > 0:04:39People have a very, very strong, close bond to their animal.
0:04:40 > 0:04:43Angela's next patient is Rottweiler Darcy,
0:04:43 > 0:04:46who's been brought in by Donna.
0:04:46 > 0:04:49This is Darcy, she's got a sore toe.
0:04:49 > 0:04:53She broke her nail in half and we cut it
0:04:53 > 0:04:55and she ended up gnawing it all the time.
0:04:55 > 0:04:58And it's now, because of her licking, it's got infected.
0:04:58 > 0:05:01Hi there, how are we doing?
0:05:01 > 0:05:05- So-so.- Right, OK, let's have a wee look.
0:05:05 > 0:05:09Angela can tell there is more to this injury than meets the eye.
0:05:09 > 0:05:13I don't like the way we're getting something coming out from the side.
0:05:13 > 0:05:17- Her lymph nodes, it does feel quite big.- Right.
0:05:17 > 0:05:20The swollen lymph node on the back of Darcy's leg
0:05:20 > 0:05:22could mean a more serious problem.
0:05:23 > 0:05:26What I'm worried is if it's not just an infection,
0:05:26 > 0:05:29- if there's a tumour going on inside there.- Right.
0:05:29 > 0:05:31That might be what's weakened the tissues
0:05:31 > 0:05:33- and why the nail has torn as easily. - Right.
0:05:33 > 0:05:36What I think we need to do is probably get her sedated.
0:05:36 > 0:05:41Before we make any decisions, surgery, have a look at the X-rays
0:05:41 > 0:05:45- and get a sample of this lymph node and send it off to the lab.- Right.
0:05:45 > 0:05:47Because, if it is a tumour,
0:05:47 > 0:05:50then sometimes if we sample the cells in this lymph node
0:05:50 > 0:05:52we can get an idea, is it spreading?
0:05:54 > 0:05:56It's devastating news for Donna,
0:05:56 > 0:05:59who has all ready lost two dogs to cancer.
0:06:00 > 0:06:04The last time I brought my other two dogs, I had to put them down.
0:06:04 > 0:06:08Well, as I say, we'll do everything we can.
0:06:13 > 0:06:16Angela X-rays Darcy straightaway
0:06:16 > 0:06:19and takes cell samples from her toe and lymph node.
0:06:21 > 0:06:23She knows large breeds, like Rottweilers,
0:06:23 > 0:06:25are prone to bone cancer.
0:06:29 > 0:06:32I am quite concerned
0:06:32 > 0:06:35about what we can see both by looking at it and the X-rays.
0:06:35 > 0:06:39I think there's something, certainly very aggressive
0:06:39 > 0:06:42that is eating away at the bone in her toes
0:06:42 > 0:06:44and eating away at the tissue.
0:06:44 > 0:06:48Once we get these results back, we'll definitely decide
0:06:48 > 0:06:50what's the best course of action for her.
0:06:52 > 0:06:55I don't have any kids. Darcy's like a child I never had.
0:06:55 > 0:06:59She's my life, she's my rock.
0:06:59 > 0:07:01And to lose Darcy,
0:07:01 > 0:07:02I think it would break me.
0:07:05 > 0:07:09Angela must now share her concerns with Donna.
0:07:09 > 0:07:13I've never seen someone catch a nail for it to do this much damage.
0:07:13 > 0:07:17I am suspicious that there's a tumour around about here
0:07:17 > 0:07:20and that tumour is eating away at the bone.
0:07:20 > 0:07:23My other dog actually had bone cancer.
0:07:23 > 0:07:28Her whole back leg went really swollen and it spread right through.
0:07:28 > 0:07:31I'm worried in case this is going to go the same way.
0:07:31 > 0:07:34I know for a fact, I'm no going to take her full leg off
0:07:34 > 0:07:37- if it has travelled.- She's so heavy, I think that's going
0:07:37 > 0:07:40to be too much weight on that one back leg.
0:07:40 > 0:07:44- Yeah, I would agree with you, I don't think she'd cope, unfortunately.- No.
