0:00:01 > 0:00:04This time on Vets 24/7,
0:00:04 > 0:00:08partner Gareth Field investigates a mysterious blockage.
0:00:08 > 0:00:10And this is his stomach.
0:00:10 > 0:00:13If he hasn't eaten for three days, that should be empty.
0:00:13 > 0:00:17Vet Gwen Rees brushes up on her manicure techniques.
0:00:17 > 0:00:20Maybe I've missed my career calling
0:00:20 > 0:00:22and I should have been a beauty therapist.
0:00:24 > 0:00:27And partner David Steele performs life-changing
0:00:27 > 0:00:30surgery on Sandy.
0:00:31 > 0:00:33From Swansea to Neath,
0:00:33 > 0:00:37and the pets that they treat, this is a week in the life
0:00:37 > 0:00:41of one of the largest veterinary practices in South Wales.
0:00:41 > 0:00:45This is Vets 24/7...
0:00:51 > 0:00:53Swansea...
0:00:53 > 0:00:57and the St James veterinary practice is open for business.
0:00:57 > 0:01:00Hello, Bronson, mate.
0:01:00 > 0:01:04Senior partner Dai Roberts first client of the day is Bronson,
0:01:04 > 0:01:05a French Mastiff.
0:01:07 > 0:01:10He's grown a bit, as well, since I last saw him.
0:01:10 > 0:01:1255 kilos now.
0:01:12 > 0:01:15He's so big and powerful now, I can't cut his nails any more.
0:01:15 > 0:01:20So, he needs to be sedated, you know, away with the fairies.
0:01:20 > 0:01:23Bronson's owners Tracey and Paul have been struggling
0:01:23 > 0:01:26to look after the pads on Bronson's paws.
0:01:26 > 0:01:29Bronson. It's all right. All right.
0:01:29 > 0:01:32What do you want to do, put him on the table, is it?
0:01:32 > 0:01:34I'm not that strong any more.
0:01:34 > 0:01:36He's got a problem with the pads of his feet,
0:01:36 > 0:01:39where they just keep on growing, don't they?
0:01:39 > 0:01:45And then, of course, they grow so far that they start to crack apart.
0:01:47 > 0:01:51He has his teenager days, when he likes to run upstairs,
0:01:51 > 0:01:54and we can't get him back from the top of the stairs.
0:01:54 > 0:01:56He's got his own room in the house, as well.
0:01:56 > 0:02:01His own room, his own settee. What's his room like then? A bit wrecked.
0:02:01 > 0:02:06He's chewed everything, pulled the wallpaper off the walls...
0:02:06 > 0:02:09Bronson's owners have a pedicure device,
0:02:09 > 0:02:11which they've been trying to use on their pet's feet.
0:02:11 > 0:02:14It's very gentle.
0:02:17 > 0:02:19I've never used to its full extent,
0:02:19 > 0:02:22because the dog won't keep still, you know.
0:02:22 > 0:02:25Big bruiser Bronson is afraid of the noise
0:02:25 > 0:02:28and vibrations the new gadget makes.
0:02:28 > 0:02:31So, a little sedation is called for to make things
0:02:31 > 0:02:36easier for Bronson...and Dai. We'll just walk him through now, then.
0:02:36 > 0:02:39I think it went in. Good boy. There we are, give him here.
0:02:40 > 0:02:42Go in the waiting room, and I'll let you...
0:02:45 > 0:02:47Come on, now.
0:02:48 > 0:02:50There you are, in you come.
0:02:55 > 0:03:00It's not just cats and dogs the vets treat - livestock and horses
0:03:00 > 0:03:05make up a quarter of their workload, and it's vet Gwen Rees's passion.
0:03:05 > 0:03:09I can only take, maybe, an hour or two max indoors before I start really
0:03:09 > 0:03:13needing some fresh air, so I think definitely large animals
0:03:13 > 0:03:16are the job for me, because I'm an outdoors kind of girl.
0:03:16 > 0:03:18I need to be wrestling something to the ground in the rain
0:03:18 > 0:03:20to feel alive, you know?
0:03:22 > 0:03:28Gwen's first port of call is to Bevexe Fach Stables in Dunvant to see a lame horse.
0:03:30 > 0:03:32She's just got a wound on her leg.
0:03:32 > 0:03:34It's never really healed.
