0:00:02 > 0:00:03This time on Vets 24/7...
0:00:03 > 0:00:09Will a stray cat recover from his road traffic accident?
0:00:09 > 0:00:12I'm worried he's got something nasty going on with his back legs.
0:00:12 > 0:00:14There's a good boy.
0:00:14 > 0:00:17Vet Alex deals with a nagging dental problem.
0:00:17 > 0:00:20Teeth rasping can be quite a physical job.
0:00:20 > 0:00:24And old dog Lizzie needs a life-saving operation.
0:00:24 > 0:00:27It could be game over for her, unfortunately.
0:00:29 > 0:00:32From Swansea to Neath, and the pets that they treat.
0:00:32 > 0:00:34This is a week in the life
0:00:34 > 0:00:37of one of the largest veterinary practices in South Wales.
0:00:39 > 0:00:41This is Vets 24/7.
0:00:47 > 0:00:50For over 120 years,
0:00:50 > 0:00:53St James Veterinary Group in Swansea has been responding 24/7
0:00:53 > 0:00:55to animal emergencies.
0:00:58 > 0:01:00Right, you. Come on then.
0:01:00 > 0:01:05A stray cat has been involved in road traffic accident.
0:01:05 > 0:01:09He can't move his back legs and may have spinal damage.
0:01:11 > 0:01:14You do his back legs. Nice and straight as well.
0:01:14 > 0:01:17Vet Becky Bradshaw is on duty to perform the X-ray.
0:01:17 > 0:01:21We're looking for reasons why he's not using his back legs.
0:01:21 > 0:01:24We'll take an X-ray now and we'll have a better idea.
0:01:24 > 0:01:27I'm just going to X-ray the front part of his spine first,
0:01:27 > 0:01:30and then we'll concentrate on his lower spine.
0:01:34 > 0:01:40The area we're concerned about is the sort of middle part of his spine.
0:01:40 > 0:01:42When your spine is affected from here
0:01:42 > 0:01:45downwards, it affects your back legs.
0:01:45 > 0:01:49There isn't an obvious fracture,
0:01:49 > 0:01:52or an obvious displacement of the bony part of the spine.
0:01:52 > 0:01:55If his nerves don't regain function,
0:01:55 > 0:01:58then he's not viable as being a cat you know, that can carry on.
0:01:58 > 0:02:01Sometimes we have to put cats to sleep that have that sort of injury.
0:02:01 > 0:02:04We're going to give him another 24 hours.
0:02:04 > 0:02:07It also gives him a bit more time for some owners to come forward,
0:02:07 > 0:02:09which they may or may not do.
0:02:09 > 0:02:11You can't feel that?
0:02:11 > 0:02:14You can feel that one, can't you?
0:02:14 > 0:02:17Good boy.
0:02:17 > 0:02:21There are 17 vets at the practice
0:02:21 > 0:02:24caring for all creatures, great and small.
0:02:25 > 0:02:28Today, much-loved family dog Lizzie
0:02:28 > 0:02:30and her worried owners, Lisa and Steve,
0:02:30 > 0:02:33have come to visit partner Gareth Field.
0:02:33 > 0:02:36I was reading the notes, and she's basically passing blood in her urine.
0:02:36 > 0:02:40- Yes.- We're worried about... - We think there might be stones.
0:02:40 > 0:02:41OK, no problem.
0:02:41 > 0:02:44- She had stones before.- OK. - They flushed her out.
0:02:44 > 0:02:47Brilliant. She's quite an elderly girl, isn't she?
0:02:47 > 0:02:48- She is, she's 17.- 17?
0:02:48 > 0:02:50Wow. Looking good for 17, isn't she?
0:02:50 > 0:02:51She is.
0:02:53 > 0:02:57You can feel in the area of her bladder like a bag of stones,
0:02:57 > 0:02:58or a bag of marbles, really.
0:03:00 > 0:03:05I'm pretty sure she has definitely got stones in the bladder.
0:03:05 > 0:03:06The operation won't be a problem -
0:03:06 > 0:03:10it'll be more her age and the anaesthetic and the risks.
0:03:10 > 0:03:15If you didn't want to do that, the other option is putting her to sleep,
0:03:15 > 0:03:18which seems a shame just because she's... She seems...
0:03:18 > 0:03:21It's the last thing we want to do.
0:03:21 > 0:03:23Yes, exactly. I mean...
