0:00:02 > 0:00:04We Brits love our animals.
0:00:06 > 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 > 0:00:23There is something very nice about being next to a nice cow.
0:00:27 > 0:00:29..or horsing around in the stables...
0:00:29 > 0:00:34I spend all my job outwitting animals. Got him!
0:00:37 > 0:00:40..they're passionate about their patients...
0:00:40 > 0:00:41Hello, puppy!
0:00:41 > 0:00:45And why I stroke them a lot is to try and reassure them.
0:00:50 > 0:00:53On call when the animals need them most...
0:00:53 > 0:00:58If 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.
0:01:19 > 0:01:25Coming up, in Teesdale, farm vet Richard helps a herd to grow...
0:01:25 > 0:01:27Cross our fingers and say a little prayer.
0:01:27 > 0:01:29Small animal vet Steve gets in a flap...
0:01:29 > 0:01:31Woooah! No, no.
0:01:31 > 0:01:35And in Fife, vet Adam helps a dog who's been hit by a train...
0:01:35 > 0:01:39He's gone into shock. The whole system goes "survival".
0:01:48 > 0:01:51In County Durham, the farm vets of Castle Veterinary Practice
0:01:51 > 0:01:53are out and about.
0:01:54 > 0:01:56Hello, how are you doing?
0:01:56 > 0:01:59Being in the heart of Teesdale farming country
0:01:59 > 0:02:01guarantees every day is busy.
0:02:03 > 0:02:07Amongst the team heading out is senior farm vet Richard.
0:02:07 > 0:02:10I do genuinely enjoy going to work in the mornings.
0:02:10 > 0:02:13I have to get my children out of bed and take them to school first,
0:02:13 > 0:02:15which is a bit of a battle!
0:02:15 > 0:02:1820 years in the job, and he never tires of his patients.
0:02:20 > 0:02:24There's something very nice about being next to a nice cow.
0:02:24 > 0:02:28If you haven't done it, you maybe don't get it!
0:02:28 > 0:02:31Good girl. All right, sweetheart, sorry about this.
0:02:35 > 0:02:37This morning Richard is treating some cows
0:02:37 > 0:02:39rarely seen in the Teesdale area.
0:02:42 > 0:02:45Peter and Ann's farm is just outside Barnard Castle.
0:02:45 > 0:02:48A few years ago, they started breeding Welsh Black cattle.
0:02:48 > 0:02:52We're hoping to have 100 eventually. We've only been doing it
0:02:52 > 0:02:55for about four years. We started with two.
0:02:55 > 0:02:57They soon multiply!
0:02:59 > 0:03:03They have ten cows so far and would like more,
0:03:03 > 0:03:05but without paying for an expensive bull.
0:03:06 > 0:03:12The job I've got to do this morning is to inseminate four of these cows.
0:03:12 > 0:03:14And we're going to do that by a process
0:03:14 > 0:03:20called artificial insemination, which basically means using semen
0:03:20 > 0:03:25that's been frozen and kept stored under liquid nitrogen.
0:03:25 > 0:03:28It's a very useful technique because you can buy semen
0:03:28 > 0:03:31from an absolute top quality bull
0:03:31 > 0:03:35for a fraction of a percent of what he's actually worth.
0:03:35 > 0:03:36What it would cost to buy him.
0:03:38 > 0:03:41Inseminating the cows together should also make it easier
0:03:41 > 0:03:44for Peter and Ann, as the calves will be born at the same time.
0:03:46 > 0:03:47Forward!
0:03:47 > 0:03:49Right, so we're ready to roll.
0:03:49 > 0:03:50Yeah.
0:03:52 > 0:03:56Richard is treating four cows this morning. First is Eve.
0:03:56 > 0:04:01So, this is a heifer. That means a cow that's never had a calf before.
0:04:01 > 0:04:04And we're going to serve her just now. She's in season.
0:04:04 > 0:04:08He has a clever way of checking the cows are ovulating.
0:04:10 > 0:04:13As you can see, we've put these oestrogen detectors on the backs
0:04:13 > 0:04:17of the cows, these pink stick-on tabs.
0:04:18 > 0:04:21Originally covered in a grey coating, the pink is revealed
0:04:21 > 0:04:24when the girls are in season and getting frisky.