0:07:49 > 0:07:53Donna now has a tough wait for the test results to come in.
0:08:04 > 0:08:06The rural practice in Barnard Castle
0:08:06 > 0:08:10sees over 1,000 feline customers a year.
0:08:10 > 0:08:12You're much happier.
0:08:12 > 0:08:14Today Sam has brought in his cat to see vet Steve.
0:08:16 > 0:08:18This is Socks the cat.
0:08:18 > 0:08:22She got in a fight last night and cut her ear and her chin.
0:08:22 > 0:08:24It must have been quite an altercation.
0:08:26 > 0:08:27Socks, please.
0:08:31 > 0:08:32Come on through.
0:08:33 > 0:08:35Right, what's Socks been up to?
0:08:35 > 0:08:37- Er...- Fisticuffs?- Yeah.
0:08:37 > 0:08:41Come on, baby, what have you been doing?
0:08:41 > 0:08:44She's got a scratch up there and cut her chin.
0:08:44 > 0:08:45Oh, they meant it.
0:08:47 > 0:08:50I don't think that's another cat that's done that.
0:08:50 > 0:08:54I've never seen a wound quite that...
0:08:54 > 0:08:57You know, that deep, or that dramatic.
0:08:57 > 0:09:01I think what I would do here, I'd like to keep her in
0:09:01 > 0:09:04- and flush the cavity out that's under the chin.- Yeah.
0:09:04 > 0:09:07Then probably close it over, actually. I'll put a couple of stitches in there.
0:09:07 > 0:09:10- Another case of you wish they could talk.- Yeah.
0:09:10 > 0:09:13- It's a bit of a mystery. - What have you been doing? Eh?
0:09:13 > 0:09:14Pop her back in her cage.
0:09:14 > 0:09:16CAT MEOWS
0:09:16 > 0:09:18All right, my sweet. Good girl.
0:09:18 > 0:09:22Britain's cats kill around 250,000 animals every year,
0:09:22 > 0:09:24so Socks isn't alone.
0:09:24 > 0:09:26She kills a lot of animals, I'll give her that.
0:09:26 > 0:09:29Most days there's something by the back door,
0:09:29 > 0:09:32either a bird, a rabbit, or half a rabbit.
0:09:34 > 0:09:37A weasel once, that was a decent effort.
0:09:37 > 0:09:42Socks' previous history may explain why she's so battle worn.
0:09:42 > 0:09:44- Excellent.- OK.- Thank you very much. - Catch you later.
0:09:45 > 0:09:49They do catch things like stoats and weasels and things
0:09:49 > 0:09:51and they can be really vicious.
0:09:51 > 0:09:54And squirrels are really nasty when they get going.
0:09:54 > 0:09:56So, erm, yeah...
0:09:56 > 0:09:59I wouldn't take on a squirrel.
0:09:59 > 0:10:01Come on, Socksy cat.
0:10:01 > 0:10:04Whatever it was, Steve will clean and stitch up the nasty wound.
0:10:11 > 0:10:16It's more serious at the small animal hospital in Dunfermline.
0:10:16 > 0:10:19A week ago, Donna brought in her Rottweiler
0:10:19 > 0:10:22with an injured toe that wouldn't heal.
0:10:22 > 0:10:24I'm worried, if there's not just an infection,
0:10:24 > 0:10:27if there's a tumour going on inside there.
0:10:27 > 0:10:31A swollen lymph node made Angela suspect Darcy could have cancer.
0:10:31 > 0:10:34She's my life, she's my rock.
0:10:34 > 0:10:36To lose Darcy...
0:10:36 > 0:10:37I think it would break me.
0:10:39 > 0:10:43Cell samples were taken and sent off for testing.
0:10:47 > 0:10:49The results have come in.
0:10:52 > 0:10:54They have said that the cells show
0:10:54 > 0:10:57they have got several of the criteria of malignancy.
0:10:57 > 0:11:00In other words, that they are showing signs they are cancerous.
0:11:00 > 0:11:03The sample from the lymph node was non-diagnostic.
