Episode 14 More Creatures Great and Small

We Brits love our animals.

From livestock in the fields, to pooches in the park.

It's the job of the nation's vets to keep them healthy.

Whether consulting in the countryside...

There is something very nice

about being next to a nice cow.

..or horsing around in the stables...

I spend all my job outwitting animals.

Got him!

..they're passionate about their patients.

It's always very tempting to take animals home.

You're a terrifying dog, aren't you?

Yes!

On call when the animals need them most.

If we leave it any longer he almost certainly is going to not make it.

They're the dedicated vets, patching up pets,

and caring every day for More Creatures...Great And Small.

Coming up...

In Teesdale, Steve treats a scrapping cat.

I don't think that's another cat that's done that.

Sybil takes the Highland bull by the horns.

Come on, come on.

While in Fife, Angela has a worrying case with a Rottweiler.

-There's a tumour going on inside there.

-Right.

-That might have weakened the tissues.

Teesdale...

rich in scenery and wildlife, with a thriving rural community.

Today, small-animal vet Steve is at one of the biggest

agricultural events in the local calendar, The Bowes Show.

It's a chance for the farming community to meet up

and compete in horse, sheep and dog championships...

..and for Steve to meet his clients.

These are all my patients. I'll have seen them over the years

and it's just nice to see them out and about,

rather than on the end of a needle or worried in my consulting room.

And judging the annual dog contest is just another perk of the job.

This is fun, OK? So nobody's allowed to lynch me afterwards.

OK, just do a little loop there for me.

Oh, Henrietta.

What do they say, never work with kids and animals.

There you see a responsible young owner,

his pocket full of bags, picking up his dog's poo. Good lad.

The time has come for Steve to pick the best dog in show.

This is a tough one.

It's not so easy. I thought it would be.

Congratulations, young man.

If you look after her, she'll look after you. Yeah?

I think you are a special little puppy.

I can really see the bond between you

and I can see that she loves you and you love her.

It's quite an honour to be asked to come and be the judge here.

It makes you feel part of the community.

And being valued by the community was important during a recent health scare.

One Tuesday afternoon my ticker decided that, actually,

I wasn't as healthy as I thought I was and I had a heart attack.

I had this pile of get-well cards from clients,

who'd heard via the grapevine and they just came flooding in every day

and when you have an event like this and you get all...

You know, care and love and concern come charging back,

it suddenly makes you realise how many lives you've perhaps touched.

Touching people's lives through their pets

is a huge part of any vet's life.

In Dunfermline, small-animal vet Angela

knows it's a big responsibility.

The bond with an animal can be huge

and that's very important to be aware of as you're a vet.

You know, that looks worse because it looks so much bigger

but it is better.

It's not uncommon for some people to occasionally say,

I prefer the dog to my wife, or vice-versa.

People have a very, very strong, close bond to their animal.

Angela's next patient is Rottweiler Darcy,

who's been brought in by Donna.

This is Darcy, she's got a sore toe.

She broke her nail in half and we cut it

and she ended up gnawing it all the time.

And it's now, because of her licking, it's got infected.

Hi there, how are we doing?

-So-so.

-Right, OK, let's have a wee look.

Angela can tell there is more to this injury than meets the eye.

I don't like the way we're getting something coming out from the side.

-Her lymph nodes, it does feel quite big.

-Right.

The swollen lymph node on the back of Darcy's leg

could mean a more serious problem.

What I'm worried is if it's not just an infection,

-if there's a tumour going on inside there.

-Right.

That might be what's weakened the tissues

-and why the nail has torn as easily.

-Right.

What I think we need to do is probably get her sedated.

Before we make any decisions, surgery, have a look at the X-rays

-and get a sample of this lymph node and send it off to the lab.

-Right.

Because, if it is a tumour,

then sometimes if we sample the cells in this lymph node

we can get an idea, is it spreading?

It's devastating news for Donna,

who has all ready lost two dogs to cancer.

The last time I brought my other two dogs, I had to put them down.

Well, as I say, we'll do everything we can.

Angela X-rays Darcy straightaway

and takes cell samples from her toe and lymph node.

She knows large breeds, like Rottweilers,

are prone to bone cancer.

I am quite concerned

about what we can see both by looking at it and the X-rays.

I think there's something, certainly very aggressive

that is eating away at the bone in her toes

and eating away at the tissue.

Once we get these results back, we'll definitely decide

what's the best course of action for her.

I don't have any kids. Darcy's like a child I never had.

She's my life, she's my rock.

And to lose Darcy,

I think it would break me.

Angela must now share her concerns with Donna.

I've never seen someone catch a nail for it to do this much damage.