0:04:24 > 0:04:28The coating gets rubbed off so this bright colour shows.
0:04:31 > 0:04:35Richard has the frozen semen stored in long straws.
0:04:37 > 0:04:38Don't need him.
0:04:40 > 0:04:43That's him. So that's the one we want.
0:04:43 > 0:04:47Once he's found the right chap, he's defrosted and placed
0:04:47 > 0:04:48in the long syringe.
0:04:48 > 0:04:53I cut the end off, squeeze until a tiny bit of semen appears at the end.
0:04:53 > 0:04:58To keep it at body temperature, Richard has an unusual method.
0:04:58 > 0:05:02And then I stick it down my back! How weird's that?
0:05:02 > 0:05:04HE LAUGHS
0:05:05 > 0:05:11One hand up her backside, and I'm gently feeling through
0:05:11 > 0:05:16the rectal wall and I'm feeling her cervix. And then with the AI gun
0:05:16 > 0:05:20I'm passing it up her birth canal and gently, gently...
0:05:22 > 0:05:24COW MOOS
0:05:24 > 0:05:26..passing it through her cervix.
0:05:27 > 0:05:31Gently, gently, gently. Deposit the semen where it should be,
0:05:31 > 0:05:35and cross our fingers and say a little prayer.
0:05:35 > 0:05:37That's it, that's her done.
0:05:39 > 0:05:41It's Molly's turn next.
0:05:43 > 0:05:44Good.
0:05:44 > 0:05:47Followed by Branwen.
0:05:47 > 0:05:52But there is one special lady who Ann has high hopes for.
0:05:52 > 0:05:55Gwen was one of the first heifers we bought. We love her to death,
0:05:55 > 0:05:58because she's the most fantastic-looking cow.
0:05:58 > 0:06:00But we haven't managed to get her in calf yet.
0:06:00 > 0:06:02She's four years old now.
0:06:02 > 0:06:05Time is going on and she needs to get pregnant.
0:06:05 > 0:06:09Every time we AI her I say, right, this is the last time!
0:06:09 > 0:06:11This is her last chance. Again.
0:06:11 > 0:06:13COW MOOS
0:06:13 > 0:06:14This lass has been a bit of a problem.
0:06:14 > 0:06:18She's twice been in calf and lost it.
0:06:19 > 0:06:23And as you can see, she's starting to put on the pounds a bit
0:06:23 > 0:06:27as a result of not having had a calf. So we're hoping against hope
0:06:27 > 0:06:30that this time we can get her in calf and that she'll hang to it.
0:06:32 > 0:06:34Right, fingers and toes crossed, guys.
0:06:36 > 0:06:40They'll have to wait five weeks to find out if the girls are expecting.
0:06:40 > 0:06:41Hooves crossed for Gwen.
0:06:44 > 0:06:46COWS MOO
0:06:48 > 0:06:52Across the Firth of Forth in Dunfermline is the busy
0:06:52 > 0:06:55Inglis Veterinary Hospital where over 100 patients
0:06:55 > 0:06:57come through the door each day.
0:07:02 > 0:07:04Oh, gorgeous! Hello, Ozzy.
0:07:04 > 0:07:06Oh, where are you going?!
0:07:06 > 0:07:08Senior vet Adam loves his job.
0:07:08 > 0:07:12There's no greater feeling than when you've made an animal better.
0:07:13 > 0:07:15How are we doing? CAT MIAOWS
0:07:15 > 0:07:17You want to go home?
0:07:17 > 0:07:19That's the best part of our job.
0:07:21 > 0:07:23But he has to be prepared for anything...
0:07:25 > 0:07:28Sometimes we don't even know if it's a dog or a cat.
0:07:28 > 0:07:32We just know there's something about to come through the door.
0:07:32 > 0:07:34So we get everything ready.
0:07:34 > 0:07:37OK. Just waking up now. He's been so brave.
0:07:38 > 0:07:40It can be emotionally draining.
0:07:41 > 0:07:45He's been through so much. Er... Sorry.
0:07:50 > 0:07:52You want to cry, but you can't cry
0:07:52 > 0:07:55because the adrenaline's pumping through your system, you think,
0:07:55 > 0:07:56"I need to make this animal better."