0:11:03 > 0:11:06There was too much blood and inflammatory cells to say for definite
0:11:06 > 0:11:10if it was just inflammatory, or whether the tumour cells had spread.
0:11:12 > 0:11:17Darcy's toe is cancerous but the tests haven't revealed
0:11:17 > 0:11:20if it's spread, giving Donna some hope.
0:11:20 > 0:11:24Luckily enough it's going to be just her toe that's coming off
0:11:24 > 0:11:26with some skin
0:11:26 > 0:11:30and hopefully there'll be no soft tumour cells left
0:11:30 > 0:11:32in her wee leg.
0:11:34 > 0:11:38Darcy's operation will be carried out by vet Liz
0:11:38 > 0:11:41who is experienced in soft tissue surgery.
0:11:41 > 0:11:45The toe amputation could get rid of the cancer completely
0:11:45 > 0:11:50but if there's bad news, Donna needs to consider the options for Darcy.
0:11:51 > 0:11:56Now, if we found that it was a nasty tumour
0:11:56 > 0:11:59that had spread elsewhere,
0:11:59 > 0:12:03would we be considering doing further surgery
0:12:03 > 0:12:05in terms of amputation of the leg?
0:12:05 > 0:12:10- No.- Would we be considering doing chemotherapy or radiotherapy?- No.
0:12:10 > 0:12:12- Right.- I would rather not, no.
0:12:12 > 0:12:16Taking her leg, if it has spread, then it's no' happening.
0:12:16 > 0:12:19It's one of those things where it's better to know how we feel
0:12:19 > 0:12:21and what we're dealing with at the start.
0:12:21 > 0:12:23Actually the main thing here is that we alleviate pain.
0:12:26 > 0:12:29Knowing that Darcy wouldn't cope with a leg amputation,
0:12:29 > 0:12:34Donna prefers not to know what type of cancer she has.
0:12:34 > 0:12:38Some people can't cope with knowing that their animal has cancer
0:12:38 > 0:12:40and that the cancer has spread and then they feel
0:12:40 > 0:12:43they'd constantly be looking out for it
0:12:43 > 0:12:45and that would definitely curtail how they feel
0:12:45 > 0:12:48and how their time is left with their animal.
0:12:48 > 0:12:51They'd prefer just to take each day as it comes
0:12:51 > 0:12:53and live each day to the fullest,
0:12:53 > 0:12:55which I can definitely understand
0:12:55 > 0:12:58and fully support her in that decision.
0:13:00 > 0:13:03With Darcy anaesthetised, Liz begins to remove the toe
0:13:03 > 0:13:04and infected tissue.
0:13:05 > 0:13:10I'm trying to take away the two bottom bones of the toe
0:13:10 > 0:13:13so the two bottom areas,
0:13:13 > 0:13:17so that we're up at a clean joint above the site of the tumour.
0:13:17 > 0:13:21The tumour's in the lowest down bone of the toe
0:13:21 > 0:13:24and so I want to take the one above that away, as well,
0:13:24 > 0:13:27so that I've not just taken the affected one
0:13:27 > 0:13:29but I've taken the one next to it.
0:13:30 > 0:13:33Amputating a toe is a serious operation
0:13:33 > 0:13:36but fortunately dogs adapt quickly.
0:13:36 > 0:13:39We've had dogs that we've had to remove a couple of digits
0:13:39 > 0:13:42and they actually do remarkably well.
0:13:42 > 0:13:44They accommodate well
0:13:44 > 0:13:47and, in terms of mobility,
0:13:47 > 0:13:50I wouldn't expect, long term, it to be a major problem for her.
0:13:52 > 0:13:54We have a toe.
0:13:55 > 0:13:5830 minutes into the operation,
0:13:58 > 0:13:59Liz can now stitch up the wound.
0:14:01 > 0:14:03Donna is keen to find out how Darcy got on.
0:14:06 > 0:14:08- Her surgery went well.- That's good.
0:14:08 > 0:14:12We were able to take the toe away to the level that we wanted to
0:14:12 > 0:14:15and we were able to close the wound nicely.
0:14:15 > 0:14:21Darcy can go home with a course of painkillers and antibiotics.
