0:00:02 > 0:00:04Britain is a nation in love with its animals.
0:00:04 > 0:00:05How are you doing?
0:00:05 > 0:00:08We own 27 million pets...
0:00:09 > 0:00:13..and 900 million farm animals.
0:00:13 > 0:00:14Very frisky one.
0:00:14 > 0:00:18All of them need vets.
0:00:18 > 0:00:21Over the course of their final year,
0:00:21 > 0:00:24ten students at the prestigious Royal Veterinary College
0:00:24 > 0:00:28in Hertfordshire are taking what they've learned in the classroom...
0:00:28 > 0:00:30Do it.
0:00:30 > 0:00:35..and putting it to the test in practices,
0:00:35 > 0:00:36farms...
0:00:36 > 0:00:38This is all new territory for me.
0:00:38 > 0:00:41..and state-of-the-art animal hospitals.
0:00:41 > 0:00:44It's a whirlwind of back-to-back work placements...
0:00:45 > 0:00:46MONKEY SCREECHES
0:00:46 > 0:00:48Sounds like an unhappy monkey!
0:00:48 > 0:00:50Nice and quick, good.
0:00:50 > 0:00:52..and they can't afford to fail a single one.
0:00:52 > 0:00:54I need to do my job properly.
0:00:54 > 0:00:56I need to do better.
0:00:56 > 0:00:58- You're going in. - It's the most challenging stretch...
0:00:58 > 0:00:59Whoa!
0:00:59 > 0:01:02..of a very long journey...
0:01:02 > 0:01:04I have a serious problem with my hand shaking.
0:01:04 > 0:01:05..to become...
0:01:05 > 0:01:06- Well done. - Gassy!
0:01:06 > 0:01:08..fully qualified young vets.
0:01:08 > 0:01:10Saved a life today, which is good!
0:01:31 > 0:01:34It's February and our young vets only have a few months left
0:01:34 > 0:01:37before their student days come to an end.
0:01:40 > 0:01:43In these final few weeks, they must hone the skills they've learned
0:01:43 > 0:01:46working in fields, farms and animal hospitals.
0:01:49 > 0:01:52Soon, they'll be the ones making decisions about their patients
0:01:52 > 0:01:55with no-one to fall back on.
0:01:55 > 0:01:57Completely, completely wrong.
0:01:59 > 0:02:01- Take a temperature.- Cool.
0:02:01 > 0:02:04Student Charlie Tewson is from a medical family -
0:02:04 > 0:02:09he was brought up in rural Norfolk and always wanted to be a vet.
0:02:09 > 0:02:14Now, after almost five years at vet school, he's nearly completed
0:02:14 > 0:02:18his training and he needs to start thinking about getting a job.
0:02:18 > 0:02:20When you tell people that you are a vet student, they say,
0:02:20 > 0:02:23"OK, and when do you have to start looking for jobs?"
0:02:23 > 0:02:26And for that year, I've been saying, "After Christmas,
0:02:26 > 0:02:30"definitely after Christmas." Now we're after Christmas and...
0:02:32 > 0:02:35Yeah, everyone is starting to write CVs.
0:02:39 > 0:02:43Charlie wants to work with small animals in general practice -
0:02:43 > 0:02:46and emergency care is a vital part of this.
0:02:47 > 0:02:51So he's chosen to do his next placement in the intensive care unit
0:02:51 > 0:02:54at the Queen Mother Hospital For Animals.
0:02:54 > 0:02:55It's crucial he does well.
0:02:57 > 0:03:00It's a really important skill to know how to manage an emergency
0:03:00 > 0:03:02and manage it with a cool head.
0:03:02 > 0:03:06Cos if you don't, then animals will die.
0:03:06 > 0:03:08Charlie's first case today is Polly,
0:03:08 > 0:03:11a three-year-old flat-coated retriever
0:03:11 > 0:03:14who was brought in after a serious road accident.
0:03:14 > 0:03:15Come on then, Polly!
0:03:15 > 0:03:19One leg was severely damaged and her owners, Diane and Mark,
0:03:19 > 0:03:23who rescued her 18 months ago, are really worried about her.
0:03:23 > 0:03:27She was knocked over by a car or a lorry, actually, and she was
0:03:27 > 0:03:32clearly very, very badly injured and her leg was very traumatised.
0:03:32 > 0:03:34It was very shocking to see it.
0:03:34 > 0:03:36Come on then, Polly!
0:03:36 > 0:03:37Her injuries were so severe
0:03:37 > 0:03:40that surgeons had to remove one of her hind legs.
0:03:40 > 0:03:42Come on then!
0:03:42 > 0:03:43That was a major operation
0:03:43 > 0:03:46and a terribly difficult decision for Diane and Mark.
0:03:46 > 0:03:51My first reaction on discovering that she was going to lose
0:03:51 > 0:03:55the leg was, "I don't think I would entertain the idea
0:03:55 > 0:03:57"of a dog with only three legs."
0:03:57 > 0:03:59But we were reassured straightaway
0:03:59 > 0:04:02that a dog can manage very well actually with three legs,
0:04:02 > 0:04:05particularly if they've got the front legs still remaining.
0:04:05 > 0:04:10And I think eventually, we felt that she needed a chance,
0:04:10 > 0:04:12and we would give her that chance.
0:04:12 > 0:04:15Come on then! There you go.
0:04:17 > 0:04:20- Come on, baby. - Come on then, good dog.
0:04:22 > 0:04:26There was such massive damage and contamination.
0:04:26 > 0:04:29She was dragged along the road so she had grit and gravel and dirt,
0:04:29 > 0:04:32and it was some hours before we saw her,
0:04:32 > 0:04:35which means there's time for infection to set in.
0:04:38 > 0:04:41She's coping well with her amputation,
0:04:41 > 0:04:45but there is obviously problems with her wound,
0:04:45 > 0:04:49the healing's not straightforward, there's complications.
0:04:51 > 0:04:53OK, aw.
0:04:53 > 0:04:57Polly's already having to learn to cope with life on three legs.
0:04:57 > 0:05:01As if that's not enough, her wound has become badly infected.
0:05:04 > 0:05:08If it's not brought under control fast, Polly could die.
0:05:08 > 0:05:11Even though we put in a drain, the drain got blocked
0:05:11 > 0:05:15and because it's producing so much fluid...
0:05:15 > 0:05:18It's, basically, that fluid is stopping the wound
0:05:18 > 0:05:19from healing as well.
0:05:19 > 0:05:22The team decide to try a new technique -
0:05:22 > 0:05:24a negative pressure bandage.
0:05:28 > 0:05:32This seals the wound and the fluid is sucked away with a vacuum pump
0:05:32 > 0:05:34allowing the wound to heal.