0:07:56 > 0:07:58Inglis Veterinary Surgery, Dunfermline.
0:08:01 > 0:08:06It's all hands on deck today as an emergency is arriving.
0:08:06 > 0:08:08A German Shepherd has been hit by a train.
0:08:13 > 0:08:15Dog Warden Dave took the emergency call.
0:08:17 > 0:08:20I got a call this morning about half past nine,
0:08:20 > 0:08:23indicating that a dog had been struck by a train.
0:08:23 > 0:08:27I made contact with British Rail, who guided me to where the dog
0:08:27 > 0:08:30was lying at the side of the track.
0:08:30 > 0:08:32The poor dog is barely alive.
0:08:32 > 0:08:34The idea is to really get him stable.
0:08:34 > 0:08:37So we've got all this fluid running into him just now,
0:08:37 > 0:08:39which will help to rehydrate him. He's gone into shock.
0:08:39 > 0:08:45The whole system goes "survival". And so everything that's happening
0:08:45 > 0:08:48just now is just us trying to get his body systems
0:08:48 > 0:08:50working again properly.
0:08:51 > 0:08:55Can we just whip him in to take a quick X-ray? Is that all right?
0:08:55 > 0:08:59Whilst he's unconscious and unable to move, Adam gets some X-rays.
0:09:01 > 0:09:05He's fractured his skull. It doesn't look like it's affected
0:09:05 > 0:09:07the actual limbs or anything like that.
0:09:07 > 0:09:08It's just quite high up.
0:09:09 > 0:09:13Right, let's get him out of here, cos you guys need to come here.
0:09:13 > 0:09:17The primary injuries he's got are a crushing injury to the head.
0:09:17 > 0:09:20Which is where the train has probably hit him head on.
0:09:20 > 0:09:25And you can actually see a fracture there, so there will be some damage
0:09:25 > 0:09:26to the brain.
0:09:27 > 0:09:30His microchip reveals his name is Leo.
0:09:31 > 0:09:35Along with the head injury, poor Leo has a nasty chest wound.
0:09:35 > 0:09:37Leo's really not fit for anaesthetic at the moment.
0:09:37 > 0:09:40But at some point, we're going to have to address some of the things
0:09:40 > 0:09:42that actually has happened to him.
0:09:42 > 0:09:47But all of these things are secondary to keeping him alive.
0:09:47 > 0:09:50We can see that he's starting to wake up. And what we don't want
0:09:50 > 0:09:53is for him to wake up on this table and get really distressed.
0:09:53 > 0:09:56So moving him to a kennel is going to really help because we'll still
0:09:56 > 0:09:59be with him by his side. But at least if he wakes up, he's going to be
0:09:59 > 0:10:02on the floor so it's going to be a more manageable situation.
0:10:02 > 0:10:04You ready? Let's go.
0:10:13 > 0:10:16Leo's moved to the ward where he'll be watched closely.
0:10:18 > 0:10:22Just be very gentle, that's where he's actually fractured his skull,.
0:10:22 > 0:10:24just there.
0:10:27 > 0:10:28OK. Right.
0:10:28 > 0:10:31Leo's owners have phoned the surgery looking for him,
0:10:31 > 0:10:35but they don't yet know the full extent of his injuries.
0:10:36 > 0:10:39Adam must give them the distressing news.
0:10:39 > 0:10:42He's still on that knife edge, if you know what I mean. So...
0:10:44 > 0:10:47But if you'd like to come in and see him, that's probably the best thing.
0:10:47 > 0:10:49Because I think, you know, he's stable now.
0:10:49 > 0:10:52So really, what we're doing is we're keeping him going
0:10:52 > 0:10:56and really, he's fighting for his life. Speak to you later. Bye-bye.
0:10:56 > 0:10:58Bye-bye.
0:11:00 > 0:11:03Oh, dear. He's got a lot of people supporting him just now.
0:11:09 > 0:11:12Owner Kim and her friend Mark rush to the practice,
0:11:12 > 0:11:16desperate to see Leo. But even this could be a risk.
0:11:16 > 0:11:21When he sees you, he's going to probably...
0:11:21 > 0:11:23His adrenaline's going to surge and he's going to...