0:14:21 > 0:14:23I'm all excited, I can't wait to get her home.
0:14:23 > 0:14:25I'm really excited to get her home.
0:14:25 > 0:14:27There's a good girl.
0:14:27 > 0:14:29There we go. Who's that?
0:14:29 > 0:14:32Come on. You're going home.
0:14:32 > 0:14:33There we go.
0:14:34 > 0:14:38Darcy will need regular bandage changes to give her wound
0:14:38 > 0:14:39every chance of healing.
0:14:50 > 0:14:52The rolling hills of County Durham
0:14:52 > 0:14:55are perfect countryside for keeping horses.
0:14:59 > 0:15:02It's estimated there are 900,000 in the UK,
0:15:02 > 0:15:061,000 of which are on equine vet Sybil's books.
0:15:09 > 0:15:11Being an equine vet is a very demanding job
0:15:11 > 0:15:13and not to be undertaken lightly,
0:15:13 > 0:15:16just because you imagine that you quite like horses.
0:15:16 > 0:15:18The job is physically very demanding.
0:15:18 > 0:15:20Could I just have it, please?
0:15:20 > 0:15:23The hours need to be very long to fit everything in
0:15:23 > 0:15:26and it's also very emotionally draining.
0:15:26 > 0:15:30One of the reasons I'm still a vet, after all these years,
0:15:30 > 0:15:34is because of the sheer joy that I get when things go well.
0:15:39 > 0:15:42It's a misty morning in the dale.
0:15:42 > 0:15:47Equine vet Sybil is on her way to microchip and inoculate some Fell ponies.
0:15:49 > 0:15:54A Fell pony should be able to pull a plough, pull a cart,
0:15:54 > 0:15:56go hunting, take the children riding,
0:15:56 > 0:16:00they should be able to do a little bit of everything.
0:16:03 > 0:16:06Hardy Fell ponies are an ancient breed
0:16:06 > 0:16:10originating from the hill farms of north-west England.
0:16:10 > 0:16:13Anne has ten of them, as well as thoroughbreds
0:16:13 > 0:16:15and Highland cattle.
0:16:16 > 0:16:18I usually make sure I have an escape route
0:16:18 > 0:16:20when I have anything to do with the Highland.
0:16:20 > 0:16:23Anne's kept horses since she was a child,
0:16:23 > 0:16:27but it's her ponies she's passionate about.
0:16:27 > 0:16:29Very nice, easy to train...
0:16:29 > 0:16:30..very affectionate.
0:16:30 > 0:16:33My next-door neighbour's little girl, who's nine,
0:16:33 > 0:16:36she's ridden him, as well, so you can trust him,
0:16:36 > 0:16:38more with a child, obviously, supervised.
0:16:38 > 0:16:40Would you mind!
0:16:42 > 0:16:45This is my impromptu office.
0:16:45 > 0:16:47There's a lovely bale of straw, strategically placed.
0:16:48 > 0:16:51These are their passports,
0:16:51 > 0:16:54which every horse in the country is supposed to have, by law.
0:16:54 > 0:17:00Since July 30th 2009 they had to have a microchip, as well, by law.
0:17:00 > 0:17:04Horses are stolen.
0:17:04 > 0:17:05Horses go missing.
0:17:05 > 0:17:09It's certainly the case of horses that all look very similar,
0:17:09 > 0:17:11it's quite hard to tell them apart.
0:17:11 > 0:17:16No-one likes getting injections and Fell ponies are no different.
0:17:16 > 0:17:18It's tough on them, the needles are massive.
0:17:18 > 0:17:21I don't want to take the sterile cap off
0:17:21 > 0:17:23until I've actually got there.
0:17:23 > 0:17:25So I put a bit of local anaesthetic in,
0:17:25 > 0:17:27then they don't feel a thing.
0:17:33 > 0:17:35First is little James.
0:17:35 > 0:17:38Well done, there you go.
0:17:38 > 0:17:41There's some foals you get and they just don't bother with people
0:17:41 > 0:17:42but he's lovely.