I am suspicious that there's a tumour around about here

and that tumour is eating away at the bone.

My other dog actually had bone cancer.

Her whole back leg went really swollen and it spread right through.

I'm worried in case this is going to go the same way.

I know for a fact, I'm no going to take her full leg off

-if it has travelled.

-She's so heavy, I think that's going

to be too much weight on that one back leg.

-Yeah, I would agree with you, I don't think she'd cope, unfortunately.

-No.

Donna now has a tough wait for the test results to come in.

The rural practice in Barnard Castle

sees over 1,000 feline customers a year.

You're much happier.

Today Sam has brought in his cat to see vet Steve.

This is Socks the cat.

She got in a fight last night and cut her ear and her chin.

It must have been quite an altercation.

Socks, please.

Come on through.

Right, what's Socks been up to?

-Er...

-Fisticuffs?

-Yeah.

Come on, baby, what have you been doing?

She's got a scratch up there and cut her chin.

Oh, they meant it.

I don't think that's another cat that's done that.

I've never seen a wound quite that...

You know, that deep, or that dramatic.

I think what I would do here, I'd like to keep her in

-and flush the cavity out that's under the chin.

-Yeah.

Then probably close it over, actually. I'll put a couple of stitches in there.

-Another case of you wish they could talk.

-Yeah.

-It's a bit of a mystery.

-What have you been doing? Eh?

Pop her back in her cage.

CAT MEOWS

All right, my sweet. Good girl.

Britain's cats kill around 250,000 animals every year,

so Socks isn't alone.

She kills a lot of animals, I'll give her that.

Most days there's something by the back door,

either a bird, a rabbit, or half a rabbit.

A weasel once, that was a decent effort.

Socks' previous history may explain why she's so battle worn.

-Excellent.

-OK.

-Thank you very much.

-Catch you later.

They do catch things like stoats and weasels and things

and they can be really vicious.

And squirrels are really nasty when they get going.

So, erm, yeah...

I wouldn't take on a squirrel.

Come on, Socksy cat.

Whatever it was, Steve will clean and stitch up the nasty wound.

It's more serious at the small animal hospital in Dunfermline.

A week ago, Donna brought in her Rottweiler

with an injured toe that wouldn't heal.

I'm worried, if there's not just an infection,

if there's a tumour going on inside there.

A swollen lymph node made Angela suspect Darcy could have cancer.

She's my life, she's my rock.

To lose Darcy...

I think it would break me.

Cell samples were taken and sent off for testing.

The results have come in.

They have said that the cells show

they have got several of the criteria of malignancy.

In other words, that they are showing signs they are cancerous.

The sample from the lymph node was non-diagnostic.

There was too much blood and inflammatory cells to say for definite

if it was just inflammatory, or whether the tumour cells had spread.

Darcy's toe is cancerous but the tests haven't revealed

if it's spread, giving Donna some hope.

Luckily enough it's going to be just her toe that's coming off

with some skin

and hopefully there'll be no soft tumour cells left

in her wee leg.

Darcy's operation will be carried out by vet Liz

who is experienced in soft tissue surgery.

The toe amputation could get rid of the cancer completely

but if there's bad news, Donna needs to consider the options for Darcy.

Now, if we found that it was a nasty tumour

that had spread elsewhere,

would we be considering doing further surgery

in terms of amputation of the leg?

-No.

-Would we be considering doing chemotherapy or radiotherapy?

-No.

-Right.

-I would rather not, no.

Taking her leg, if it has spread, then it's no' happening.

It's one of those things where it's better to know how we feel

and what we're dealing with at the start.

Actually the main thing here is that we alleviate pain.

Knowing that Darcy wouldn't cope with a leg amputation,

Donna prefers not to know what type of cancer she has.

Some people can't cope with knowing that their animal has cancer

and that the cancer has spread and then they feel

they'd constantly be looking out for it

and that would definitely curtail how they feel

and how their time is left with their animal.

They'd prefer just to take each day as it comes

and live each day to the fullest,

which I can definitely understand

and fully support her in that decision.

With Darcy anaesthetised, Liz begins to remove the toe

and infected tissue.

I'm trying to take away the two bottom bones of the toe

so the two bottom areas,

so that we're up at a clean joint above the site of the tumour.

The tumour's in the lowest down bone of the toe

and so I want to take the one above that away, as well,

so that I've not just taken the affected one

but I've taken the one next to it.

Amputating a toe is a serious operation

but fortunately dogs adapt quickly.

We've had dogs that we've had to remove a couple of digits

and they actually do remarkably well.

They accommodate well

and, in terms of mobility,

I wouldn't expect, long term, it to be a major problem for her.