0:03:23 > 0:03:26Vets hate giving you their own opinion of what to do.
0:03:26 > 0:03:31If she was my dog, I would probably be inclined to do the operation.
0:03:31 > 0:03:32Just go with it.
0:03:32 > 0:03:35It's a shame to put an otherwise healthy dog to sleep
0:03:35 > 0:03:37for something we can fix.
0:03:37 > 0:03:38- Yes.- Yes.
0:03:41 > 0:03:43I've just found he's got an ID tag.
0:03:43 > 0:03:45Ah, brilliant.
0:03:45 > 0:03:49Next door, the nursing team have discovered a collar on the stray cat,
0:03:49 > 0:03:51with a phone number and a name.
0:03:51 > 0:03:54Benny. Hello, Benny.
0:03:56 > 0:04:00Vet Alex Franklin hopes she's found an owner.
0:04:00 > 0:04:01Hi there, my name's Alex.
0:04:01 > 0:04:04We've had your cat brought into us, Benny?
0:04:06 > 0:04:07He was brought into us on Friday.
0:04:07 > 0:04:12He had unfortunately been involved in a road traffic accident.
0:04:15 > 0:04:17He's been missing a whole year?
0:04:17 > 0:04:18Oh, blimey!
0:04:18 > 0:04:23He's obviously got injuries at the moment from the accident,
0:04:23 > 0:04:27and we're not sure at the moment whether he's going to fully recover
0:04:27 > 0:04:29from them or not.
0:04:31 > 0:04:32OK? Bye-bye.
0:04:32 > 0:04:36Well, that was a very interesting phone call.
0:04:36 > 0:04:38Her first response was,
0:04:38 > 0:04:41"No, you haven't, I've got Benny here, he's sat with me."
0:04:41 > 0:04:45As I described the cat, she said, "Oh, my goodness!
0:04:45 > 0:04:48"It's my other cat - he's been missing for a year."
0:04:48 > 0:04:51I think this is going to be a rather emotional morning for her.
0:04:51 > 0:04:53We'll see her when she gets here.
0:04:56 > 0:04:59So, the stray cat had been wearing his brother Benny's collar.
0:04:59 > 0:05:03Now the vets know his real name is Sasha.
0:05:07 > 0:05:11The vets have clients all over South Wales.
0:05:11 > 0:05:13At the Neath branch,
0:05:13 > 0:05:18some very unusual pets have arrived for morning consultation.
0:05:19 > 0:05:21Say hello, Thomas.
0:05:21 > 0:05:23Say hello.
0:05:23 > 0:05:25BIRD SQUAWKS
0:05:25 > 0:05:29Becky and Jonathan have brought in Thomas the macaw to have his wings clipped.
0:05:29 > 0:05:31Thomas! Thomas!
0:05:31 > 0:05:32- Hello.- Hello.
0:05:32 > 0:05:36We've got this towel here. All right...
0:05:36 > 0:05:40Performing this procedure is vet Lance Jepson,
0:05:40 > 0:05:43one of Wales's leading specialists in exotic pets.
0:05:43 > 0:05:45- Yes. Let go?- Yes.
0:05:47 > 0:05:48OK.
0:05:48 > 0:05:50I've seen this done a few times now,
0:05:50 > 0:05:52and I know it's just all noise.
0:05:52 > 0:05:55He doesn't like being held, and he doesn't like the towel.
0:05:55 > 0:05:59He'd shout at me like that if I wrapped him in a towel.
0:05:59 > 0:06:00He's fine.
0:06:02 > 0:06:06Lance is cutting the feathers to prevent Thomas flying away
0:06:06 > 0:06:08when out of his cage.
0:06:08 > 0:06:10He's really unhappy about this.
0:06:10 > 0:06:12It's not hurting him.
0:06:18 > 0:06:19Right.
0:06:19 > 0:06:22OK. Just let him come to you now, OK?
0:06:22 > 0:06:24Come on. All right, come on.
0:06:24 > 0:06:25All right.
0:06:25 > 0:06:26That's it.
0:06:26 > 0:06:28Hello. Hello. Come on then.
0:06:28 > 0:06:30Good boy.
0:06:30 > 0:06:31Good boy! Have a shake.
0:06:33 > 0:06:34Have a shake.
0:06:34 > 0:06:37Wing clipping in parrots can be controversial.
0:06:37 > 0:06:40Ideally, the bird should be fully flighted.
0:06:40 > 0:06:44It's something we don't recommend except in certain circumstances.