0:17:42 > 0:17:44Sometimes, if I'm down the field with the dogs,
0:17:44 > 0:17:46he'll follow us about.
0:17:46 > 0:17:48Don't you, eh?
0:17:48 > 0:17:51You're a good boy.
0:17:51 > 0:17:54That's what I like about Fell ponies,
0:17:54 > 0:17:57they've got such nice, little characters and that.
0:17:57 > 0:18:00Next is Bonnie, who isn't quite so mellow.
0:18:10 > 0:18:13And there's another resident trying to get in on the action.
0:18:15 > 0:18:18We've got a cow trying to get into
0:18:18 > 0:18:20where we've got all of our paperwork
0:18:20 > 0:18:22and the mess that she will make of that would be extensive.
0:18:22 > 0:18:25As you can see, she's got weapons.
0:18:25 > 0:18:27Come on, out!
0:18:30 > 0:18:32Let's have her moved.
0:18:32 > 0:18:34Go on.
0:18:34 > 0:18:36She would have stood on everything.
0:18:36 > 0:18:38That's what they do. They're like sheep!
0:18:38 > 0:18:42So there wouldn't have been much left of this,
0:18:42 > 0:18:43it would all be covered in poo.
0:18:45 > 0:18:50Disaster averted, Sybil can get on with the microchipping.
0:18:50 > 0:18:53It's all got a barcode and a bit like supermarket shopping really.
0:18:53 > 0:18:55MACHINE BEEPS
0:18:55 > 0:18:57That's it.
0:18:57 > 0:18:59First, it's Bonnie...
0:18:59 > 0:19:03It's me again, I'm so sorry.
0:19:05 > 0:19:08..who's microchipped just below her mane.
0:19:08 > 0:19:10We're good, sorted.
0:19:10 > 0:19:12Next is James.
0:19:13 > 0:19:17Your reward for being good, I'm afraid, is a drive-by stabbing.
0:19:22 > 0:19:23And now for the vaccinations.
0:19:26 > 0:19:29Sybil's learned a thing or two about approaching horses
0:19:29 > 0:19:31with sharp needles.
0:19:34 > 0:19:35Good girl, well done.
0:19:35 > 0:19:39The most important thing is to not stare at them
0:19:39 > 0:19:43and to drop your shoulders and not be aggressive in your body language.
0:19:43 > 0:19:46One thing horses do like is grooming.
0:19:46 > 0:19:50You can see this horse is really appreciating having its chin rubbed.
0:19:51 > 0:19:55I've also made sure that if she changes her mind at any moment,
0:19:55 > 0:19:58she's got a clear path to get away from me.
0:19:58 > 0:20:00So, if something else frightens her,
0:20:00 > 0:20:02she's coming right for you.
0:20:03 > 0:20:07So, with microchipping, vaccinating and a spot of grooming,
0:20:07 > 0:20:10Sybil's work is done.
0:20:19 > 0:20:23Back at base, in Barnard Castle, Steve is preparing Socks the cat
0:20:23 > 0:20:25for his procedure.
0:20:25 > 0:20:27She was brought in by Sam
0:20:27 > 0:20:30after a late night brawl left her with a nasty injury.
0:20:31 > 0:20:34Oh, they meant it, whoever you've met.
0:20:34 > 0:20:37Now Socks is sedated, Steve can get a closer look.
0:20:39 > 0:20:42You can just actually see the bottom of her jaw bone here,
0:20:42 > 0:20:45so whatever's caused the trauma has actually... It looks like
0:20:45 > 0:20:49it's gone this way, scraped along the bottom of her jaw bone here.
0:20:49 > 0:20:53I see a bit of bone exposed. I'm going to clean up the edges a bit
0:20:53 > 0:20:56and get that all closed over, but first we'll give that a flush out
0:20:56 > 0:21:00with some saline. We'll hopefully put your good looks back together.
0:21:00 > 0:21:02I'll just give it a little flush.
0:21:15 > 0:21:17Steve tidies the wound.
0:21:19 > 0:21:23I'm trying to just literally take a millimetre or two around the edge
0:21:23 > 0:21:25which will heal really quickly, given the opportunity.