We have a toe.

30 minutes into the operation,

Liz can now stitch up the wound.

Donna is keen to find out how Darcy got on.

-Her surgery went well.

-That's good.

We were able to take the toe away to the level that we wanted to

and we were able to close the wound nicely.

Darcy can go home with a course of painkillers and antibiotics.

I'm all excited, I can't wait to get her home.

I'm really excited to get her home.

There's a good girl.

There we go. Who's that?

Come on. You're going home.

There we go.

Darcy will need regular bandage changes to give her wound

every chance of healing.

The rolling hills of County Durham

are perfect countryside for keeping horses.

It's estimated there are 900,000 in the UK,

1,000 of which are on equine vet Sybil's books.

Being an equine vet is a very demanding job

and not to be undertaken lightly,

just because you imagine that you quite like horses.

The job is physically very demanding.

Could I just have it, please?

The hours need to be very long to fit everything in

and it's also very emotionally draining.

One of the reasons I'm still a vet, after all these years,

is because of the sheer joy that I get when things go well.

It's a misty morning in the dale.

Equine vet Sybil is on her way to microchip and inoculate some Fell ponies.

A Fell pony should be able to pull a plough, pull a cart,

go hunting, take the children riding,

they should be able to do a little bit of everything.

Hardy Fell ponies are an ancient breed

originating from the hill farms of north-west England.

Anne has ten of them, as well as thoroughbreds

and Highland cattle.

I usually make sure I have an escape route

when I have anything to do with the Highland.

Anne's kept horses since she was a child,

but it's her ponies she's passionate about.

Very nice, easy to train...

..very affectionate.

My next-door neighbour's little girl, who's nine,

she's ridden him, as well, so you can trust him,

more with a child, obviously, supervised.

Would you mind!

This is my impromptu office.

There's a lovely bale of straw, strategically placed.

These are their passports,

which every horse in the country is supposed to have, by law.

Since July 30th 2009 they had to have a microchip, as well, by law.

Horses are stolen.

Horses go missing.

It's certainly the case of horses that all look very similar,

it's quite hard to tell them apart.

No-one likes getting injections and Fell ponies are no different.

It's tough on them, the needles are massive.

I don't want to take the sterile cap off

until I've actually got there.

So I put a bit of local anaesthetic in,

then they don't feel a thing.

First is little James.

Well done, there you go.

There's some foals you get and they just don't bother with people

but he's lovely.

Sometimes, if I'm down the field with the dogs,

he'll follow us about.

Don't you, eh?

You're a good boy.

That's what I like about Fell ponies,

they've got such nice, little characters and that.

Next is Bonnie, who isn't quite so mellow.

And there's another resident trying to get in on the action.

We've got a cow trying to get into

where we've got all of our paperwork

and the mess that she will make of that would be extensive.

As you can see, she's got weapons.

Come on, out!

Let's have her moved.

Go on.

She would have stood on everything.

That's what they do. They're like sheep!

So there wouldn't have been much left of this,

it would all be covered in poo.

Disaster averted, Sybil can get on with the microchipping.

It's all got a barcode and a bit like supermarket shopping really.

MACHINE BEEPS

That's it.

First, it's Bonnie...

It's me again, I'm so sorry.

..who's microchipped just below her mane.

We're good, sorted.

Next is James.

Your reward for being good, I'm afraid, is a drive-by stabbing.

And now for the vaccinations.

Sybil's learned a thing or two about approaching horses

with sharp needles.

Good girl, well done.

The most important thing is to not stare at them

and to drop your shoulders and not be aggressive in your body language.

One thing horses do like is grooming.

You can see this horse is really appreciating having its chin rubbed.

I've also made sure that if she changes her mind at any moment,

she's got a clear path to get away from me.

So, if something else frightens her,

she's coming right for you.

So, with microchipping, vaccinating and a spot of grooming,

Sybil's work is done.

Back at base, in Barnard Castle, Steve is preparing Socks the cat

for his procedure.

She was brought in by Sam

after a late night brawl left her with a nasty injury.

Oh, they meant it, whoever you've met.

Now Socks is sedated, Steve can get a closer look.

You can just actually see the bottom of her jaw bone here,

so whatever's caused the trauma has actually... It looks like

it's gone this way, scraped along the bottom of her jaw bone here.

I see a bit of bone exposed. I'm going to clean up the edges a bit

and get that all closed over, but first we'll give that a flush out

with some saline. We'll hopefully put your good looks back together.

I'll just give it a little flush.

Steve tidies the wound.

I'm trying to just literally take a millimetre or two around the edge

which will heal really quickly, given the opportunity.