0:06:44 > 0:06:47The bird's social needs are paramount.
0:06:47 > 0:06:50If, by wing clipping the bird,
0:06:50 > 0:06:54if that allows the owner to be happy to bring the bird out of its cage,
0:06:54 > 0:06:57and have the bird interacting with the family,
0:06:57 > 0:07:00that's the most important thing in my books.
0:07:09 > 0:07:11Come on through.
0:07:11 > 0:07:13Sasha's owners Pauline and Gerald
0:07:13 > 0:07:16spent 14 months thinking their cat was lost forever.
0:07:16 > 0:07:19Now they're in for a surprise.
0:07:19 > 0:07:20Oh, my God, Sasha!
0:07:20 > 0:07:23Oh, Sasha!
0:07:23 > 0:07:25I knew you'd come back!
0:07:25 > 0:07:27Oh, my baby!
0:07:28 > 0:07:30Where have you been?
0:07:30 > 0:07:31Oh, I know.
0:07:31 > 0:07:34- Definitely your boy then? - Oh, he's my boy.
0:07:34 > 0:07:37I'm afraid we don't know exactly where he was found
0:07:37 > 0:07:41because it was one of the RSPCA inspectors that picked him up
0:07:41 > 0:07:43and brought him into us.
0:07:43 > 0:07:44He was in a very bad way.
0:07:44 > 0:07:47You know, he's improved dramatically,
0:07:47 > 0:07:51but unfortunately, it's still not there yet. OK?
0:07:51 > 0:07:55- We've really got to see if he gets his bladder function back.- OK.
0:07:55 > 0:07:59He's your cat. Further treatment and everything will be down to you.
0:07:59 > 0:08:02- We stopped his insurance. - Because he went missing?
0:08:02 > 0:08:04After a year, yeah, we did.
0:08:04 > 0:08:08As I said, the main thing is the next 24 hours -
0:08:08 > 0:08:10do we have bladder function or not? OK?
0:08:10 > 0:08:13You can spend as much time as you like with him now
0:08:13 > 0:08:16because it's been a while.
0:08:16 > 0:08:19- It must have been a shock for me to ring you.- It's been awful.
0:08:19 > 0:08:20It doesn't matter where we go,
0:08:20 > 0:08:23we're forever up and down, constantly looking for him.
0:08:26 > 0:08:27We've found him.
0:08:31 > 0:08:35What we want now is for you to get better and come home now, isn't it?
0:08:35 > 0:08:37We'll be back tomorrow.
0:08:39 > 0:08:43I am just so glad that I know where he is now,
0:08:43 > 0:08:45even if the outcome is not very good.
0:08:45 > 0:08:49At least I know where he is and I can say,
0:08:49 > 0:08:51"All right, OK, now I can take him home."
0:08:51 > 0:08:54I just hope to God that he does get better.
0:09:03 > 0:09:06In the preparation room, vet Gareth is giving Lizzie an anaesthetic
0:09:06 > 0:09:08for her bladder stone operation.
0:09:11 > 0:09:15There we go. So, this is the drug to induce her.
0:09:17 > 0:09:20We give that slowly and she'll gradually fall asleep.
0:09:23 > 0:09:25Good girl, Liz.
0:09:25 > 0:09:27Lizzie is an old dog
0:09:27 > 0:09:30and a scan has revealed her stones are rather large.
0:09:30 > 0:09:33On the X-ray, it was impossible to tell how many there were.
0:09:33 > 0:09:37All we can do is open the bladder and take out what we can find.
0:09:37 > 0:09:40There's always a risk of leaving a small one behind,
0:09:40 > 0:09:43which isn't solving the problem. The owners want everything sorted.
0:09:43 > 0:09:46They've plucked up the courage to have it done,
0:09:46 > 0:09:48which was a big decision for them.
0:09:48 > 0:09:51If we said in two or three months, we need to do it all again,
0:09:51 > 0:09:55they might think twice and it could be game over for her, unfortunately.
0:09:57 > 0:10:02For the first part of the surgery, Gareth has to make an incision
0:10:02 > 0:10:04to gain access to Lizzie's bladder.
0:10:06 > 0:10:07This is the bladder.
0:10:07 > 0:10:10You can see the stones inside.
0:10:10 > 0:10:13They should not be there.
0:10:13 > 0:10:18Now I need to try and just gently manipulate those out of the bladder.