0:11:23 > 0:11:25That's not going to make him any worse?
0:11:25 > 0:11:27Well, that's what I'm saying to you just now.
0:11:27 > 0:11:29If I say to you, "Look, you need to go now"
0:11:29 > 0:11:33it's not because I'm trying to shoo you out, it's because I don't want
0:11:33 > 0:11:35- him to get too stressed. - I totally understand.
0:11:35 > 0:11:40Because if his blood pressure gets too high, then it could cause
0:11:40 > 0:11:42problems with the brain and stuff like that. OK.
0:11:42 > 0:11:46Right, you want to come through and see him? Come on through.
0:11:51 > 0:11:54Oh, Leo! Oh, my boy!
0:11:54 > 0:12:00- Shushhhh.- Oh, son! Oh!
0:12:00 > 0:12:02SHE SOBS
0:12:03 > 0:12:06You and bloody cars! Oh, Leo.
0:12:07 > 0:12:11He's kind of sat up. Because normally he's lying down.
0:12:11 > 0:12:14- So he's obviously very pleased to see you.- Oh!
0:12:14 > 0:12:16You can see his tongue, can't you?
0:12:16 > 0:12:18And that's just where he's bitten his tongue.
0:12:18 > 0:12:21But that's fine, honestly, that's fine.
0:12:21 > 0:12:24- Oh, what a shame!- You're OK. - He's getting excited.
0:12:24 > 0:12:27I might just give you another minute or so with him, if that's OK.
0:12:27 > 0:12:30- No worries.- Because he's nice and settled. It's really good for him
0:12:30 > 0:12:33to know you're still around and there for him and stuff like that.
0:12:33 > 0:12:35That will help him no end.
0:12:39 > 0:12:42I'll come and see you in the morning. I will. Aye.
0:12:44 > 0:12:46You're OK. OK.
0:12:48 > 0:12:50I'll get some tissues for you, is that all right?
0:12:52 > 0:12:55Any peak in blood pressure could have caused more bleeding
0:12:55 > 0:12:59into his brain and could have been fatal. So I had to really limit
0:12:59 > 0:13:02their time with Leo. But I really wanted them and him to know
0:13:02 > 0:13:06both were still alive. And that's key, because Leo needed to know
0:13:06 > 0:13:08his mum and dad were still there for him.
0:13:08 > 0:13:10And that will give him a reason to fight.
0:13:12 > 0:13:16But with such severe injuries, Leo's life hangs in the balance.
0:13:23 > 0:13:26In Teesdale, the small animal team are in the middle
0:13:26 > 0:13:27of morning consults.
0:13:28 > 0:13:31Take care, now. Bye.
0:13:31 > 0:13:33Come on, my boy.
0:13:33 > 0:13:35There's always a queue of little patients.
0:13:38 > 0:13:41- Five altogether, yeah? - Five altogether.- OK.
0:13:41 > 0:13:45- Vet Steve loves his clients... - Hiya!
0:13:45 > 0:13:47..but they don't always love him back.
0:13:47 > 0:13:48CAT HISSES
0:13:48 > 0:13:49Hey!
0:13:49 > 0:13:51Yet Steve wouldn't to do anything else.
0:13:51 > 0:13:53Where's my love bites? Good boy!
0:13:54 > 0:13:56Nobody's going to kid you that it's an easy road,
0:13:56 > 0:13:59but, erm, boy, is it a fulfilling job.
0:13:59 > 0:14:00And, yeah, I love it.
0:14:04 > 0:14:07Today, Steve's trimming Little Yella Fella's claws.
0:14:07 > 0:14:09They're clipped several times a year, as they don't wear down
0:14:09 > 0:14:11naturally inside his cage.
0:14:12 > 0:14:17All right, sunshine. What a good bird, aren't you?
0:14:17 > 0:14:20You can tell he's well handled, cos he doesn't... you know,
0:14:20 > 0:14:22he's not struggling at all. Birds that we get in
0:14:22 > 0:14:27that sort of don't come out and are handled and things,
0:14:27 > 0:14:29they spend their time biting and make an awful lot of noise
0:14:29 > 0:14:33and trying to get away and getting really stressed.