0:03:34 > 0:03:36She recently knocked the scab off it,
0:03:36 > 0:03:38so they've been putting a poultice on it to see
0:03:38 > 0:03:42if they can draw anything out, so I'm just going to have a quick look.
0:03:42 > 0:03:44Oh, yeah... Gosh and that's still been there since...
0:03:44 > 0:03:48Yeah, there's quite a bit coming out of there as well, isn't there?
0:03:48 > 0:03:51What we'll do is pop another poultice on,
0:03:51 > 0:03:54because we are, obviously, draining something.
0:03:54 > 0:03:59So, the way this poultice works, you add some hot water to it,
0:03:59 > 0:04:03and the theory is, that it helps to draw out any pus or any nasty gunk,
0:04:03 > 0:04:07basically, that's in that wound. There we are.
0:04:07 > 0:04:09There we are, good girl.
0:04:09 > 0:04:14This isn't quite as girly or as glamorous, is it, miss?
0:04:14 > 0:04:16Still, I like green, green's a good colour.
0:04:18 > 0:04:20There we are, lovely.
0:04:20 > 0:04:24Yeah, she can go back in now. Aw, it's not that bad.
0:04:32 > 0:04:34But before Gwen can leave the yard,
0:04:34 > 0:04:38there's an unexpected patient needing her help.
0:04:38 > 0:04:43All right, Nibbles, we have got some long nails, wowee!
0:04:43 > 0:04:46You're not taking care of your own nails, are you?
0:04:48 > 0:04:50Fair old size on them.
0:04:50 > 0:04:53I think maybe I've missed my career calling
0:04:53 > 0:04:55and I should have been a beauty therapist.
0:04:55 > 0:04:57Fit right in, in The Only Way Is Essex,
0:04:57 > 0:04:59now with nails like that, innit!
0:04:59 > 0:05:01Yeah, all done.
0:05:04 > 0:05:08In Sketty, at the practice hospital, an urgent case has arrived.
0:05:10 > 0:05:16Charlie, an 11-year-old Boston Terrier, hasn't eaten for three days.
0:05:18 > 0:05:22Partner Gareth Field needs to investigate what is causing the problem.
0:05:22 > 0:05:24Will you come over this way for a bit?
0:05:24 > 0:05:27I'm just scanning his belly to look at all his organs.
0:05:28 > 0:05:30Look for any abnormalities.
0:05:31 > 0:05:35This, sort of, structure here is his stomach.
0:05:35 > 0:05:38If he hasn't eaten for three days, it should be empty,
0:05:38 > 0:05:41but it's basically got something in it, here,
0:05:41 > 0:05:44with some gas on the top, which shows up as white.
0:05:44 > 0:05:48He's eaten something before and had to have an operation to remove that.
0:05:48 > 0:05:51So, yeah, he's got a reputation as a bit of a scavenger.
0:05:54 > 0:05:57I'll speak to his owners now, but I think the safest thing might be
0:05:57 > 0:06:00to go to surgery and explore the abdomen.
0:06:00 > 0:06:03If we don't operate and we leave it, it could be fatal, really,
0:06:03 > 0:06:04if it perforated.
0:06:06 > 0:06:09Hi, there, it's Gareth from the vets again. I'm phoning about Charlie.
0:06:09 > 0:06:11It looks like it is an obstruction,
0:06:11 > 0:06:14we haven't fully ruled out a tumour, cos they can get
0:06:14 > 0:06:18tumours of the intestine or the stomach that can cause blockages.
0:06:18 > 0:06:21But given his history and his signs, we're hopeful it's not...
0:06:21 > 0:06:25and we're hopeful it's something we can sort out for him, really.
0:06:25 > 0:06:28Erm, I think the next step is probably going to be surgery
0:06:28 > 0:06:31to have a look in his belly and see what's going on, to be honest.
0:06:34 > 0:06:37Charlie will now have to wait for a slot in theatre.
0:06:40 > 0:06:44Arriving in the prep room is Bronson, and vet Dai Roberts
0:06:44 > 0:06:46is patiently waiting for the sedation to take effect.
0:06:46 > 0:06:48There's a good boy.
0:06:50 > 0:06:52He should get sleepy and go down.
0:06:52 > 0:06:55As I say, I'm only sedating him, I'm not anaesthetising him.
0:06:58 > 0:07:01I want to do him as fast as we can.