0:10:18 > 0:10:23That's the one we could see - the big triangular one.
0:10:23 > 0:10:26Nobody knows why one dog gets them and another dog doesn't.
0:10:26 > 0:10:28It's all to do with genetics
0:10:28 > 0:10:33and how the dog metabolises and uses the salts in the diet.
0:10:33 > 0:10:35This is the other big one.
0:10:35 > 0:10:36That is quite big.
0:10:36 > 0:10:38Yes, it's pretty big.
0:10:38 > 0:10:42It is amazing how symmetrical and almost pretty they are.
0:10:42 > 0:10:46This is an expensive pretty bladder stone as well.
0:10:47 > 0:10:51A few more smaller ones - quite a few in there.
0:10:51 > 0:10:53All those ones there.
0:10:55 > 0:10:59These are more impressive than your average ones.
0:11:09 > 0:11:12As the night staff come on duty at the practice,
0:11:12 > 0:11:16Lizzie will to be monitored as she recovers from her operation.
0:11:25 > 0:11:29It's not just fluffy cats and dogs that the vets look after.
0:11:30 > 0:11:32Being so close to Gower,
0:11:32 > 0:11:37farm animals and horses are a large part of the practice workload.
0:11:37 > 0:11:40Vet Alex Franklin is on her rounds.
0:11:42 > 0:11:46An important saying on the Gower is "Beware the black cow".
0:11:46 > 0:11:51Obviously, horses, sheep, cattle are all free to roam the commons.
0:11:51 > 0:11:55In the dark, you don't see that black cow
0:11:55 > 0:11:59that's in the middle of the road, so you always have to be careful.
0:11:59 > 0:12:01There's one crossing now.
0:12:01 > 0:12:04Or, in this case, beware of the yellow cow.
0:12:07 > 0:12:09Morning!
0:12:09 > 0:12:10Good morning!
0:12:10 > 0:12:12Today's visit is to Merlyn,
0:12:12 > 0:12:14a Welsh mountain pony who has a dental problem.
0:12:14 > 0:12:17Here we go then. Poor Jeff's got the hard work.
0:12:17 > 0:12:19OK there, Jeff?
0:12:19 > 0:12:21- Yes, fine.- Excellent.
0:12:21 > 0:12:23There's a good boy.
0:12:23 > 0:12:25This technique is know as rasping
0:12:25 > 0:12:29filing down the sharp edges of the teeth.
0:12:29 > 0:12:31It may look brutal, but it's necessary.
0:12:31 > 0:12:36I want to make sure we're not injuring the tongue there.
0:12:41 > 0:12:44Normally the teeth would lie flat against each other.
0:12:44 > 0:12:47Horses grind their food, so the teeth constantly grow,
0:12:47 > 0:12:50and the grinding from eating wears them down as they grow.
0:12:50 > 0:12:54Rather than having flat surfaces, this horse's mouth and teeth
0:12:54 > 0:12:58have actually got a wave in them, so that means he's restricted
0:12:58 > 0:13:01in how much he can grind because they don't flow over each other.
0:13:01 > 0:13:04Brilliant, Jeff. You're doing a great job there.
0:13:07 > 0:13:11So, you can see the tooth edges are coming off onto my rasp.
0:13:11 > 0:13:14So, that's the sharp edges I'm taking off.
0:13:14 > 0:13:17Although we've got to do some work on the wave mouth,
0:13:17 > 0:13:19you never rasp the top surfaces
0:13:19 > 0:13:22because you can then open up the sensitive cavities inside.
0:13:26 > 0:13:28Lovely. Right.
0:13:28 > 0:13:31These teeth back here are much happier.
0:13:31 > 0:13:33There was a really nasty sharp point here,
0:13:33 > 0:13:35so he'll be much more comfortable.
0:13:45 > 0:13:49It's been four days since Sasha's road traffic accident.
0:13:49 > 0:13:50Good boy.
0:13:50 > 0:13:54Vet Gareth is looking for signs of progress with the cat's back legs.
0:13:57 > 0:14:02His back end - you can place his paws where they should be,
0:14:02 > 0:14:06but he's not really doing very much for himself at the moment.
0:14:06 > 0:14:07When you turn his toes over,
0:14:07 > 0:14:11he should put them back to how they are normally.
0:14:11 > 0:14:15The nerves to the back end aren't quite aware of where his paws are.
0:14:15 > 0:14:17It's still touch and go with him, really.