0:05:35 > 0:05:38If it works, it could save Polly's life.
0:05:40 > 0:05:43- I think they are quite hi tech. - Yeah, you probably don't see them
0:05:43 > 0:05:47that often, you might not see it in general practice.
0:05:47 > 0:05:51But there's yet another problem - worryingly, the antibiotics
0:05:51 > 0:05:55that should be fighting the infection haven't been working.
0:05:55 > 0:05:59Basically, some of the muscle that had been tied together
0:05:59 > 0:06:03had become so infected that it had then become isolated.
0:06:03 > 0:06:06Which meant that basically it was rotting,
0:06:06 > 0:06:08and because it had lost its blood supply,
0:06:08 > 0:06:12it meant that the antibiotics we were giving her weren't reaching it.
0:06:12 > 0:06:16We cut away all the dead tissue, flushed it, which washes away
0:06:16 > 0:06:19most of the peripheral infection away, and her temperature's gone
0:06:19 > 0:06:23down a little bit, but it's still in a worrying, infective level.
0:06:23 > 0:06:26So she's not out of the woods and we're still very worried about her.
0:06:26 > 0:06:28Hi, my name's Charlie,
0:06:28 > 0:06:30I'm the student who's been assigned to Polly.
0:06:30 > 0:06:32Yes, oh, yes.
0:06:32 > 0:06:34Diane and Mark are desperate to see Polly...
0:06:34 > 0:06:38Aw, she can recognise you.
0:06:38 > 0:06:41..and the feeling is mutual.
0:06:41 > 0:06:44Good girl! That's a great improvement.
0:06:44 > 0:06:47Yeah, and she really does recognise you.
0:06:47 > 0:06:49Yeah, she does, yep.
0:06:49 > 0:06:54She brings great joy and amusement she is a very happy-go-lucky,
0:06:54 > 0:06:59very playful dog, and she makes you feel young.
0:06:59 > 0:07:01Aw, this is a really nice change in there.
0:07:01 > 0:07:03- Yes, it is. - She loves to play...
0:07:03 > 0:07:06She'll play push ball, 'Polly push', we call it.
0:07:06 > 0:07:09'The moment the owners came in, she literally jumped up.
0:07:09 > 0:07:12'And you could see how excited she was.'
0:07:12 > 0:07:18We've had a real roller coaster of emotions, with her,
0:07:18 > 0:07:21you know, just wondering if we've done the right thing.
0:07:22 > 0:07:25To be informed that your dog needs its leg amputation
0:07:25 > 0:07:27as the only chance that it can survive,
0:07:27 > 0:07:30and even then, there's still very many risks,
0:07:30 > 0:07:32I think it's incredibly traumatic,
0:07:32 > 0:07:35so I think the owners are very brave to confront that.
0:07:35 > 0:07:36Polly! Good girl.
0:07:36 > 0:07:39Although Polly is thrilled to see her owners,
0:07:39 > 0:07:41she's still dangerously ill
0:07:41 > 0:07:43and the next 48 hours are crucial.
0:07:45 > 0:07:49All Mark and Diane can do is wait.
0:07:49 > 0:07:51DOG WHINES
0:07:54 > 0:07:55TOY SQUEAKS
0:07:56 > 0:07:59I just find that, when you're taking history
0:07:59 > 0:08:02and you just cannot get the information you need out of them.
0:08:02 > 0:08:05So I had one this week where they brought it to me cos it was vomiting,
0:08:05 > 0:08:08and I was like, "Oh, how long has it been going on?"
0:08:08 > 0:08:10"Ugh, about six months".
0:08:10 > 0:08:12"And how often - are we talking once a month, once a week?"
0:08:12 > 0:08:15"I don't really know...
0:08:15 > 0:08:17"I can't remember." And I'm like, "Ahhh!"
0:08:17 > 0:08:18That's really stressful!
0:08:18 > 0:08:21And genuinely, it comes a point where it's too awkward.
0:08:21 > 0:08:24- And I had to stop asking and just give up!- "Just give me a number."
0:08:24 > 0:08:27And then of course, the clinician comes in and they give the answer straightaway.
0:08:27 > 0:08:29CAT PURRS
0:08:35 > 0:08:39This week, vet student Matt Wilkinson is on an unusual placement.
0:08:39 > 0:08:43He's in East Sussex, at a mixed practice with a difference.
0:08:43 > 0:08:47They are vets to a local zoo.
0:08:47 > 0:08:50I mean you can go into work, doing operations in the morning
0:08:50 > 0:08:52and then, suddenly, monkeys come in...
0:08:52 > 0:08:54So I mean, it's amazing!
0:08:54 > 0:08:56The variety that we have here is just incredible.
0:08:56 > 0:08:57Here you go!
0:08:58 > 0:09:02Matt will be working alongside practice partner Kirsty Turrell.
0:09:02 > 0:09:04You're doing very well! Very impressed.
0:09:04 > 0:09:06Doing very well and he hasn't got long to go
0:09:06 > 0:09:09before he's let loose on the general public!
0:09:10 > 0:09:14Matt's veterinary skills are likely to be tested straightaway -
0:09:14 > 0:09:17his next patient this morning is a monkey.
0:09:17 > 0:09:19MONKEY SCREECHES
0:09:19 > 0:09:24The zoo's head keeper Mark Kenward has brought in a red-handed tamarin.
0:09:24 > 0:09:27He's covered in some nasty lumps and in a very bad mood.
0:09:27 > 0:09:28MONKEY SCREECHES
0:09:28 > 0:09:30Sounds like an unhappy monkey!
0:09:30 > 0:09:32There we go. All right.
0:09:32 > 0:09:33MONKEY SCREECHES
0:09:33 > 0:09:36- Oh, you're very noisy! - Goodness me!
0:09:37 > 0:09:39- There we go.- Yeah, yeah.
0:09:39 > 0:09:41So stroppy.
0:09:41 > 0:09:45Now he's sedated, the team can take a look at the lesions on his skin.
0:09:45 > 0:09:48- They're so demarcated, aren't they? - Yeah.
0:09:48 > 0:09:50Do you want them from directly on the lesion?
0:09:50 > 0:09:52Yeah, just take a couple.
0:09:52 > 0:09:55Matt takes a skin sample from one of the lumps.
0:09:55 > 0:09:56Cheers.
0:09:57 > 0:09:59Matt, what are you looking at?
0:09:59 > 0:10:04A particular parasite called demodex.
0:10:04 > 0:10:07It can get really itchy and cause lesions like this monkey has.
0:10:07 > 0:10:10It's actually... I see his legs still moving.
0:10:10 > 0:10:13It turns out this monkey has mange.