0:07:01 > 0:07:04Weighing in at almost 55 kilos,
0:07:04 > 0:07:07it's a team effort to get the dog on the table.
0:07:10 > 0:07:13HE SNORES
0:07:13 > 0:07:16Now that Bronson is away with the fairies,
0:07:16 > 0:07:19Dai can tackle his problem feet.
0:07:22 > 0:07:24With a dog this size,
0:07:24 > 0:07:28we should have called the large animal vets in, I think.
0:07:32 > 0:07:36This is the best we can do, but this thing's brilliant, ain't it?
0:07:39 > 0:07:42You can see the colour of the pad is changing, which obviously
0:07:42 > 0:07:45means I'm getting about as low as I dare go.
0:07:45 > 0:07:50But it's still rock hard there. What do you think?
0:07:50 > 0:07:53BUZZING FROM DEVICE DROWNS OUT SPEECH
0:07:55 > 0:07:59Bronson's owners are keen to see the results of the new gadget
0:07:59 > 0:08:03and Dai's handiwork. I daren't go any further.
0:08:03 > 0:08:05It's funny how some are nearly perfect.
0:08:05 > 0:08:08These ones are amazing, aren't they?
0:08:08 > 0:08:10You happy with that or do you want me to go a bit further?
0:08:10 > 0:08:12No, that's fine. No, that's fantastic.
0:08:12 > 0:08:14HE SNORES
0:08:14 > 0:08:18He's part of the family. The house has been quiet this afternoon.
0:08:18 > 0:08:22Peaceful and quiet. Just get him home now and feed him,
0:08:22 > 0:08:25and hopefully he's nice and calm and settled down,
0:08:25 > 0:08:27see how his paws are getting on then.
0:08:27 > 0:08:33There he is. Still a bit spaced out, are you? Thank you.
0:08:33 > 0:08:35Oh, it's nice to see him going home.
0:08:35 > 0:08:39Now, next time, he can have more confidence that there's less risk,
0:08:39 > 0:08:45and after a while, hopefully, it'll become more of an easy process.
0:08:49 > 0:08:52Dai has been caring for animals for over 30 years.
0:08:53 > 0:08:56And he is known for taking his work home with him.
0:08:59 > 0:09:04Often, difficult cases have ended up being adopted by the Roberts' family.
0:09:04 > 0:09:08Come on, you lot, let's go, then.
0:09:08 > 0:09:14Rosie is our newest arrival. Come here.
0:09:14 > 0:09:18She's just about destroyed my street credibility, but she's Linda,
0:09:18 > 0:09:21my wife's, dog, not mine.
0:09:21 > 0:09:27And she was born with a cleft palate and because of that, every time
0:09:27 > 0:09:31she tried to suck her mother's milk, it would just go down into her lungs.
0:09:31 > 0:09:36You know, she is the first dog in 120 years which has gone
0:09:36 > 0:09:41through our practice and actually survived with a cleft palate.
0:09:41 > 0:09:46So, she's very special in that respect.
0:09:46 > 0:09:50And she knows it and she's a good friend for Millie, aren't you, eh?
0:09:50 > 0:09:53And Burt, for that matter.
0:09:57 > 0:10:01The practice has been caring for the animals of Swansea for over 100 years.
0:10:04 > 0:10:07At the oldest branch, in the city centre, vet Gwen
0:10:07 > 0:10:11has a small animal consultation. Put Marble down on the table.
0:10:11 > 0:10:15Loretta and her mum, Enid, are worried about their cat.
0:10:15 > 0:10:19Check-up? Well, she's coming up for three now... OK.
0:10:19 > 0:10:21..and we think she's underweight. OK.
0:10:21 > 0:10:23I don't know whether she might have a worm or something.
0:10:23 > 0:10:26We have wormed her... OK. ..but before that, she's OK.
0:10:26 > 0:10:29Her tummy don't feel right to me, I don't know.
0:10:29 > 0:10:31Did she put on any weight after that or...?
0:10:31 > 0:10:39Not really, she hasn't lost any. And she's eating. OK. She's going to the toilet normally?
0:10:39 > 0:10:44She was bonnie, with a fat neck and lovely tummy, and I wormed her,
0:10:44 > 0:10:48and she hasn't seemed to put on weight ever since.
0:10:48 > 0:10:51You're a good girl, aren't you?