And now for some tricky stitches.

I'm going to attempt to do buried stitches here,

so there's nothing for her to actually catch her claws on

or anything.

You find yourself concentrating so hard that you break

into a bit of a sweat trying to do it.

There we go, that's gone together quite nicely.

Happy with that. Once the fur grows back on, that...

..will be fine. There you go, my little kitty, sorted.

When Socks has slept off the sedation, she'll be able to go home.

In Dunfermline, it's a week

since Darcy had her cancerous toe amputated.

Her bandages have been changed regularly.

By now, there should be signs of the wound healing.

It is looking like it's a wee bit yucky from the dressing.

It's a bit whiffy.

Oh...

It's all broken down.

That's not good.

It's not healing well at all.

Not as we would like it to be.

I'll just get some stuff and we'll give this a clean up,

but it looks like it has all broken down.

Oh, darling.

The area around the stitches on Darcy's wound is failing to heal.

Well done. I know, clever girl.

We're just going to give this a good clean.

I take it the stitches have just come out?

You can see the stitches aren't actually holding anything now.

Why has it broken down? Is it because there's still tumour cells

in that area, or has it broken down

just because sometimes that's unfortunately what feet wounds do?

I don't like how we can see...

..so much of the deep tissue is exposed.

The worry is, if we were to knock her out and re-stitch her

back up again, it's just going to do the exact same thing.

So what I might try and do is redress it up and hopefully get it to try

-and heal by what we call granulation.

-Right.

-When you have a wound

like this, basically it heals from the edges in the way

and forms a big fleshy bed called granulation tissue.

And that then allows a framework for the new cells to come in

from the side. So we're just going

to pop some of this Manuka honey on it as well.

Manuka honey, from New Zealand, encourages cell and tissue growth

which should help Darcy's foot to heal.

She's such a good dog, isn't she? She's absolutely brilliant.

Oh, sweetheart. Need to get this toe fixed of yours.

With Darcy's toe not healing, everyone's fearing the worst.

I am worried that the cancer has spread

-and that's why it has broken down.

-See you later.

We're going to know in the next week or two

if it's starting to heal, and how well it heals.

But if it's not healing, then I'm afraid I don't think

her prognosis and her outlook is very good at all.

I didn't want to make the same mistakes with Darcy

as what we had with Hanna. Erm...

That would probably have been my overall fear, was for them

to turn their back and tell me that the cancer had spread

all the way throughout her body.

And obviously to go through losing Darcy

the same way as what we did with Hanna.

Is it your favourite?

Yes?

In Barnard Castle, it's nearing the end of the day.

Sam has arrived to collect his scrapping cat, Socks.

I'll just show you... Baby, stay there.

Turn round. Look at your dad.

So, basically, not a lot to do over the coming week.

-I'd like to see her in a week.

-OK.

A wound under there and I've managed to get buried stitches in it

as well, so hopefully there'll be no damage to it

if she scratches, but we've taken the precaution of trimming

-her claws as well.

-OK.

-There's some antibiotics to go home with.

They start tomorrow morning.

-One of those, morning and evening.

-She's looking good.

Got her all healed up and then I'll bring her back

for a check-up.

-She's only used up one of her lives.

-OK.

-OK?

-Fantastic.

-Grand, OK.

Thank you very much.

And as for who Socks was scrapping with...

Never worked out what she'd got in a fight with to pick up her cuts and bruises.

I'm assuming she's the only one that who knows

and the only one that will ever know.

If she stays out of trouble, her mouth should heal nicely.

And in Dunfermline, Dona's desperate to hear Darcy's foot

is healing nicely too.

If it's not better this time, her future is looking bleak.

Darcy's good nature makes it easy for Angela to examine her.

-Most dogs wouldn't sit here just the way she is.

-No.

She is good.

-Oh, wow. That is... absolutely brilliant.

-Look at that.

So this is all the new skin here. Don't know if you can see that.

That's all new tissue coming in.

That's maybe a third of the original size of what it was.

Cos it was all round here. It is looking brilliant!

A fresh dressing will keep the wound clean

until the skin has fully grown back.

-We've got more tractors.

-Ta-da!

So many people are afraid of Rottweilers.

And just look at you! You're a terrifying dog, aren't you?

It's a result Angela's been hoping for, and a huge relief for Donna.

I'm feeling absolutely fantastic.

I think that Darcy's now going to live until she's 12, I think.

She's got another four or five years ahead of her. Fantastic.

I guess that's the whole reason why we all wanted to be vets,

that cliche, "Oh, I just want to make them better."

And when you do, it is just... nothing beats it.