0:10:13 > 0:10:16There, you can see its little feet still moving. There you go.
0:10:16 > 0:10:19The best way to treat them is something called Ivermectin.
0:10:19 > 0:10:21But Ivermectin can have some nasty side effects to it.
0:10:21 > 0:10:26You can get some neurological signs with it or it can kill them.
0:10:26 > 0:10:29Often it's the only thing that would get rid of severe demodectic mange.
0:10:29 > 0:10:32It's something that you do see in other animals,
0:10:32 > 0:10:35but I've never see it in a monkey, so...
0:10:35 > 0:10:38Today is a day of firsts for me.
0:10:38 > 0:10:41- Bring that with us.- Yeah.
0:10:41 > 0:10:43Despite the tubes, it's still a lot easier
0:10:43 > 0:10:47to bath a sleeping monkey than a screaming monkey.
0:10:47 > 0:10:52This wash is designed to basically try to decrease the population
0:10:52 > 0:10:58of the parasites and hopefully take away those nasty lesions.
0:10:58 > 0:11:01The lumps are given special attention.
0:11:01 > 0:11:06Now all this tamarin needs is a blow-dry - another first for Matt.
0:11:08 > 0:11:10- I have never hair dried a monkey before.- Really?
0:11:10 > 0:11:12How could they not teach you that at college?
0:11:12 > 0:11:14They don't, it's a shame, really, isn't it?
0:11:14 > 0:11:17I feel like it's one of those things we'll be doing day in, day out
0:11:17 > 0:11:18that we really need training on.
0:11:18 > 0:11:21When you hair dry stuff, it just fluffs up and these monkeys...
0:11:21 > 0:11:24There's just like a big fluffy ball of monkey.
0:11:26 > 0:11:30And hair drying monkeys is just for starters.
0:11:30 > 0:11:33The next morning, Matt and Kirsty are called out to the animal park
0:11:33 > 0:11:36to give some of the other exotic residents the once-over.
0:11:38 > 0:11:40Funny little creatures. How cute are they!
0:11:44 > 0:11:48The first stop is the penguin pool to meet Slasher,
0:11:48 > 0:11:50the zoo's only rockhopper.
0:11:50 > 0:11:54He's under the weather and a little bit depressed.
0:11:54 > 0:11:58His mate died last year, so he's the only one in there,
0:11:58 > 0:12:01he keeps himself to himself a little bit up in that corner.
0:12:03 > 0:12:05Being amongst quite boisterous Humboldt penguins,
0:12:05 > 0:12:07which we have a number of,
0:12:07 > 0:12:11he tends to keep out the way a little bit.
0:12:11 > 0:12:15Just over the last week or maybe two,
0:12:15 > 0:12:20he's just had a slight disinterest in food which has extended into,
0:12:20 > 0:12:22"I don't want to eat at all."
0:12:22 > 0:12:25Due to that, he's lost around a kilo of body weight,
0:12:25 > 0:12:29which is quite a significant amount for an animal of this size.
0:12:29 > 0:12:31I'll bring him to you,
0:12:31 > 0:12:34cos there's more people, he might just run in his box.
0:12:37 > 0:12:39Here we go!
0:12:39 > 0:12:42Kirsty needs to find out why he's off his food.
0:12:43 > 0:12:46He's also had quite a lot of problems with his beak.
0:12:46 > 0:12:48- Can you see that there?- Yeah.
0:12:48 > 0:12:52- Although it doesn't look as bad as it has done at times, does it?- No.
0:12:52 > 0:12:55Good lad, I know.
0:12:55 > 0:12:58- Tongue doesn't look the best, does it?- No, no, it doesn't at all,
0:12:58 > 0:12:59all down that side.
0:13:00 > 0:13:05And also, if you look further back, can you see right down there?
0:13:05 > 0:13:08- Yeah, is it quite red? Yeah.- Yeah, it is.
0:13:08 > 0:13:10All right, if I hold his beak,
0:13:10 > 0:13:13can you just move his tongue to one side for me? Just grab...
0:13:13 > 0:13:15This is the first time Matt has been
0:13:15 > 0:13:17up close and personal with a penguin.
0:13:17 > 0:13:20That's fine. OK. It's all right, it's nothing terrible!
0:13:20 > 0:13:22Mm, very cross.
0:13:24 > 0:13:27He does feel quite thin though, doesn't he, when you feel him?
0:13:27 > 0:13:29- Yeah.- He's quite bony, isn't he?
0:13:29 > 0:13:33I can't feel any obvious lumps and bumps in there, but it's whether
0:13:33 > 0:13:37in that mouth there's infection or something more systemic going on...
0:13:37 > 0:13:40- Yeah, yeah, sure.- I mean, you'd obviously worry, in an old penguin,
0:13:40 > 0:13:41about his kidneys and his liver
0:13:41 > 0:13:44and if that's what causing some of those signs.
0:13:44 > 0:13:48- I'm not surprised he's not eating though, it looks really sore. - No, he smells.- He does smell.
0:13:48 > 0:13:50I mean, they don't smell very nice anyway but...
0:13:50 > 0:13:54No, no, he doesn't smell of fish, he doesn't smell well.
0:13:54 > 0:13:56- He smells, he smells ill. - Yeah, he does.
0:13:56 > 0:13:58I just wonder if we ought to try and get a drop of blood from him.
0:13:58 > 0:14:01- Yeah, OK.- See what his kidney function is doing.
0:14:01 > 0:14:03We can take him up to the hospital, if you need to.
0:14:03 > 0:14:04Yep, let's do that.
0:14:04 > 0:14:08On the way, Kirsty gives Matt some tips for taking blood
0:14:08 > 0:14:09from a penguin.
0:14:09 > 0:14:11Is there a wing vein you're taking it from?
0:14:11 > 0:14:13Yeah, I do a wing vein, or...a leg.
0:14:13 > 0:14:16Oh, you can do a leg, can you? OK.
0:14:16 > 0:14:19He's lost quite a lot of condition, lumps and bumps on the abdomen
0:14:19 > 0:14:20are always high on the list as well.
0:14:20 > 0:14:23And we have had penguins eat silly things.
0:14:23 > 0:14:25So they eat - become obsessed with eating stones
0:14:25 > 0:14:28or sometimes they'll eat bits of nest-spots and things,
0:14:28 > 0:14:30which can cause impactions and obstructions.
0:14:30 > 0:14:32So there's quite a few things it could be, but we'll have a
0:14:32 > 0:14:35drop of blood from him and see what's going on on the inside.
0:14:35 > 0:14:37He came to us nearly 20 years ago,
0:14:37 > 0:14:39so he's been with us a long time.