0:14:33 > 0:14:36But feathered patients aren't always so well-behaved.
0:14:36 > 0:14:39The little birds are really quite difficult.
0:14:39 > 0:14:42I've seen them, you know, bite right through fingers and things.
0:14:42 > 0:14:47So, again, he's a bird who's had all this time put into him.
0:14:47 > 0:14:50Obviously, the bigger they get, the more it hurts if they don't
0:14:50 > 0:14:51like being handled!
0:14:53 > 0:14:56They can be a bit of a challenge.
0:14:56 > 0:14:57Oh, dear.
0:14:57 > 0:15:00Look who's in the waiting room!
0:15:00 > 0:15:01Sunny Foster, please.
0:15:01 > 0:15:04- Hi, there, come on in.- Hi.
0:15:04 > 0:15:07- Come on, wee bird. Hiya, come on this way.- Over here?
0:15:07 > 0:15:08Yeah, that's fine.
0:15:11 > 0:15:13So what are we doing for Sunny, today then?
0:15:13 > 0:15:15Just a general sort of check over.
0:15:15 > 0:15:17How has she been handled?
0:15:17 > 0:15:20We haven't had her all that long,
0:15:20 > 0:15:22so we don't try and grab her.
0:15:22 > 0:15:24It doesn't bode well.
0:15:24 > 0:15:27Obviously, they can get quite stressed
0:15:27 > 0:15:29by being handled if they're not used to it, so...
0:15:29 > 0:15:31So we need to be as gentle as we can.
0:15:31 > 0:15:34- It's OK, sweetheart.- All right.
0:15:35 > 0:15:38Really careful...
0:15:38 > 0:15:40BIRD CHIRPS
0:15:40 > 0:15:43That's it, I got you, I got you.
0:15:43 > 0:15:46Ooh, you're biting me, you're biting.
0:15:46 > 0:15:48Don't bite, not nice.
0:15:48 > 0:15:49OK, all right, I know.
0:15:51 > 0:15:53Sunny needs her claws trimmed too.
0:15:55 > 0:15:57Ooh-oh! No, no.
0:15:57 > 0:15:59BIRD CHIRPS
0:15:59 > 0:16:01Ooh, you're losing all your feathers now, come on.
0:16:01 > 0:16:04OK. If you can just do me a favour here...
0:16:04 > 0:16:08Just gently, gently keep her like that, I'm going to...
0:16:09 > 0:16:13I'm going to be very careful with these...cos they can bleed.
0:16:14 > 0:16:18Not quite as pretty as, as perhaps when she came in.
0:16:18 > 0:16:21It's all right, just take it back, that's is.
0:16:23 > 0:16:25She's nice and... Ah, ah!
0:16:25 > 0:16:27You made me bleed.
0:16:29 > 0:16:33A budgie's tail feathers take around eight weeks to regrow,
0:16:33 > 0:16:36so she won't miss a few today.
0:16:36 > 0:16:38Tail-feather-less budgie.
0:16:38 > 0:16:40Oh, sweetheart!
0:16:40 > 0:16:44Whatever is loose is going to fall out and she's got to grow new ones.
0:16:44 > 0:16:46All right, my wee bird?
0:16:46 > 0:16:47Sorry about your tail.
0:16:47 > 0:16:50- OK, then.- Thank you. - You're welcome. Bye now.- Bye.
0:16:50 > 0:16:53Naughty budgie dealt with,
0:16:53 > 0:16:55but Steve's skills don't stop there.
0:16:56 > 0:16:58I'm armed.
0:16:58 > 0:17:01Is there nothing this man can't do?
0:17:05 > 0:17:08THEY WHINE
0:17:14 > 0:17:18Back in Dunfermline, German Shepherd Leo is fighting for his life
0:17:18 > 0:17:20after being hit by a train.
0:17:20 > 0:17:25The impact left him with a skull fracture and a chest wound.
0:17:25 > 0:17:28At some point, we are going to have to address some of the things
0:17:28 > 0:17:29that have happened to him,
0:17:29 > 0:17:34but all of these things are secondary to keeping him alive.
0:17:35 > 0:17:37His owners were distraught.
0:17:37 > 0:17:40Ooh! Leo!