0:10:51 > 0:10:55She's almost perfect weight. Is she? From my point of view.
0:10:55 > 0:10:57What I like to think is, with a cat,
0:10:57 > 0:10:59is when you run your hand along the back there,
0:10:59 > 0:11:02she's got lovely muscles going all the way down, either side of her spine.
0:11:02 > 0:11:05So, you can't feel the bone sticking out.
0:11:05 > 0:11:08That's what I said to my daughter, she's got a lovely structure,
0:11:08 > 0:11:14but her stomach felt hollow to me, when I picked her up.
0:11:14 > 0:11:16And the other cat with you, absolutely fine?
0:11:16 > 0:11:20Lovely tummy on her. Ah, OK. You can see she's eating well.
0:11:20 > 0:11:23So she might be, maybe, a little bit over then, maybe?
0:11:23 > 0:11:25Which is making you think this one's thin.
0:11:25 > 0:11:28Well, she's got a lovely, beautiful figure, anyway.
0:11:28 > 0:11:30So, there's nothing to worry about. Thank you very much.
0:11:30 > 0:11:34All right, no problem. A manicure, she'll go for.
0:11:34 > 0:11:37Marble's lucky - she's got a clean bill of health.
0:11:37 > 0:11:39They were obviously very worried. Aw, sweet.
0:11:39 > 0:11:42I love seeing everyone's relationship with their animals.
0:11:42 > 0:11:44They all love them to bits, every single one.
0:11:44 > 0:11:48Even if they don't show it, everyone loves their animals, so...
0:11:54 > 0:11:57Back in the main hospital, vet Gareth is preparing to operate
0:11:57 > 0:12:02on Charlie, the Boston Terrier, and his mysterious tummy blockage.
0:12:04 > 0:12:09Whatever the obstruction is, if left there, Charlie could die.
0:12:10 > 0:12:12Yes, this is the stomach.
0:12:12 > 0:12:16Which is pretty big, given that he's apparently not eaten
0:12:16 > 0:12:18for two and a half days.
0:12:23 > 0:12:26OK, so this is looking more abnormal here.
0:12:26 > 0:12:29That's actually his colon, which is sat right by his stomach.
0:12:29 > 0:12:32You can see how purple that looks,
0:12:32 > 0:12:36compared to the health pink of that one.
0:12:36 > 0:12:37Not sure what it is yet,
0:12:37 > 0:12:40but it's probably something manky that he's eaten.
0:12:40 > 0:12:43Three and half or a four metric, if possible?
0:12:48 > 0:12:53OK, ready? Pretty grim, isn't it?
0:12:53 > 0:12:57The sort of things that dogs will eat. A sock. Sarah's bet is a sock.
0:12:57 > 0:13:00That's a common favourite for dogs to eat.
0:13:00 > 0:13:05So, smelly socks, and the smellier the better, I think.
0:13:05 > 0:13:08It's nice when an operation, sort of, vaguely goes to plan.
0:13:08 > 0:13:11Hopefully now we've found something, and he'll just get better
0:13:11 > 0:13:13and get over it.
0:13:13 > 0:13:16Just need to try and stop him from doing it again.
0:13:16 > 0:13:21Charlie will have to remain in recovery and be monitored overnight.
0:13:21 > 0:13:25And Gareth can take a well-earned break.
0:13:28 > 0:13:30When he's not working,
0:13:30 > 0:13:34Gareth's got his hands full with his own pet dog, Scrumpy.
0:13:34 > 0:13:36I got Scrumpy when I was still at university,
0:13:36 > 0:13:38so still a student in Bristol.
0:13:38 > 0:13:40He's been a good companion.
0:13:42 > 0:13:46There's a new addition now to Gareth and Scrumpy's life - a fellow vet.
0:13:47 > 0:13:52Ellie came to work at the practice, and I had a bit of a crush
0:13:52 > 0:13:56on her for a while and then eventually managed to win her over.
0:13:58 > 0:14:02I think Scrumpy's just about accepted me now...ish.
0:14:02 > 0:14:05A little bit of jealousy, but...
0:14:07 > 0:14:08Come on, then.
0:14:08 > 0:14:12But their budding romance is about to enter a new chapter,
0:14:12 > 0:14:16as Ellie is heading back to university, in Bristol.