0:14:39 > 0:14:41He's a bit of an old boy now.
0:14:41 > 0:14:44He's a nice lad, and uh, in situations like this,
0:14:44 > 0:14:47he gets a little bit panicked, obviously, as you would.
0:14:49 > 0:14:51- Are you all right there?- Yeah.
0:14:51 > 0:14:56Unfortunately for Kirsty, penguin veins are very small -
0:14:56 > 0:14:59it's so they don't lose body heat in arctic conditions.
0:15:00 > 0:15:02Steady, steady, steady...
0:15:04 > 0:15:07It's in the vein, it's just not getting a sample...
0:15:07 > 0:15:09Hey, hey, hey, hey!
0:15:09 > 0:15:12Slasher's not enjoying it much either.
0:15:12 > 0:15:15- Um, let's have one more go on the other side, Mark.- OK.
0:15:15 > 0:15:18Kirsty's hoping the veins in the wing will be easier...
0:15:19 > 0:15:20Well done, mate.
0:15:22 > 0:15:23OK, right, release that.
0:15:23 > 0:15:25Do you want to stick a finger on there?
0:15:26 > 0:15:28That's it like that. There you go.
0:15:28 > 0:15:32This is all fairly novel to me. Raising penguin veins.
0:15:32 > 0:15:34You've got to just try and keep feeding him, really,
0:15:34 > 0:15:38try and encourage him to eat something. We'll send that off.
0:15:38 > 0:15:40Anything we can give him for his throat looking sore?
0:15:40 > 0:15:43You could give him a bit of antibiotic just to settle that down.
0:15:43 > 0:15:46'No, I never thought I'd be doing anything with penguins, really.'
0:15:46 > 0:15:49This is... I'm totally out of my element here.
0:15:49 > 0:15:53The team hopes Slasher will respond to treatment.
0:15:53 > 0:15:57Until then, he's not just off his food,
0:15:57 > 0:16:01he's also not much of a rockhopper.
0:16:01 > 0:16:02Oops, oh, missed.
0:16:20 > 0:16:23Mature student Judy Puddifoot is about to start
0:16:23 > 0:16:27a two-week placement specialising in small animal internal medicine
0:16:27 > 0:16:30at the Queen Mother Hospital, in Hertfordshire.
0:16:31 > 0:16:33You know, you think, "Oh, yeah, I'm at the end, I'm nearly done."
0:16:33 > 0:16:38And then you think, "Oh, bum, there's loads of things I don't know yet."
0:16:38 > 0:16:40I've only got two weeks to learn it!
0:16:40 > 0:16:43She will be back working with cats and dogs
0:16:43 > 0:16:45and that's right where she wants to be,
0:16:45 > 0:16:48but this hospital is the place other vets refer difficult cases
0:16:48 > 0:16:53and Judy finds the problem solving side of things a little daunting.
0:16:53 > 0:16:54This rotation is a little bit odd.
0:16:54 > 0:16:57In that when you're in surgery, you know what the animal's come in for.
0:16:57 > 0:17:00But when you're in internal medicine, you have to go on a little bit
0:17:00 > 0:17:03of a hunt to find out what's wrong with this animal.
0:17:03 > 0:17:06Bit of a two-week medical mystery tour, I suppose, so...
0:17:06 > 0:17:09Fingers crossed I can work out some of the mysteries!
0:17:09 > 0:17:11Leave it. Leave it.
0:17:11 > 0:17:13Wheeey!
0:17:13 > 0:17:16Pretty much everything that we've been taught over the last
0:17:16 > 0:17:20four years could come in, and we have to know about it,
0:17:20 > 0:17:22so it's a bit worrying, really.
0:17:23 > 0:17:28I'm actually expecting not to be very good.
0:17:28 > 0:17:31Just cos, you know, I always struggled with the knowledge
0:17:31 > 0:17:36side of things, retaining it I find very difficult,
0:17:36 > 0:17:39which is a fundamental problem on a course like this.
0:17:39 > 0:17:42Expect the worst, hope for the best - that's my motto!
0:17:42 > 0:17:46Over the next two weeks, Judy will see a whole host
0:17:46 > 0:17:49of small animals that have been referred by their local vets
0:17:49 > 0:17:52with problems they've been unable to diagnose.
0:17:52 > 0:17:55So Judy needs to turn detective -
0:17:55 > 0:18:00ask questions, follow the clues and come up with some answers.
0:18:00 > 0:18:03The consult that's coming in this morning is Marnie, which is
0:18:03 > 0:18:08a nine-month-old Nova Scotia duck tolling retriever,
0:18:08 > 0:18:10we get all the exotic breeds coming in here.
0:18:10 > 0:18:13And well, basically, coming in with what we'll call
0:18:13 > 0:18:16a pyrexia of unknown origin, which is a posh way of saying
0:18:16 > 0:18:19it's got a high temperature and we can't find out why.
0:18:19 > 0:18:22So yeah, off we go on another medical mystery tour
0:18:22 > 0:18:26to find out why this dog's got a temperature.
0:18:26 > 0:18:28Marnie's not been very well recently,
0:18:28 > 0:18:31for about the last three months, she keeps getting a temperature
0:18:31 > 0:18:36and doesn't respond that well to antibiotics or anything like that.
0:18:36 > 0:18:40She gets better and then after a couple of weeks, gets ill again.
0:18:40 > 0:18:43Good girl, stay, good girl.
0:18:43 > 0:18:46She's got a lovely character, she's very friendly,
0:18:46 > 0:18:48the kids absolutely adore her.
0:18:48 > 0:18:51Marnie looks lively enough, but she's been very unwell.
0:18:51 > 0:18:55She'll be given the once-over first by Judy...
0:18:55 > 0:18:56Hi, how're you doing?
0:18:56 > 0:18:59..before her supervisor Sophie Keyte does her own checks.
0:18:59 > 0:19:01- Looking lovely! - Hello, Marnie, hello!
0:19:01 > 0:19:02Right, do you want to come through?
0:19:02 > 0:19:05Judy needs to find out what Marnie's mystery illness is
0:19:05 > 0:19:08and she needs to impress Sophie.
0:19:08 > 0:19:11- Have you had Nova Scotias before? - Nope, first time.
0:19:11 > 0:19:13First time with a dog, first time with the breed.
0:19:13 > 0:19:15Wow, you've jumped right in then!
0:19:15 > 0:19:17OK, straight in with a Nova Scotia, that's fine.
0:19:17 > 0:19:20She gets lethargic, high temperature,
0:19:20 > 0:19:23coat loses all its vitality,
0:19:23 > 0:19:26and goes dull, tail drops...
0:19:29 > 0:19:30Because normally her tail's up.