0:17:41 > 0:17:45Leo needs to regain his strength before Adam can begin
0:17:45 > 0:17:46to repair his battered body.
0:17:49 > 0:17:52Just yesterday, Leo ran off while on a walk.
0:17:52 > 0:17:56His owner, Kim, heard he might have been taken to the vet's.
0:17:56 > 0:17:59I phoned the vet's, and they said, "A dog has been handed in."
0:17:59 > 0:18:02They had to scan him for his chip to make sure that it was Leo, eh.
0:18:02 > 0:18:04And I just thought,
0:18:04 > 0:18:06"Oh, great! Someone just happened to hand him in,"
0:18:06 > 0:18:07and then she gave me the bad news,
0:18:07 > 0:18:10"No, he's been actually, he's been hit by a train."
0:18:10 > 0:18:14I just started screaming. I couldn't believe it.
0:18:14 > 0:18:16Leo's adored by all the family.
0:18:16 > 0:18:19He's brilliant-natured. Really good.
0:18:19 > 0:18:20He's my favourite.
0:18:21 > 0:18:23He's the main man.
0:18:28 > 0:18:32But Leo's a fighter and when Kim and Mark return
0:18:32 > 0:18:35just 36 hours after the horrific accident...
0:18:35 > 0:18:37- OK.- Hello, Leo.
0:18:37 > 0:18:39..they can't believe his progress.
0:18:42 > 0:18:47We're going to try and take him for a wee walk.
0:18:47 > 0:18:50Oh, my God! I didn't know he could get up like that.
0:18:51 > 0:18:55With slings for support, incredibly, Leo is back on his feet.
0:18:57 > 0:18:59That's it, that's it...
0:18:59 > 0:19:04- Here you go!- Here's such a boy... Oh, dear!
0:19:04 > 0:19:09You never expect it to happen to your dogs, eh, and still be alive.
0:19:09 > 0:19:11And actually walking from there to here.
0:19:11 > 0:19:14It's just a miracle, it is.
0:19:14 > 0:19:18- Good boy!- Very good!- Yes!
0:19:19 > 0:19:23Leo's head X-rays show he may have had a miraculous escape.
0:19:24 > 0:19:27He's been extremely lucky because it's actually here,
0:19:27 > 0:19:32which is the frontal sinus, which is, if you like, just above his nose.
0:19:32 > 0:19:35So when he's breathing, you can see the skin going in and out.
0:19:35 > 0:19:39But if it had been even, like, a centimetre that way,
0:19:39 > 0:19:44it would have crushed the actual skull above the brain itself.
0:19:44 > 0:19:47And it could have been immediately fatal.
0:19:47 > 0:19:51I think it's just of a size which should heal of its own accord.
0:19:53 > 0:19:55Leo's doesn't need cranial surgery,
0:19:55 > 0:19:58but Adam is worried he's yet to find other injuries.
0:20:00 > 0:20:04He's such a well-loved dog that, you know, you really feel the pressure
0:20:04 > 0:20:07of making sure you can get him better.
0:20:07 > 0:20:09Now he's out of immediate danger,
0:20:09 > 0:20:11he can be anaesthetised for more X-rays.
0:20:12 > 0:20:15Straight away, Adam finds something.
0:20:15 > 0:20:18Slightly concerned about that area just there.
0:20:18 > 0:20:24There's a definite compression there of that first bone in the tail.
0:20:26 > 0:20:28That's a difficult area to deal with
0:20:28 > 0:20:32and it's not straightforward surgery to repair that.
0:20:32 > 0:20:34I have to think about that one.
0:20:37 > 0:20:39Still under anaesthetic,
0:20:39 > 0:20:41Adam can stitch up Leo's wounds,
0:20:41 > 0:20:42and examine his tail.
0:20:44 > 0:20:50I'm trying to move his tail about just to see how far it would move.
0:20:50 > 0:20:53And there's quite a significant amount of movement there.
0:20:53 > 0:20:55Already, it's started to heal
0:20:55 > 0:20:58that, that bit of bone, which is fantastic.
0:21:00 > 0:21:05I'm minded to give this some time and allow this to heal,
0:21:05 > 0:21:07because the other option is to amputate his tail,
0:21:07 > 0:21:09but I think he's quite attached to it
0:21:09 > 0:21:12and he's survived everything else, so let's give it a go.