0:14:17 > 0:14:19There's a worry that if he doesn't improve
0:14:19 > 0:14:22and get back to a functional state
0:14:22 > 0:14:24where he can walk and toilet on his own,
0:14:24 > 0:14:27he might still get put to sleep, which is sad.
0:14:28 > 0:14:31With Sasha's recovery still uncertain,
0:14:31 > 0:14:37Gareth has to break the bad news to Pauline and Gerald, the owners.
0:14:37 > 0:14:40So, he's obviously got some nerve damage coming down the back end.
0:14:40 > 0:14:44Like in people, it's impossible to know how bad that is
0:14:44 > 0:14:49without doing things like an MRI or CT scan, but they are very expensive.
0:14:49 > 0:14:54- Yes.- Really, we wanted to make sure that you understand how bad he is.
0:14:54 > 0:14:57He's certainly not out of the woods at all.
0:14:57 > 0:15:00- Yes.- If we think that he's not getting better,
0:15:00 > 0:15:03or he's starting to suffer and he's in a lot of pain,
0:15:03 > 0:15:06we might have to make a difficult decision and put him to sleep.
0:15:06 > 0:15:08I understand.
0:15:09 > 0:15:13There's hope, but it's just that it could be a slow process,
0:15:13 > 0:15:17and we're looking for gradual improvements every day
0:15:17 > 0:15:18or every other day,
0:15:18 > 0:15:22just to keep on giving us a reason to persevere with him, really.
0:15:22 > 0:15:23Yes.
0:15:23 > 0:15:26It's a delicate task to spell out the options,
0:15:26 > 0:15:30and Pauline must decide whether to keep Sasha's treatment going.
0:15:30 > 0:15:33You know, all that time when he was missing,
0:15:33 > 0:15:38just to find him and then lose him again,
0:15:38 > 0:15:39is not...
0:15:39 > 0:15:41It's not very nice, is it?
0:15:47 > 0:15:49We don't give up on somebody like you.
0:15:59 > 0:16:03When Partner Gareth is not looking after other people's animals,
0:16:03 > 0:16:05he has his own dog Scrumpy to care for.
0:16:05 > 0:16:07Come on then. Good boy.
0:16:07 > 0:16:10I've had Scrumpy since he was a pup.
0:16:10 > 0:16:12I got him when I was still at college.
0:16:12 > 0:16:15I had visions of leaving college, leaving my friends,
0:16:15 > 0:16:18and being a vet in the middle of nowhere with no social life,
0:16:18 > 0:16:21so, I thought I'd get a dog as a bit of company.
0:16:21 > 0:16:25It hasn't turned out like that, but I wouldn't be without him. Yes...
0:16:25 > 0:16:27He's a good companion.
0:16:27 > 0:16:29Go on, then! Go on then.
0:16:29 > 0:16:31Good boy.
0:16:31 > 0:16:33Gareth got his dog, then a vet's job,
0:16:33 > 0:16:37and now he's worked his way to partner at the practice.
0:16:37 > 0:16:39It's definitely a vocation, a way of life.
0:16:39 > 0:16:43Sometimes you're in at 7am and you don't get home until 11, 12 at night.
0:16:43 > 0:16:47You have to be really quite dedicated. But it pays off.
0:16:47 > 0:16:51It's well worth it.
0:16:51 > 0:16:52No, I do enjoy it. It's good.
0:16:52 > 0:16:56A vet for ever, and no plans to change.
0:16:56 > 0:16:59Go on! Go on!
0:17:01 > 0:17:05Over in Neath, exotics vet Lance Jepson
0:17:05 > 0:17:09is about to operate on a prize-winning show fish.
0:17:10 > 0:17:14I'm going to add the anaesthetic powder directly into the water.
0:17:14 > 0:17:16He should, in fact, just nod off.
0:17:16 > 0:17:21You can see he's partly on his side because he's in such shallow water.
0:17:21 > 0:17:25But if you look at the eye, the eye is trying to be horizontal.
0:17:25 > 0:17:27Actually, fish keeping is my hobby.
0:17:27 > 0:17:31That's what I've done since I was 12. It's my dad's fault.
0:17:31 > 0:17:33He bought me two goldfish.
0:17:33 > 0:17:36- Let's just risk it, shall we?- Yes.
0:17:39 > 0:17:42OK. So, this is the bit we're going to remove.