0:19:30 > 0:19:33Is she a scavenger, by any chance?
0:19:33 > 0:19:36- Yes.- She is. Right, OK. So you say that, obviously, she's done it,
0:19:36 > 0:19:39- so what sort of things has she eaten?- Anything.
0:19:39 > 0:19:40OK!
0:19:40 > 0:19:42She particularly likes wood.
0:19:42 > 0:19:45Wood? Has she eaten anything odd recently that you know of?
0:19:45 > 0:19:46Not that I'm aware of.
0:19:46 > 0:19:50You don't have any pants or socks missing from around the house?
0:19:50 > 0:19:51- No, I don't.- Any little...?
0:19:51 > 0:19:54- Nothing like that?- No.- OK. Just have to check these things.
0:19:54 > 0:19:58What I'm going to do is have a quick physical exam of her,
0:19:58 > 0:20:00if that's all right?
0:20:03 > 0:20:04She does bury her head like that.
0:20:04 > 0:20:07What I'm expecting from Judy this morning,
0:20:07 > 0:20:09I want her to be able to kind of correlate together all
0:20:09 > 0:20:11the information that the owner gives her,
0:20:11 > 0:20:15to form a sort of chronological plan of what's really been happening.
0:20:15 > 0:20:19Simon is worried that she has been showing signs of a stiff neck.
0:20:19 > 0:20:23When does she do that, do you say, bury her head like that?
0:20:23 > 0:20:26If you're just stroking her, rather than her head up,
0:20:26 > 0:20:29- she'll put her head down like that, into her chest.- OK.
0:20:29 > 0:20:32Mainly really it's about communication with the owner,
0:20:32 > 0:20:35how she formulates her questioning, what questions she asks
0:20:35 > 0:20:37and how she then presents them to me.
0:20:37 > 0:20:41What I should do then, like Sophie said, is I will pop out,
0:20:41 > 0:20:43discuss all the information with her, she'll come back,
0:20:43 > 0:20:46probably asks you lots of questions I've forgotten to ask you,
0:20:46 > 0:20:48- and then we'll make a plan from there.- OK, great!
0:20:48 > 0:20:50Excellent!
0:20:50 > 0:20:54Judy's picked up lots of clues, but as she reports back to Sophie,
0:20:54 > 0:20:57it's clear she still hasn't solved the mystery.
0:20:57 > 0:20:59OK, so do you want to tell me about Marnie?
0:20:59 > 0:21:02So Marnie is an eight-month-old female,
0:21:02 > 0:21:05entire Nova Scotia duck tolling retriever.
0:21:05 > 0:21:07Been in the owner's possession since eight weeks old,
0:21:07 > 0:21:09direct from a breeder.
0:21:09 > 0:21:11She is a scavenger, she will eat anything.
0:21:11 > 0:21:14- Happy as I can be! - Happy as I can be!
0:21:14 > 0:21:16Let's go have a chat to the owner...
0:21:16 > 0:21:20- Hello there, thanks for waiting. - Hello.- Hello!
0:21:20 > 0:21:22An experienced vet,
0:21:22 > 0:21:26Sophie already has an inkling of what the trouble could be,
0:21:26 > 0:21:30so she's checking Marnie over to see if her hunch is correct.
0:21:30 > 0:21:33Now we're going to play a game, look up at the sky.
0:21:34 > 0:21:37- Without sitting down.- Good girl!
0:21:37 > 0:21:39Stay there, good girl.
0:21:43 > 0:21:45Oh, good girl!
0:21:45 > 0:21:46All the way round?
0:21:46 > 0:21:49All right, all right...
0:21:49 > 0:21:51Good girl!
0:21:51 > 0:21:53The stiff neck is another possible clue,
0:21:53 > 0:21:56though it may not be the only problem.
0:21:56 > 0:21:58- I definitely wouldn't say she was normal.- No?
0:21:58 > 0:22:00OK, and one thing I was concerned about is
0:22:00 > 0:22:04whether she had inflammation around her joints or potentially
0:22:04 > 0:22:07around her spinal cord, in a place called the meninges.
0:22:07 > 0:22:09Why would that be?
0:22:09 > 0:22:11So there is a disease that the Nova Scotias
0:22:11 > 0:22:14are, I guess, predisposed to,
0:22:14 > 0:22:17called steroid-responsive meningitis-arteritis,
0:22:17 > 0:22:19- which is an immune-mediated disease. - Right.
0:22:19 > 0:22:22So it's not a virus or a bacteria or anything like that,
0:22:22 > 0:22:24- it's an autoimmune condition. - Right.
0:22:24 > 0:22:28SRMA - steroid-responsive meningitis-arteritis -
0:22:28 > 0:22:30can be very serious.
0:22:30 > 0:22:36It's what we call an immune disease, so basically the animal's own
0:22:36 > 0:22:40immune system is kind of not recognising this problem, this disease,
0:22:40 > 0:22:43and it's causing damage to itself, which is not good.
0:22:43 > 0:22:47Marnie's admitted straightaway.
0:22:47 > 0:22:50Good girl, there you go.
0:22:50 > 0:22:53And Judy's kicking herself - although she asked all the
0:22:53 > 0:22:57right questions about Marnie, there was one thing she forgot.
0:22:57 > 0:23:00What I've taken away from it is Google the breed of dog
0:23:00 > 0:23:03that's coming in and see what they're predisposed to.
0:23:03 > 0:23:07It's a Nova Scotia, it's probably got SRMA.
0:23:07 > 0:23:13Marnie now faces two days of tests, as the clues need to be confirmed.
0:23:13 > 0:23:16Marnie has had some bloods taken, we're going to run loads
0:23:16 > 0:23:21of tests on that, then she's going to quickly have a cysto, which is,
0:23:21 > 0:23:25stick a little needle in her bladder and get some wee-wee, and then
0:23:25 > 0:23:30tomorrow she's going to have a CT scan of her abdomen and her chest.
0:23:32 > 0:23:34Are we worried? Yeah, we're worried,
0:23:34 > 0:23:36because you're just worried about unknown,
0:23:36 > 0:23:40if you don't know what it is, then you can't do anything about it.
0:23:40 > 0:23:43I'm a bit annoyed obviously, with myself that
0:23:43 > 0:23:48I didn't clock straightaway what Marnie had when she came in.
0:23:48 > 0:23:54It was quite funny when I had to go out and talk to the resident,
0:23:54 > 0:23:57and then present obviously Marnie's case and history, etc...
0:23:57 > 0:24:02And she kind of had this smile on her face the whole time,
0:24:02 > 0:24:04and I thought, "She's being really friendly,
0:24:04 > 0:24:06"this is great, I'm doing really well."