0:14:16 > 0:14:20Sad but exciting as well. Yes, exactly. Hopefully it will fly by.
0:14:20 > 0:14:24Shut up, you're going to have a great time. You'll be partying.
0:14:25 > 0:14:28No, I'll miss you, Ellie. Yeah, whatever!
0:14:41 > 0:14:43The practice has five partners,
0:14:43 > 0:14:48and Irish-born David Steele has his first patient of the morning.
0:14:48 > 0:14:50Did it just come on all of a sudden?
0:14:50 > 0:14:5212-year-old Sandy,
0:14:52 > 0:14:55a Golden Retriever cross, has picked up a leg injury.
0:14:55 > 0:14:58He was running with the other dogs down to the water
0:14:58 > 0:15:03and then all of a sudden... It came on all at once.
0:15:03 > 0:15:07Yeah, he's a little bit tender with that as well,
0:15:07 > 0:15:11so on examination, it does look suspicious of a torn cruciate,
0:15:11 > 0:15:13the same as he did on the other side.
0:15:13 > 0:15:16Once I'd seen it going again on the beach,
0:15:16 > 0:15:20I knew then it would be the same.
0:15:20 > 0:15:23Cos he had the other leg done, and it's marvellous with him.
0:15:23 > 0:15:27It's the sort of thing that would probably be better off with an operation, really...
0:15:27 > 0:15:29potentially.
0:15:29 > 0:15:33We've got to, haven't we? You look after me, don't you?
0:15:33 > 0:15:36This cruciate knee surgery doesn't come cheap,
0:15:36 > 0:15:39but Sandy means the world to Dianne.
0:15:39 > 0:15:42Since I lost my mother and my two brothers, you know,
0:15:42 > 0:15:47after one another then, he's marvellous.
0:15:47 > 0:15:50We've got to have it done. That's it. Yeah.
0:16:02 > 0:16:07On large animal duty, vet Gwen Rees has received an emergency call.
0:16:10 > 0:16:13She's off to Llangennech, near Llanelli, to see Patch,
0:16:13 > 0:16:16a 26-year-old horse who's become unsteady on her feet
0:16:16 > 0:16:19and has worried her owner, Alison.
0:16:19 > 0:16:22Right, what's the story, then? I spoke to you on the phone.
0:16:22 > 0:16:25She got back up after about a quarter of an hour,
0:16:25 > 0:16:28wandered around, but she's constantly looking for somewhere to go down.
0:16:28 > 0:16:32Oh, you have been rolling. Look at the mud on your face!
0:16:32 > 0:16:35Let me look in your mouth, please, madam?
0:16:35 > 0:16:38Ooh, we haven't got many teeth left, have we?
0:16:38 > 0:16:40That's definitely an old horse mouth. Yeah.
0:16:40 > 0:16:44If we walk her out into the light, I just want to see how she moves.
0:16:46 > 0:16:49She is quite wobbly on her back legs.
0:16:49 > 0:16:54She's like clipping her own feet, isn't she? OK, she can stop there.
0:16:54 > 0:16:58She's certainly showing some signs of stiffness in these back legs,
0:16:58 > 0:17:00and with her history and her age,
0:17:00 > 0:17:02we probably are looking at some arthritis.
0:17:02 > 0:17:04Whether that's the main problem...
0:17:04 > 0:17:07The fact that she's a little bit off colour in herself, as well,
0:17:07 > 0:17:09there could be a few other things going on.
0:17:09 > 0:17:12We can do a blood sample to see if there's any sign of infection.
0:17:12 > 0:17:15If her liver and kidneys are working all right
0:17:15 > 0:17:19or if there's any organ problems. This is me in my element now.
0:17:19 > 0:17:24It's the horse work that I enjoy. So, the more I get to do, the better.
0:17:26 > 0:17:29My oldest son is coming home from university now today,
0:17:29 > 0:17:31and I was panicking.
0:17:31 > 0:17:34Cos it wouldn't be a nice present, coming home from uni, to find out
0:17:34 > 0:17:36the horse has had to be put down.
0:17:36 > 0:17:40Part of the family, aren't you, love?
0:17:40 > 0:17:42Eh?
0:17:42 > 0:17:44If it does come to the point where she is lying down all the time,
0:17:44 > 0:17:48then we may have to think about it being the end of the road.