0:21:12 > 0:21:17Adam then repairs Leo's injured chest. It's a deep wound.
0:21:19 > 0:21:21OK, so I'm just stitching up the muscle now,
0:21:21 > 0:21:23which has been damaged in there.
0:21:23 > 0:21:25It's going to get together quite nicely.
0:21:26 > 0:21:32I have to say Leo is probably the luckiest dog I've ever known.
0:21:32 > 0:21:37To have come through such a huge incident like this
0:21:37 > 0:21:40relatively unscathed.
0:21:40 > 0:21:44If a cat has nine lives, Leo has got about 29 lives.
0:21:44 > 0:21:46LEO WHINES
0:21:48 > 0:21:49Groggy and sore,
0:21:49 > 0:21:52Leo is taken back to the ward to sleep off the anaesthetic.
0:22:00 > 0:22:03Adam can finally begin to relax.
0:22:03 > 0:22:06All the worries in the world you've got personally
0:22:06 > 0:22:07are completely out of the window,
0:22:07 > 0:22:12you're just worrying about that wee dog and making sure they survive.
0:22:20 > 0:22:23The beautiful countryside of County Durham is perfect
0:22:23 > 0:22:27for raising livestock, so along with horses and sheep,
0:22:27 > 0:22:30the area has over 100,000 cattle.
0:22:32 > 0:22:37And farmers Peter and Ann are hoping to add a few more.
0:22:38 > 0:22:41It's been five weeks since vet Richard artificially
0:22:41 > 0:22:44inseminated Gwen and three other cows.
0:22:44 > 0:22:46Gently, gently, gently.
0:22:46 > 0:22:48Deposit the semen where it should be
0:22:48 > 0:22:51and cross our fingers and say a little prayer.
0:22:52 > 0:22:54The time has finally arrived
0:22:54 > 0:22:58to find out which of the ladies are pregnant.
0:22:58 > 0:23:01It is a quite a big day when they say if it's in calf.
0:23:01 > 0:23:04They're holding out hope that even overweight Gwen
0:23:04 > 0:23:06might at last be in calf,
0:23:06 > 0:23:09despite trying four times before.
0:23:09 > 0:23:12If Gwen is in calf, we'll open a bottle.
0:23:14 > 0:23:16The moment of truth.
0:23:16 > 0:23:19They won't all be in calf, that would be too good,
0:23:19 > 0:23:23but hopefully, at least half of them will be.
0:23:23 > 0:23:26When I do this, I always feel very responsible,
0:23:26 > 0:23:29because I AI them
0:23:29 > 0:23:31and so, yeah, you kind of feel...
0:23:31 > 0:23:34you feel if they're not in calf, it's my fault.
0:23:34 > 0:23:36No pressure, then(!)
0:23:36 > 0:23:38First for the scan is Eve.
0:23:38 > 0:23:40So, here we go...
0:23:42 > 0:23:43Yes, she's in calf.
0:23:43 > 0:23:46How do I know that? Because this is her womb here.
0:23:46 > 0:23:48The black bit is the fluid.
0:23:48 > 0:23:51That little white blob there is the embryo.
0:23:51 > 0:23:54So good news! She's in calf!
0:23:54 > 0:23:57That's great!
0:23:57 > 0:23:58It's a good start.
0:23:59 > 0:24:01Let's stop there! Yeah.
0:24:01 > 0:24:03- Stop while you're winning. - Come on, darling.
0:24:03 > 0:24:06Next is Molly, Eve's mum.
0:24:08 > 0:24:11Well, good news is, she is in calf. Good!
0:24:11 > 0:24:13So it's two out of two.
0:24:13 > 0:24:16Can Branwen make it a hat-trick?
0:24:16 > 0:24:18Right, OK, three out of three?
0:24:18 > 0:24:21- No, she's not in calf. - Not in calf?- No.
0:24:21 > 0:24:24Ah, how disappointing!
0:24:24 > 0:24:30And lastly, the one everyone's rooting for - Gwen.
0:24:30 > 0:24:32Her extra weight won't be helping,
0:24:32 > 0:24:35but perhaps she's been eating for two?