0:24:06 > 0:24:11And then I later realised the smile was because she knew exactly
0:24:11 > 0:24:14what Marnie had the minute she walked in and it was almost
0:24:14 > 0:24:18a test to watch and see if the vet student will work it out or not.
0:24:19 > 0:24:21Fail!
0:24:21 > 0:24:23It's a busy afternoon at the hospital
0:24:23 > 0:24:27and not just the patients who are visiting.
0:24:27 > 0:24:30Judy spots a group of fourth-year vet students on a tour
0:24:30 > 0:24:33who are about to start their placements.
0:24:35 > 0:24:37New blood!
0:24:37 > 0:24:41They're so happy today, they'll enjoy this weekend,
0:24:41 > 0:24:45then Monday night, they'll be like, "I don't want to do it anymore!"
0:24:45 > 0:24:48That's the before, that's the after.
0:24:48 > 0:24:50SHE GIGGLES
0:24:50 > 0:24:54And Judy still has plenty to do before her day ends.
0:24:54 > 0:24:57They still don't know exactly what's causing Marnie's problems
0:24:57 > 0:25:02and without a firm diagnosis, they can't even begin to make her better.
0:25:06 > 0:25:08What's the hierarchy at QMH?
0:25:08 > 0:25:11Animals are at the top, I would say, then owners.
0:25:11 > 0:25:15- Yeah.- Then probably...senior clinicians...
0:25:15 > 0:25:20- Residents...- Residents, interns, cleaners, security...
0:25:20 > 0:25:24The crap that the animals do, general waste, um...
0:25:24 > 0:25:25Then maybe, maybe...
0:25:25 > 0:25:28What are we forgetting? Something else, what is it? I know!
0:25:28 > 0:25:29Students.
0:25:29 > 0:25:30Yup, students, there we go.
0:25:30 > 0:25:32Yup, that's it - that's the hierarchy.
0:25:38 > 0:25:40In intensive care, Charlie Tewson's praying
0:25:40 > 0:25:43that his patient Polly will pull through.
0:25:43 > 0:25:45OK. Come on, Polly!
0:25:45 > 0:25:49She had a terrible road accident and the team had to amputate her leg.
0:25:49 > 0:25:52Now her wound has become infected
0:25:52 > 0:25:55and the bacteria have proved resistant to most of the drugs.
0:25:55 > 0:26:01If the situation doesn't improve, they may not be able to save her.
0:26:01 > 0:26:02Hey, it's OK!
0:26:02 > 0:26:04When we got the culture and sensitivity back,
0:26:04 > 0:26:06we basically tested which antibiotics
0:26:06 > 0:26:09would work, and were left with only one or two that would be effective.
0:26:09 > 0:26:11That was kind of her last hope.
0:26:11 > 0:26:14Only when they remove the bandage will they know
0:26:14 > 0:26:16whether the antibiotics have worked.
0:26:16 > 0:26:20While the signs on the outside look very good with Polly,
0:26:20 > 0:26:22you never quite know what's going on underneath.
0:26:22 > 0:26:25At the moment, she's got this huge piece of foam in the bit
0:26:25 > 0:26:29that was hugely infected and necrotic so underneath that foam,
0:26:29 > 0:26:31we don't know what's going on...
0:26:31 > 0:26:33In a way, this could be make or break.
0:26:33 > 0:26:37So we're just going to change Polly's dressing today...
0:26:37 > 0:26:42Hopefully the previous infection will have started to clear up,
0:26:42 > 0:26:45So we're looking at the nature of the tissue.
0:26:45 > 0:26:48Hopefully, the pyrolant discharge that was there before, the puss,
0:26:48 > 0:26:54will have gone, and we start to see pink, healthy granulation tissue.
0:26:57 > 0:27:02It's an anxious wait as the surgeon checks for signs of infection.
0:27:02 > 0:27:05If it hasn't cleared up, there'll be little they can do for Polly.
0:27:12 > 0:27:13Lovely.
0:27:15 > 0:27:18- Oh, it's beautiful!- Aw, that looks fantastic, doesn't it?
0:27:18 > 0:27:21Can I get some swabs, please?
0:27:21 > 0:27:25It's as good as we could have hoped for, so yeah,
0:27:25 > 0:27:28if it continues along this rate, then we should be able to close it
0:27:28 > 0:27:32and - fingers crossed - Polly's going to be all right.
0:27:32 > 0:27:35I'm very pleased with how the wound looks and next week
0:27:35 > 0:27:37we can potentially look at closing the wound,
0:27:37 > 0:27:39so yeah, good news for Polly.
0:27:39 > 0:27:42And Charlie's equally pleased.
0:27:42 > 0:27:46He's clearly become very fond of his three-legged friend.
0:27:46 > 0:27:48I think there is a huge difference to studying
0:27:48 > 0:27:52something in a textbook to actually seeing it in a live animal.
0:27:52 > 0:27:54I felt like I got very attached to Polly and partly
0:27:54 > 0:27:59because she was an absolutely lovely dog. Yeah, I was really attached.
0:27:59 > 0:28:00Aw.
0:28:00 > 0:28:04Charlie's done incredibly well, he's engaged with the owners,
0:28:04 > 0:28:06he's really gotten involved in the case
0:28:06 > 0:28:09and we hadn't really had to prompt him to get involved.
0:28:09 > 0:28:11You got your little party hat on!
0:28:12 > 0:28:13Yeah. Very good job.
0:28:15 > 0:28:17Where's Charlie?
0:28:17 > 0:28:19Oh, there, sorry...
0:28:19 > 0:28:21Alison, could you get me out?
0:28:21 > 0:28:23Thanks.
0:28:26 > 0:28:30Polly's not totally out of the woods, but if things go according
0:28:30 > 0:28:33to plan, in a week or so, she will be ready to go home.
0:28:49 > 0:28:52Horse-mad Jo Hardy has been riding since she was five.
0:28:53 > 0:28:57So Jo will be in her element on her next assignment -
0:28:57 > 0:29:00she'll be spending the week at the Bell Equine Centre,
0:29:00 > 0:29:02near her family home in Kent.
0:29:03 > 0:29:08It's really nice being at home, I absolutely adore my family
0:29:08 > 0:29:12and so I just love spending as much time with them as possible.
0:29:12 > 0:29:15And also it helps on the weekends because I've got horses
0:29:15 > 0:29:18that need to be exercised, so it stops them getting fat in the field.
0:29:18 > 0:29:21I feel really lucky to get a placement at Bell,
0:29:21 > 0:29:23it's got a really good reputation
0:29:23 > 0:29:26and it's one of the biggest ones in the south east of England.
0:29:29 > 0:29:32At this equine hospital, Jo will get to work on horses
0:29:32 > 0:29:34with all kinds of problems.