0:21:27 > 0:21:30And now for some tricky stitches.
0:21:31 > 0:21:34I'm going to attempt to do buried stitches here,
0:21:34 > 0:21:38so there's nothing for her to actually catch her claws on
0:21:38 > 0:21:39or anything.
0:21:40 > 0:21:44You find yourself concentrating so hard that you break
0:21:44 > 0:21:46into a bit of a sweat trying to do it.
0:21:50 > 0:21:53There we go, that's gone together quite nicely.
0:21:53 > 0:21:56Happy with that. Once the fur grows back on, that...
0:21:57 > 0:22:01..will be fine. There you go, my little kitty, sorted.
0:22:03 > 0:22:07When Socks has slept off the sedation, she'll be able to go home.
0:22:13 > 0:22:15In Dunfermline, it's a week
0:22:15 > 0:22:18since Darcy had her cancerous toe amputated.
0:22:18 > 0:22:21Her bandages have been changed regularly.
0:22:21 > 0:22:25By now, there should be signs of the wound healing.
0:22:27 > 0:22:31It is looking like it's a wee bit yucky from the dressing.
0:22:33 > 0:22:34It's a bit whiffy.
0:22:35 > 0:22:37Oh...
0:22:38 > 0:22:40It's all broken down.
0:22:47 > 0:22:48That's not good.
0:22:48 > 0:22:50It's not healing well at all.
0:22:50 > 0:22:52Not as we would like it to be.
0:22:52 > 0:22:55I'll just get some stuff and we'll give this a clean up,
0:22:55 > 0:22:58but it looks like it has all broken down.
0:22:58 > 0:22:59Oh, darling.
0:22:59 > 0:23:04The area around the stitches on Darcy's wound is failing to heal.
0:23:04 > 0:23:06Well done. I know, clever girl.
0:23:06 > 0:23:09We're just going to give this a good clean.
0:23:09 > 0:23:11I take it the stitches have just come out?
0:23:11 > 0:23:15You can see the stitches aren't actually holding anything now.
0:23:15 > 0:23:21Why has it broken down? Is it because there's still tumour cells
0:23:21 > 0:23:23in that area, or has it broken down
0:23:23 > 0:23:27just because sometimes that's unfortunately what feet wounds do?
0:23:27 > 0:23:28I don't like how we can see...
0:23:30 > 0:23:32..so much of the deep tissue is exposed.
0:23:33 > 0:23:36The worry is, if we were to knock her out and re-stitch her
0:23:36 > 0:23:39back up again, it's just going to do the exact same thing.
0:23:39 > 0:23:43So what I might try and do is redress it up and hopefully get it to try
0:23:43 > 0:23:46- and heal by what we call granulation. - Right.- When you have a wound
0:23:46 > 0:23:50like this, basically it heals from the edges in the way
0:23:50 > 0:23:54and forms a big fleshy bed called granulation tissue.
0:23:54 > 0:23:58And that then allows a framework for the new cells to come in
0:23:58 > 0:24:01from the side. So we're just going
0:24:01 > 0:24:05to pop some of this Manuka honey on it as well.
0:24:05 > 0:24:10Manuka honey, from New Zealand, encourages cell and tissue growth
0:24:10 > 0:24:12which should help Darcy's foot to heal.
0:24:15 > 0:24:20She's such a good dog, isn't she? She's absolutely brilliant.
0:24:20 > 0:24:24Oh, sweetheart. Need to get this toe fixed of yours.
0:24:25 > 0:24:29With Darcy's toe not healing, everyone's fearing the worst.
0:24:31 > 0:24:34I am worried that the cancer has spread
0:24:34 > 0:24:37- and that's why it has broken down. - See you later.
0:24:37 > 0:24:39We're going to know in the next week or two
0:24:39 > 0:24:42if it's starting to heal, and how well it heals.
0:24:42 > 0:24:45But if it's not healing, then I'm afraid I don't think
0:24:45 > 0:24:48her prognosis and her outlook is very good at all.