0:17:45 > 0:17:48This Discus fish has excess tissue around its gills
0:17:48 > 0:17:51which needs to be removed to help it breathe properly.
0:17:55 > 0:17:59The fish needs regular injections of water to keep it alive.
0:17:59 > 0:18:01Actually, we're going to swap ends, OK?
0:18:01 > 0:18:03It'll make it easier for me to get to that.
0:18:07 > 0:18:10Lance must be speedy with his surgical scissors
0:18:10 > 0:18:14as the fish can't survive for more than a few minutes out of water.
0:18:19 > 0:18:21Right then, let's get him...
0:18:21 > 0:18:24Let's get him back into here.
0:18:24 > 0:18:25OK.
0:18:27 > 0:18:30The main thing now is to get him back into his own tank
0:18:30 > 0:18:33where the water quality is good.
0:18:33 > 0:18:39The whole exotics thing is what gets me out of bed in a morning.
0:18:39 > 0:18:42That's why I became a vet - not to work with dogs and cats,
0:18:42 > 0:18:47um...but to work with... these species.
0:18:53 > 0:18:56It's three days since Lizzie's bladder stone operation,
0:18:56 > 0:18:57and she's ready for home.
0:18:59 > 0:19:02And her owner Lisa is in for a surprise
0:19:02 > 0:19:05when she comes to collect her.
0:19:05 > 0:19:06So, these are...
0:19:06 > 0:19:08Oh, my goodness me. That came out of her?
0:19:08 > 0:19:09Yes, all of them.
0:19:09 > 0:19:11How on earth..?!
0:19:11 > 0:19:13Oh, my goodness me.
0:19:13 > 0:19:15It's amazing, isn't it?
0:19:15 > 0:19:18That's... I'm totally shocked.
0:19:18 > 0:19:20I've seen gall stones, but nothing like that.
0:19:20 > 0:19:23The sheer size of them - there was no room in her bladder.
0:19:23 > 0:19:26You wouldn't think animal could tolerate something like that.
0:19:26 > 0:19:29I know. She's pretty special, isn't she?
0:19:29 > 0:19:34Yes. We wouldn't even know she's had anything wrong with her,
0:19:34 > 0:19:36this is the problem.
0:19:36 > 0:19:37Oooh.
0:19:40 > 0:19:43That's great, thank you.
0:19:43 > 0:19:45Lovely. Thanks ever so much, guys, thank you.
0:19:45 > 0:19:48Can I take those stones as well, do you mind?
0:19:48 > 0:19:52- Yes, I'll put them in a bag for you.- Thanks, take care.- Bye bye.
0:19:52 > 0:19:56I think that's the real high of the job -
0:19:56 > 0:19:59you've done something right and made a difference to that owner,
0:19:59 > 0:20:02and given her hopefully a few more months, or...
0:20:02 > 0:20:04She's a strong dog - she could go on till she's 20.
0:20:04 > 0:20:07She's not your average 17-year-old, is she?
0:20:12 > 0:20:16Not every animal is fortunate enough to be a pet with a caring owner.
0:20:17 > 0:20:22Each year in Wales thousands of cats and dogs are abandoned or abused.
0:20:24 > 0:20:28Here at Llys Nini Animal Centre they try to re-home them.
0:20:30 > 0:20:34The practice provides the veterinary care for the charity
0:20:34 > 0:20:37and this week, Alex is on duty.
0:20:37 > 0:20:39- Morning!- Morning.
0:20:42 > 0:20:46- It's OK.- We just want to check up on this one. She was down with you
0:20:46 > 0:20:50a few days ago and had a back leg amputated.
0:20:50 > 0:20:56- So it's just to check up. - How is she getting on?- She's doing all right. It does seem a bit sore.
0:20:56 > 0:20:59Come on, then. You come out. If you could hold her for me?
0:20:59 > 0:21:03She's having a bit of a wriggle and doesn't want me to look at her staples.
0:21:03 > 0:21:06- That's perfect. There we are. - Good girl.- That's good, isn't it?
0:21:08 > 0:21:13The wound itself is healing really nicely. She had nerve damage,
0:21:13 > 0:21:15so amputation was the only option for her.
0:21:16 > 0:21:20There's not actually much pain or discomfort around that at all.
0:21:20 > 0:21:24- There we are. Lovely.- Well done. Is she going outside and using her outdoor run?
0:21:24 > 0:21:28- She's not. She's just staying inside at the moment.- At the moment, that's all she should do.