0:29:38 > 0:29:41Equine is something people associate me with,
0:29:41 > 0:29:45because I have two horses, I've ridden all my life,
0:29:45 > 0:29:47so I feel really comfortable around them
0:29:47 > 0:29:50and I think I've had a bit of a head start with them, because
0:29:50 > 0:29:54my horses have caused so many veterinary problems over the years.
0:29:57 > 0:30:00And it's a chance for her to prove herself in an environment
0:30:00 > 0:30:05where she feels completely at home whatever she's faced with.
0:30:05 > 0:30:10They're ascarid worms, they've come out in Albert's poo.
0:30:10 > 0:30:14I think these are the cause of him having a high respiratory rate
0:30:14 > 0:30:18because they can migrate through the lungs.
0:30:18 > 0:30:20It's quite nasty, really!
0:30:23 > 0:30:26Today she will be assisting vet Ed Knowles
0:30:26 > 0:30:29and trying to find out what's wrong with Hughie -
0:30:29 > 0:30:31a valuable eventing horse.
0:30:31 > 0:30:34He's had a very successful career so far,
0:30:34 > 0:30:37but he's suddenly off his food and losing weight
0:30:37 > 0:30:42and years of hard work by the horse and his trainer Alex are at stake.
0:30:42 > 0:30:46At the moment, trying to get him fit for our first events in March
0:30:46 > 0:30:48is a bit of an issue, really.
0:30:48 > 0:30:52He hasn't eaten his hard feed properly now for a few days,
0:30:52 > 0:30:54and I'm a little bit worried that he might have gastric ulcers.
0:30:54 > 0:30:57So we've brought him in today to have a look,
0:30:57 > 0:31:00because this is not normal behaviour for him.
0:31:00 > 0:31:03If it is gastric ulcers, then it's treatable and manageable,
0:31:03 > 0:31:07so I'm not too disheartened if that is the case,
0:31:07 > 0:31:10I'd obviously like it if there was nothing wrong with him.
0:31:17 > 0:31:19So you've had him last season, and then...
0:31:19 > 0:31:21- I've had him for the last three and a half years now.- OK.
0:31:21 > 0:31:25Hughie's been checked in for endoscopy, where a camera
0:31:25 > 0:31:29inside his stomach should show them what the problem is.
0:31:29 > 0:31:31First, they need to check him over.
0:31:31 > 0:31:34I will have a quick listen to his chest, we'll sedate him.
0:31:39 > 0:31:43But as Ed listens to his heart, it's clear that something is wrong.
0:31:45 > 0:31:48Could you just take him outside? Do you mind trotting him up for me?
0:31:48 > 0:31:50He's just got a slightly funny heart rhythm.
0:31:56 > 0:31:59There was a bit of an irregularity, sometimes in very fit horses
0:31:59 > 0:32:02that's normal and it goes away with exercise,
0:32:02 > 0:32:05but then it could also be abnormal and he could have a heart condition.
0:32:05 > 0:32:07So we're just trotting him up a few times
0:32:07 > 0:32:09to see if the arrhythmia goes away.
0:32:17 > 0:32:22He's actually still got a slightly abnormal rhythm.
0:32:22 > 0:32:25I think we probably need to put an ECG on him,
0:32:25 > 0:32:27if that's all right. It's that OK with you?
0:32:27 > 0:32:30If he does have an irregular heartbeat,
0:32:30 > 0:32:35it'll be too dangerous for Hughie to take part in any competitions.
0:32:35 > 0:32:39While Hughie's condition is clearly worrying, it's a great
0:32:39 > 0:32:42opportunity for Jo to get involved in an unusual case.
0:32:42 > 0:32:45- Have you had a listen? - I have, yes.- What do you think?
0:32:45 > 0:32:49There's definitely some beats missing
0:32:49 > 0:32:52and then occasionally there is one that comes in too early.
0:32:52 > 0:32:53Yeah.
0:32:53 > 0:32:58Any heart condition is potentially dangerous, you just don't know how
0:32:58 > 0:33:02it can affect the horse, you really don't want to push a horse
0:33:02 > 0:33:05with a heart condition, because essentially,
0:33:05 > 0:33:09it could just drop over, so it's really important
0:33:09 > 0:33:12that we get on top of this and find out why he's got it.
0:33:14 > 0:33:17The team carry out an ECG.
0:33:17 > 0:33:20- What do you people think, is it regular?- No.- No.
0:33:20 > 0:33:24- The baseline's quite coarse and oscillating.- Yeah, coarse baseline. OK.
0:33:24 > 0:33:26What the trace is showing is that
0:33:26 > 0:33:29he has something called atrial fibrillation,
0:33:29 > 0:33:35which is where the electricity isn't really conducted properly
0:33:35 > 0:33:37through the top part of the heart.
0:33:37 > 0:33:41And so you can see that because the straight line in between the beats
0:33:41 > 0:33:44is actually like a wavy line on the trace.
0:33:44 > 0:33:48What happened in his case is that the top part of the heart,
0:33:48 > 0:33:51where the atria are, which are the smaller chambers,
0:33:51 > 0:33:55they're not contracting in a coordinated way,
0:33:55 > 0:33:56so instead of beating all together,
0:33:56 > 0:33:59the muscle is just sort of wobbling about like jelly, basically,
0:33:59 > 0:34:03so it can't efficiently or effectively pump blood.
0:34:04 > 0:34:08Using ultrasound, they look for physical heart defects or disease
0:34:08 > 0:34:10which could be untreatable.
0:34:10 > 0:34:13That would put an end to Hughie's career straightaway.
0:34:16 > 0:34:21So, so far, we've not found any disease of the valves,
0:34:21 > 0:34:23not found any structural heart disease.
0:34:25 > 0:34:28It's good news that his heart is physically OK,
0:34:28 > 0:34:30but to continue life as an eventing horse,
0:34:30 > 0:34:33Hughie's irregular heart rate has to be fixed.
0:34:36 > 0:34:38There's two ways of doing that -
0:34:38 > 0:34:40you can either do it with a drug called quinidine,
0:34:40 > 0:34:45which you give via a stomach tube, or you can give the horse
0:34:45 > 0:34:48a general anaesthetic and you can use electric shock to convert them.
0:34:48 > 0:34:52Quinidine is the first-line treatment for most horses.
0:34:52 > 0:34:54- OK.- OK.- What's the risks?
0:34:54 > 0:34:58HORSE NEIGHS
0:34:59 > 0:35:04Quinidine is not a very nice drug, any drug that works on heart rhythms
0:35:04 > 0:35:10can work in both good and bad ways, so it can cause getting back to
0:35:10 > 0:35:13a normal rhythm or actually could make the rhythm worse.