0:17:48 > 0:17:50If that's what it comes to, that's what it comes to,
0:17:50 > 0:17:53but if we can do anything, then that's what we'll do. All right?
0:17:53 > 0:17:56OK, cheers. There we are, speak to you later on. Right, OK, thanks.
0:17:56 > 0:17:59Thanks, then.
0:17:59 > 0:18:01When a family pet reaches the autumn of its life,
0:18:01 > 0:18:05sometimes difficult decisions have to be made.
0:18:05 > 0:18:07When it comes to putting a horse to sleep,
0:18:07 > 0:18:08or putting any animal to sleep,
0:18:08 > 0:18:11it's something that should be talked about and shouldn't be
0:18:11 > 0:18:15something people are scared to say to the vet or scared to ask about.
0:18:15 > 0:18:18I think it's one of the greatest kindnesses we can do for animals.
0:18:18 > 0:18:21But we'll know a lot more when we get the blood samples back
0:18:21 > 0:18:24and we'll hopefully be able to do something for her
0:18:24 > 0:18:26and perk her up a little bit.
0:18:32 > 0:18:35Back at the hospital, it's time for Charlie,
0:18:35 > 0:18:39the dog with a strange eating habit, to be reunited with his owner, Marla.
0:18:39 > 0:18:41It's your mum.
0:18:45 > 0:18:48I'll just quickly show you what we've found. It's this...
0:18:48 > 0:18:53Oh, my gosh. That is not what we thought it was.
0:18:53 > 0:19:00Erm, that's from a different toy, maybe? Do you recognise it?
0:19:00 > 0:19:03It's a bit smelly, if you could smell it.
0:19:03 > 0:19:07In a normal dog, this sort of size thing might have shut out
0:19:07 > 0:19:09the back end in a couple of days, no problem...
0:19:09 > 0:19:13He likes to suck on toys and rip them up.
0:19:13 > 0:19:15Yeah, he's done that his whole life.
0:19:15 > 0:19:18It would be much cheaper and better for him
0:19:18 > 0:19:22if we could fit him with a little zip. OK.
0:19:22 > 0:19:25From now on, fluffy toys are off Charlie's menu.
0:19:25 > 0:19:28He just wants to go home, doesn't he?
0:19:35 > 0:19:37Next door in the prep room,
0:19:37 > 0:19:40it's time for Sandy's cruciate knee operation.
0:19:44 > 0:19:45This is his knee here,
0:19:45 > 0:19:49and you can see it's got this abnormal movement here.
0:19:49 > 0:19:53Unfortunately, that means he has snapped the ligament.
0:19:53 > 0:19:56Vet David Steele has done hundreds of these procedures
0:19:56 > 0:20:00and knows Sandy will benefit from the operation.
0:20:00 > 0:20:04If we didn't do anything with it, he would continue to get worse.
0:20:04 > 0:20:07It would become more painful, become arthritic, you know,
0:20:07 > 0:20:10and probably end up quite a chronically painful leg,
0:20:10 > 0:20:12which he would be struggling to use, really.
0:20:16 > 0:20:18Once the knee joint is located,
0:20:18 > 0:20:20David is able to assess the extent of the damage.
0:20:22 > 0:20:26That's the ends of the ligament that snapped.
0:20:26 > 0:20:30You can see there, it's all very red and broken. So, that's the problem.
0:20:30 > 0:20:33I quite enjoy working with drills and screws and metal,
0:20:33 > 0:20:37and it all kind of makes sense, it's very logical, scientific.
0:20:37 > 0:20:39I like that.
0:20:39 > 0:20:41The drill is an essential piece of kit,
0:20:41 > 0:20:45as David needs to create an anchor point for the new ligament.
0:20:46 > 0:20:50This is the actual implant, which we're putting in.
0:20:50 > 0:20:55So, it's basically two very strong bits of nylon and a special needle.
0:20:55 > 0:20:57The nylon will hold Sandy's knee stable,
0:20:57 > 0:21:01allowing the surrounding tissue to heel up around the knee.
0:21:01 > 0:21:04Sometimes it will glide through, relatively straight forwardly,
0:21:04 > 0:21:09and other times, it can take a little bit more luck of the Irish today.
0:21:11 > 0:21:15Finally, David secures the ends of the nylon together
0:21:15 > 0:21:16with the steel clip.
0:21:16 > 0:21:20The crimp is, basically, what holds the two ends together,
0:21:20 > 0:21:21rather than tying a knot.