0:21:28 > 0:21:31We'll reassess then when we take those staples out.
0:21:31 > 0:21:35And hopefully, she'll be back to normal cat mode, even on three legs!
0:21:35 > 0:21:36Ye-a-ah!
0:21:39 > 0:21:42This puppy was in with us at St James's
0:21:42 > 0:21:47and unfortunately had a really nasty case of Demodex.
0:21:47 > 0:21:52Demodex is a normal mite that's on the skin, but in some cases,
0:21:52 > 0:21:58if for any reason the animal's under the weather or their immune system's compromised,
0:21:58 > 0:22:00they can actually be infected by it.
0:22:00 > 0:22:03The head is probably still the worst place at the moment,
0:22:03 > 0:22:09but there's no current infection in the skin, so I'm happy that we stop the antibiotics, Laura.
0:22:09 > 0:22:13- OK, thank you very much. - OK? Well done, you!
0:22:13 > 0:22:17Hello! Look at that tail going! Oh, you're a cutie!
0:22:17 > 0:22:21Once she's better, there's going to be no problem re-homing this one. Hey!
0:22:26 > 0:22:32Exotic pet owners travel from far and wide for Lance Jepson's expert advice.
0:22:33 > 0:22:35Right, OK.
0:22:35 > 0:22:40Today, Neil has come from Llanelli with his marmoset monkey, Gizmo.
0:22:41 > 0:22:47- Put him there?- How are we doing? Yeah.- Come on, Giz. Don't bite me now. Come on, boy.
0:22:47 > 0:22:52The monkey recently suffered a leg fracture and Lance wants to see if it's healing.
0:22:54 > 0:22:58- Good boy.- You know you said wash it with the salt water?
0:22:58 > 0:23:02- Yeah.- He wouldn't allow me anywhere near it.- Fair enough.
0:23:02 > 0:23:05That's healing really well. I'm really pleased with that.
0:23:05 > 0:23:09You've done a good job, to be fair.
0:23:09 > 0:23:14- But he wouldn't stay in that small cage. He had to go in this big cage.- Fair enough.
0:23:14 > 0:23:18- Up in the furry bits of the thing. He wasn't bouncing about that much. - Yeah.
0:23:18 > 0:23:21But he won't eat the food I've been buying off Mazuri.
0:23:21 > 0:23:26- Off the Mazuri? Yeah. - He won't eat the gum, he won't eat the tamarin cake.- Right, OK.
0:23:26 > 0:23:28He's eating fruit and vegetables and things,
0:23:28 > 0:23:33but I want to get him on the proper foods he should be on.
0:23:33 > 0:23:35But because Gizmo's been hand-reared,
0:23:35 > 0:23:39he maybe doesn't quite know what a normal marmoset should be eating.
0:23:39 > 0:23:44Because he will be... His experience of food is based on what he's given.
0:23:44 > 0:23:50- And what he sees the parent group eat. - He's been learning from me, yeah.
0:23:50 > 0:23:53Yeah. And at the moment, this gentleman is the parent group.
0:24:00 > 0:24:01When I sort of let go...
0:24:01 > 0:24:04It's been six days since Sasha's road traffic accident,
0:24:04 > 0:24:07and Gareth is hoping for some signs of recovery.
0:24:07 > 0:24:10Hey, boy. Good lad.
0:24:10 > 0:24:14As we bring him towards the table, he should reach out for it,
0:24:14 > 0:24:19which isn't... So his front legs are doing what they should do.
0:24:19 > 0:24:21His back legs...
0:24:21 > 0:24:24ah, see, that was good!
0:24:24 > 0:24:28Wow! That was... That's better. I wasn't expecting him to do that.
0:24:31 > 0:24:35- Aaah!- Good boy!- See that, Shelley? - Yes.- That was good.
0:24:35 > 0:24:38- Can you do it with the other leg? - Well done!
0:24:39 > 0:24:44- Oh, he's trying.- Aw!- See him try to bring it under himself properly?
0:24:44 > 0:24:50I think that's an improvement. Ah, gone a bit emotional, yeah!
0:24:52 > 0:24:55Good boy. See once more.
0:24:58 > 0:25:01- Good.- He's probably like, "All right, all right, don't milk it!"
0:25:01 > 0:25:04That's a definite improvement. That's really good.
0:25:04 > 0:25:07- Aw!- Good lad.- Well done, Sasha.