0:24:52 > 0:24:55I didn't want to make the same mistakes with Darcy
0:24:55 > 0:24:57as what we had with Hanna. Erm...
0:24:58 > 0:25:03That would probably have been my overall fear, was for them
0:25:03 > 0:25:06to turn their back and tell me that the cancer had spread
0:25:06 > 0:25:08all the way throughout her body.
0:25:08 > 0:25:10And obviously to go through losing Darcy
0:25:10 > 0:25:12the same way as what we did with Hanna.
0:25:12 > 0:25:14Is it your favourite?
0:25:14 > 0:25:15Yes?
0:25:21 > 0:25:24In Barnard Castle, it's nearing the end of the day.
0:25:25 > 0:25:29Sam has arrived to collect his scrapping cat, Socks.
0:25:32 > 0:25:35I'll just show you... Baby, stay there.
0:25:35 > 0:25:38Turn round. Look at your dad.
0:25:38 > 0:25:42So, basically, not a lot to do over the coming week.
0:25:42 > 0:25:44- I'd like to see her in a week.- OK.
0:25:47 > 0:25:51A wound under there and I've managed to get buried stitches in it
0:25:51 > 0:25:54as well, so hopefully there'll be no damage to it
0:25:54 > 0:25:57if she scratches, but we've taken the precaution of trimming
0:25:57 > 0:26:01- her claws as well.- OK.- There's some antibiotics to go home with.
0:26:01 > 0:26:02They start tomorrow morning.
0:26:02 > 0:26:05- One of those, morning and evening. - She's looking good.
0:26:05 > 0:26:07Got her all healed up and then I'll bring her back
0:26:07 > 0:26:09for a check-up.
0:26:09 > 0:26:14- She's only used up one of her lives. - OK.- OK?- Fantastic.- Grand, OK.
0:26:14 > 0:26:15Thank you very much.
0:26:15 > 0:26:18And as for who Socks was scrapping with...
0:26:18 > 0:26:22Never worked out what she'd got in a fight with to pick up her cuts and bruises.
0:26:22 > 0:26:25I'm assuming she's the only one that who knows
0:26:25 > 0:26:27and the only one that will ever know.
0:26:27 > 0:26:31If she stays out of trouble, her mouth should heal nicely.
0:26:40 > 0:26:43And in Dunfermline, Dona's desperate to hear Darcy's foot
0:26:43 > 0:26:45is healing nicely too.
0:26:46 > 0:26:50If it's not better this time, her future is looking bleak.
0:26:50 > 0:26:54Darcy's good nature makes it easy for Angela to examine her.
0:26:55 > 0:26:59- Most dogs wouldn't sit here just the way she is.- No.
0:27:00 > 0:27:01She is good.
0:27:04 > 0:27:09- Oh, wow. That is... absolutely brilliant.- Look at that.
0:27:09 > 0:27:13So this is all the new skin here. Don't know if you can see that.
0:27:13 > 0:27:15That's all new tissue coming in.
0:27:15 > 0:27:19That's maybe a third of the original size of what it was.
0:27:19 > 0:27:23Cos it was all round here. It is looking brilliant!
0:27:26 > 0:27:29A fresh dressing will keep the wound clean
0:27:29 > 0:27:31until the skin has fully grown back.
0:27:31 > 0:27:35- We've got more tractors.- Ta-da!
0:27:36 > 0:27:39So many people are afraid of Rottweilers.
0:27:39 > 0:27:42And just look at you! You're a terrifying dog, aren't you?
0:27:42 > 0:27:47It's a result Angela's been hoping for, and a huge relief for Donna.
0:27:48 > 0:27:50I'm feeling absolutely fantastic.
0:27:50 > 0:27:56I think that Darcy's now going to live until she's 12, I think.
0:27:56 > 0:28:00She's got another four or five years ahead of her. Fantastic.
0:28:00 > 0:28:04I guess that's the whole reason why we all wanted to be vets,
0:28:04 > 0:28:07that cliche, "Oh, I just want to make them better."
0:28:07 > 0:28:10And when you do, it is just... nothing beats it.