0:21:23 > 0:21:25Pretty happy with that, it's pretty good.
0:21:27 > 0:21:30Sandy will stay overnight in the hospital,
0:21:30 > 0:21:33where he'll receive 24-hour care from the staff.
0:21:40 > 0:21:43Upstairs in the laboratory, vet Gwen
0:21:43 > 0:21:47is about to run the tests on the blood taken from Patch.
0:21:47 > 0:21:50It could be made or break for the elderly horse.
0:21:50 > 0:21:53It's quite nerve-racking, cos it gives you, like...
0:21:53 > 0:21:57at the first beep, do this, and the second beep, do that.
0:21:57 > 0:22:00The machine will detect any signs of abnormalities
0:22:00 > 0:22:01in the horse's blood.
0:22:04 > 0:22:06Hi, there, it's Gwen the vet calling.
0:22:06 > 0:22:09Erm, I've just had Patch's results back, and it's good news.
0:22:09 > 0:22:13Everything seems to be absolutely normal, with those blood results.
0:22:13 > 0:22:16More normal, really, than we would expect in a horse of Patch's age.
0:22:16 > 0:22:17So, that's very good news.
0:22:17 > 0:22:20We probably are looking at the arthritis being the main
0:22:20 > 0:22:23reason for the lying down and the struggling to get up.
0:22:25 > 0:22:30So, it's good news for Patch and her owners. She's just a pet.
0:22:30 > 0:22:32Expensive pet.
0:22:34 > 0:22:35It is arthritic pain.
0:22:35 > 0:22:37If we can get that managed and under control
0:22:37 > 0:22:40and get the horse comfortable again, then hopefully,
0:22:40 > 0:22:43that horse has got a fair while left in her.
0:22:49 > 0:22:52It's not very often senior partner Dai Roberts
0:22:52 > 0:22:56gets to leave the four walls of the practice, but today
0:22:56 > 0:23:00he's managed to bag himself a field trip to Pontardulais.
0:23:00 > 0:23:01I just enjoy my job.
0:23:01 > 0:23:04I've never, ever woken up and thought
0:23:04 > 0:23:08I'm sorry that I was ever a vet. I thoroughly enjoy it.
0:23:08 > 0:23:12You get your good days and you get your bad days, but I've always
0:23:12 > 0:23:17enjoyed it, and you get a great sense of achievement when things go right.
0:23:17 > 0:23:20You know, that's the nature of the job.
0:23:20 > 0:23:26Today, Dai is visiting A1K9, a guard dog training centre.
0:23:26 > 0:23:29How are you, then? Nice to see you. Nice to see you.
0:23:29 > 0:23:32Gaynor's been training dogs for family protection for 20 years,
0:23:32 > 0:23:36and her reputation is worldwide.
0:23:36 > 0:23:38DOGS BARK
0:23:41 > 0:23:48Hiya, mate. So, who have we got here? This is Sam. Never met him before.
0:23:48 > 0:23:51Look him in the eyes, all the things probably I shouldn't do, isn't it?
0:23:51 > 0:23:56And then I go like that to him, and he's as soft as butter.
0:23:56 > 0:23:59He's so confident, fair play to him.
0:23:59 > 0:24:04Let's have a look in your ears. Are they clean? Yes, they're fine.
0:24:04 > 0:24:08Your eyes are looking good, yes. How's his big teeth.
0:24:08 > 0:24:14They're not bad. Not bad. They've got great temperaments.
0:24:14 > 0:24:18Well, he's stereotypical, absolutely lovely.
0:24:18 > 0:24:22You can cuddle him, you can love him, he's a great pet,
0:24:22 > 0:24:27he's a beautiful dog, but this dog has also got a big heart.
0:24:27 > 0:24:33So, if you threatened his family in any way, he will defend them.
0:24:33 > 0:24:36So, there you are, mate. We'll give you your rabies vaccine.
0:24:36 > 0:24:42So, on three blow into his face. One, two, three...
0:24:42 > 0:24:45There you are. You didn't feel anything, mate, did you?
0:24:45 > 0:24:47Good as gold, isn't he?
0:24:47 > 0:24:49Now that Sam's had his rabies vaccination,
0:24:49 > 0:24:53Dai can stamp his passport allowing Gaynor to find him a home.