0:25:07 > 0:25:10That's going to be good news for his owner there. Oh, wow.
0:25:16 > 0:25:18Sometimes it's the advice that the vets give to owners
0:25:18 > 0:25:21which can make the difference in an animal's care.
0:25:22 > 0:25:24Are you showing off, babes?
0:25:24 > 0:25:31In Llanelli, Neil is trying to wean Gizmo, the marmoset monkey, off his favourite food.
0:25:31 > 0:25:34See that now, we've got this custard slice.
0:25:34 > 0:25:39He doesn't eat the icing, it's just the custard bit he eats.
0:25:39 > 0:25:43See he's going for a bit of water and Coke mix there now.
0:25:43 > 0:25:49He's got one of Coke and one of water, so he's got a choice what he wants to drink, basically.
0:25:49 > 0:25:50Come on.
0:25:51 > 0:25:53Are you going to eat some of this?
0:25:53 > 0:25:55Giz!
0:25:55 > 0:25:58With Gizmo's sweet tooth for custard slice and Coke,
0:25:58 > 0:26:02Neil is now trying to encourage the monkey to eat Tamarind paste,
0:26:02 > 0:26:05which has all the essential nutrients he needs.
0:26:06 > 0:26:11He'll just play games all day with it! He knows what it is.
0:26:11 > 0:26:13Come here, baby. Giz!
0:26:13 > 0:26:19Is it quite difficult to get him to eat the sort of things that Lance is recommending that you have?
0:26:19 > 0:26:23Yeah, that's why I'm hoping the next one I get will be an adult,
0:26:23 > 0:26:25so it can teach it then how to be a marmoset
0:26:25 > 0:26:30rather than, you know, a human, which he thinks he is at the moment.
0:26:32 > 0:26:34Gizmo! Come on, babes.
0:26:36 > 0:26:40- After a week of care at the vets... - Here he is.
0:26:40 > 0:26:44..Sasha is being allowed the chance to go on a home visit.
0:26:44 > 0:26:46- There's a good boy. - ANGRY MEOW
0:26:46 > 0:26:50Oh, that's more like it. You have a grump if you want to.
0:26:50 > 0:26:55You grump if you want to. And we're going home for a while!
0:26:55 > 0:26:58You're not going to like going home in the car, but it'll be worth it.
0:26:58 > 0:27:03So, if you can, we're talking about every between two and four hours,
0:27:03 > 0:27:06- Yes.- As you've seen, just massaging his legs gently.
0:27:06 > 0:27:11Just getting the muscles warmed up. You can do the same with his back.
0:27:11 > 0:27:14And then it's just gently flexing and extending his leg, really.
0:27:14 > 0:27:15Mm-hm.
0:27:15 > 0:27:20- It's all very basic, but it all really helps.- Oh, yes.
0:27:23 > 0:27:26Sasha was missing for over 14 months.
0:27:27 > 0:27:30Now he has the chance of some home comforts
0:27:30 > 0:27:33and to be reunited with brother Benny.
0:27:35 > 0:27:38Chicken! Come on, boys. Come on.
0:27:38 > 0:27:41Look what I've got for you. There.
0:27:41 > 0:27:43It's amazing what people will do for their pets.
0:27:43 > 0:27:50Some people will go without themselves just to give the pet the treatment that they need.
0:27:50 > 0:27:53I think it's not until you've got an animal of your own and you've got that bond,
0:27:53 > 0:27:56that you can appreciate why some people do what they do.
0:27:56 > 0:27:59And it's lovely to see, it's really nice.
0:27:59 > 0:28:01He is certainly worth it.
0:28:01 > 0:28:03Certainly worth it.
0:28:05 > 0:28:10Three months after his accident, Sasha started to walk again.
0:28:13 > 0:28:16Next time on Vets 24/7...
0:28:16 > 0:28:21It's touch and go for Bruce, the Cocker Spaniel with a mystery illness.
0:28:21 > 0:28:26He doesn't know where he is, we're going to have to work hard and fast on him.
0:28:26 > 0:28:31..Vet Andy investigates Georgina's "horse" cough...
0:28:31 > 0:28:34And Harriet the dog has to change her ways.
0:28:34 > 0:28:36Well, she's permanently high!
0:28:36 > 0:28:40If she's eating the obesity biscuit, just feed her that.
0:28:40 > 0:28:42Because she's very overweight.
0:28:44 > 0:28:45Subtitles by Red Bee Media Ltd.