0:24:35 > 0:24:38I think she's even fatter than ever...
0:24:38 > 0:24:40I don't think she's lost weight.
0:24:41 > 0:24:43The suspense is terrible.
0:24:46 > 0:24:48Now, I think we better get one thing straight,
0:24:48 > 0:24:51and do we still get the cake if she's not in calf?
0:24:54 > 0:24:57- I think we need to know this. - I suppose so.
0:24:57 > 0:25:01- Good, because I'm afraid she's not, no.- Little rat.
0:25:01 > 0:25:05Unfortunately, what she is now is she's very fat,
0:25:05 > 0:25:07and that has more of an effect
0:25:07 > 0:25:11- on cattle fertility than being thin, if anything.- Yeah.
0:25:11 > 0:25:15She needs to be booked into some health spa.
0:25:15 > 0:25:17What a shame!
0:25:17 > 0:25:21Fertility to single AI is about 50%,
0:25:21 > 0:25:24so we've got 50% in calf,
0:25:24 > 0:25:27so yeah, I'm happy enough.
0:25:27 > 0:25:31It would have been lovely if Gwen had been in calf,
0:25:31 > 0:25:33but life's not like that sometimes.
0:25:35 > 0:25:39Cake for Richard. No pies for Gwen, though.
0:25:39 > 0:25:42But with a few less pounds, she may well become a mum in the future.
0:25:43 > 0:25:47COW MOOS
0:25:51 > 0:25:57In Dunfermline, Leo the wonder dog has survived a horrific accident.
0:25:57 > 0:26:02Despite being hit by a train, he's overcome life-threatening injuries.
0:26:02 > 0:26:05He's had two close shaves, basically,
0:26:05 > 0:26:07his head end and his tail end,
0:26:07 > 0:26:11a couple of millimetres away from complete disaster.
0:26:11 > 0:26:14His head, chest and tail were badly wounded.
0:26:14 > 0:26:18It was a huge shock for owner Kim.
0:26:18 > 0:26:23You never expect it to happen to your dogs, eh, and still be alive.
0:26:23 > 0:26:25Nice and steady!
0:26:27 > 0:26:29It's almost two weeks since the accident,
0:26:29 > 0:26:32and Leo's made a miraculous recovery.
0:26:33 > 0:26:36Adam still needs to keep an eye on his tail,
0:26:36 > 0:26:38but Leo can now go home, for good.
0:26:40 > 0:26:44His owner Kim has arrived with family and friends.
0:26:44 > 0:26:47Hello there, come on through.
0:26:47 > 0:26:48Come on through.
0:26:48 > 0:26:51I know as soon as you see him, you're going to go, "Hey, Leo!",
0:26:51 > 0:26:55he's going to jump up and down and get really excited, so let's just take a minute
0:26:55 > 0:26:57to have a look at the X-rays first.
0:26:57 > 0:27:01- This is Leo's skull. You see this fluffy, cloud-like stuff?- Uh-huh.
0:27:01 > 0:27:05That's new bone, and that's him healing in the space of almost,
0:27:05 > 0:27:08not even two weeks. Amazing healing.
0:27:08 > 0:27:10Magic. Brilliant.
0:27:10 > 0:27:13I'd like to say that...the praise for that,
0:27:13 > 0:27:14there's nothing to do with me.
0:27:14 > 0:27:18That's Leo healing himself. Fantastic, really pleased with that.
0:27:18 > 0:27:21Let's go and bring the boy up, OK?
0:27:23 > 0:27:25At last, it's home time.
0:27:25 > 0:27:30- Here he is!- Oh, watch out!
0:27:35 > 0:27:37He's such a happy chap, isn't he?
0:27:46 > 0:27:49Cheerio there! Bye-bye!
0:27:49 > 0:27:51It was a miracle, this.
0:27:51 > 0:27:54Totally, totally, definitely a miracle,
0:27:54 > 0:27:58because he shouldn't have been here with what he's been through,
0:27:58 > 0:28:01for the amount of injuries that he's had. Aye, it's unbelievable.
0:28:05 > 0:28:07A few more weeks recovering at home,
0:28:07 > 0:28:10and Leo will be back to his old self -
0:28:10 > 0:28:12and having safer adventures from now on.