0:24:53 > 0:24:55OK, then.
0:24:57 > 0:25:01With past clients like racing driver Nigel Mansell and corporate billionaires,
0:25:01 > 0:25:04her dogs could be going anywhere in the world.
0:25:07 > 0:25:10At the hospital in Sketty...
0:25:10 > 0:25:12Right, pigeon, let's have a look at you.
0:25:14 > 0:25:17Vet Gwen has an emergency patient in a critical condition.
0:25:20 > 0:25:21Ooh, I know.
0:25:24 > 0:25:30Oh, dear. Sorry, buddy, but without a wing, you're not going to do much.
0:25:30 > 0:25:34Yeah, from the feel of it, that wing's irreparably damaged, really.
0:25:34 > 0:25:38So, I think best thing we can do for him is put him to sleep.
0:25:38 > 0:25:40Put him out of his misery.
0:25:42 > 0:25:44All right, pigeon, all right.
0:25:44 > 0:25:47It's usually the least stressful way with the small,
0:25:47 > 0:25:50exotic animals or birds is to pop them in this box,
0:25:50 > 0:25:53so that fills with anaesthetic gas...anaesthetise the pigeon
0:25:53 > 0:25:55enough for us to give it a lethal injection.
0:25:59 > 0:26:02You can see he's pretty fast asleep here.
0:26:10 > 0:26:17Right, then, little bird, sorry, but I think it was the best thing for you.
0:26:19 > 0:26:21You don't want them dying on the side of the road.
0:26:21 > 0:26:25This one has got a pretty badly messed up wing, it needed to come
0:26:25 > 0:26:29and be put out of its misery one way or the other, you know.
0:26:29 > 0:26:32Erm, I think that's perfectly acceptable,
0:26:32 > 0:26:34it's part of the job, yeah.
0:26:39 > 0:26:41Don't get stressed, you've been good.
0:26:41 > 0:26:45It's 24 hours since Sandy's cruciate knee operation,
0:26:45 > 0:26:48and vet Gareth is trying to get him ready to go home.
0:26:50 > 0:26:58Hey, hey, hey... Come on, be good. No, hey. Come on.
0:26:59 > 0:27:00That's being silly.
0:27:00 > 0:27:02DOG GROWLS AND YELPS
0:27:02 > 0:27:07He doesn't like the vets, as owner Dianne can testify.
0:27:07 > 0:27:12He's been telling them off, has he? Does he do that sometimes?
0:27:12 > 0:27:15Oh, yes, sometimes he does. He'll let me know.
0:27:15 > 0:27:20Yes. Who's that, Sandy, who's that?
0:27:20 > 0:27:23Who's that? It's the waggy tail, hey!
0:27:25 > 0:27:30Oh, you handsome boy... And he's been grumpy, has he?
0:27:30 > 0:27:33He's been a little bit grumpy, yeah.
0:27:33 > 0:27:37We'll see him again, possibly tomorrow morning, would that be OK?
0:27:37 > 0:27:40Yeah, yes. Just to see how he's doing.
0:27:40 > 0:27:42Can he have something to eat now?
0:27:42 > 0:27:45Yes, he can, yeah, definitely, that's absolutely fine.
0:27:45 > 0:27:48Quiet without you, hasn't it? Eh?
0:27:51 > 0:27:54As a vet, David knows it's a job well done
0:27:54 > 0:27:57when his patients can't wait to leave the practice.
0:27:57 > 0:27:59You'd nearly think you wanted to go home, Sandy.
0:28:02 > 0:28:06This series has witnessed a week in the life of one of the largest
0:28:06 > 0:28:09veterinary practices in South Wales.
0:28:09 > 0:28:13During that time, life-changing operations have taken place.
0:28:13 > 0:28:18Whatever it is, it's better off in a bucket than it is on the chameleon.
0:28:18 > 0:28:21Much-loved pets have been given dignity in death.
0:28:21 > 0:28:24Oh, he's a good boy, he is.
0:28:24 > 0:28:26There's a good boy.
0:28:27 > 0:28:32One puppy. Some special deliveries have arrived safely into the world.
0:28:32 > 0:28:36How can you not be pleased with that sight? It's nice, isn't it?
0:28:37 > 0:28:41And still the caring of animals continues 24/7.
0:28:53 > 0:28:55Subtitles by Red Bee Media Ltd