0:35:14 > 0:35:17Hughie's owners now need to make a difficult decision -
0:35:17 > 0:35:19whether to treat him or not.
0:35:19 > 0:35:23Without this drug his eventing career will be over for good,
0:35:23 > 0:35:26but there's a chance the drug could kill him.
0:35:38 > 0:35:42In Hertfordshire, storms have left the county flooded and Judy
0:35:42 > 0:35:46arrives at her placement at the Queen Mother Hospital an hour late.
0:35:46 > 0:35:51Oh! Let's hope this is not an omen of how the day is going to go.
0:35:52 > 0:35:54I really hope not.
0:35:54 > 0:35:58Judy's first job is to check on her patient Marnie.
0:35:58 > 0:36:01She has a mystery illness which they suspect is a form
0:36:01 > 0:36:04of meningitis called SRMA.
0:36:04 > 0:36:08That can be treated with steroids but first they need to check
0:36:08 > 0:36:10whether she also has an infection,
0:36:10 > 0:36:12as that would make steroids extremely dangerous for her.
0:36:12 > 0:36:15Cos Marnie is going to have a general anaesthetic
0:36:15 > 0:36:18to have the procedures, we need to put a catheter in her leg.
0:36:18 > 0:36:21So, um, there's a bit of a queue at the moment, for catheters,
0:36:21 > 0:36:23so I'm just waiting my turn.
0:36:23 > 0:36:25I think she's going to be a bit of a wriggler,
0:36:25 > 0:36:28I might need two or three people to hold on to her while we do this.
0:36:28 > 0:36:31Yeah, I know! I know it's boring waiting, isn't it?
0:36:31 > 0:36:34I'm quite confident in my practical skills, so hopefully,
0:36:34 > 0:36:38fingers crossed, we'll get a catheter in without any trouble.
0:36:38 > 0:36:42I've done it again, haven't I, that's just an omen. Why did I say that?!
0:36:42 > 0:36:46Judy certainly doesn't need any bad luck - she wants to work with
0:36:46 > 0:36:50small animals, so this is an important placement for her.
0:36:50 > 0:36:55Still, putting in a catheter shouldn't be too difficult.
0:36:55 > 0:36:57Good girl, sweetie...
0:36:57 > 0:37:00Unbelievable, I knew I'd jinxed it!
0:37:00 > 0:37:02It's all right, don't worry.
0:37:02 > 0:37:04After two attempts, and no success,
0:37:04 > 0:37:08the veterinary nurse takes over and the catheter is in within seconds.
0:37:08 > 0:37:11Judy is definitely having a bad day.
0:37:11 > 0:37:15I think she was a bit frustrated
0:37:15 > 0:37:17because last week, on her rotations,
0:37:17 > 0:37:20she sort of did all her procedures first time,
0:37:20 > 0:37:21everything went really well,
0:37:21 > 0:37:25but we did find that patient did have particularly bad veins.
0:37:25 > 0:37:28Oh, Marnie, I knew you were going to be trouble
0:37:28 > 0:37:29from the minute you walked in.
0:37:33 > 0:37:35There's no time for regrets.
0:37:35 > 0:37:39It's on with the next challenge - how to construct a buster collar.
0:37:39 > 0:37:41You're looking at me as if this isn't how you do it,
0:37:41 > 0:37:43this is how Judy does it.
0:37:43 > 0:37:45It'll stay on.
0:37:46 > 0:37:48If somebody says to me this is wrong...
0:37:48 > 0:37:51I think they usually go around that way - in and out.
0:37:51 > 0:37:55What? What?! Like I say, medicine's a steep learning curve.
0:37:55 > 0:37:59- Could you just write on here?- Yeah. - "Really crap at buster collars."
0:37:59 > 0:38:03Come on, don't be silly! Shall we write about the attempted catheter?
0:38:03 > 0:38:06No, let's not. Could the word 'attempted' not be in there please?
0:38:06 > 0:38:08- OK.- Could you just write...?
0:38:09 > 0:38:13I don't know, I've only got ten pounds on me. Write what you want!
0:38:13 > 0:38:18The nurses keep track of how bad we are at things and then
0:38:18 > 0:38:21when they grade us, the clinicians come and get the sheets
0:38:21 > 0:38:23and read what the nurses have written.
0:38:23 > 0:38:27So you have to be really nice to the nurses so they write really good things about you.
0:38:27 > 0:38:30- Judy's usually good at the practical stuff...- OK.
0:38:30 > 0:38:33..but nothing's going right today.
0:38:33 > 0:38:35I'm just calling really to give you an update on Marnie.
0:38:35 > 0:38:38She's doing really well, she's really comfortable,
0:38:38 > 0:38:42she'll obviously go and have some of that fluid sampled.
0:38:42 > 0:38:45Hello? Hello?
0:38:50 > 0:38:53One of those days, isn't it, couldn't get in cause of the floods,
0:38:53 > 0:38:56phone was cut off, can't get a catheter in,
0:38:56 > 0:38:59can't do a buster collar, I said, didn't I, when I came in,
0:38:59 > 0:39:01this is going to set the tone for the day...
0:39:02 > 0:39:04Thanks for holding the door!
0:39:04 > 0:39:08Judy now needs to prepare Marnie for a CT scan so the vets can
0:39:08 > 0:39:11find out whether her fever is caused by meningitis
0:39:11 > 0:39:14or an infection somewhere else in her body.
0:39:14 > 0:39:15Good girl, Marnie!
0:39:15 > 0:39:17This may be a hospital for animals
0:39:17 > 0:39:19but its state-of-the-art equipment is similar
0:39:19 > 0:39:21to that at a human hospital.
0:39:21 > 0:39:23Oooh, good girlie.
0:39:23 > 0:39:27But Marnie's not impressed by the sophisticated facilities -
0:39:27 > 0:39:31she has more pressing concerns.
0:39:31 > 0:39:34She's going to have a general anaesthetic.
0:39:37 > 0:39:39She's what? Is she pooping?
0:39:39 > 0:39:42They do that. Good girl.
0:39:42 > 0:39:46Can you get some tissue paper as well, please? Oh, Marnie!
0:39:48 > 0:39:51Could have done that this morning, hey? Sums up my morning.
0:39:51 > 0:39:54The CT scan's finally completed
0:39:54 > 0:39:58and it's on with the detective work with tests on spine and joint fluid
0:39:58 > 0:40:01to confirm or rule out meningitis.
0:40:04 > 0:40:07Sampling spinal fluid is notoriously difficult,
0:40:07 > 0:40:10but Judy is now going to get the chance
0:40:10 > 0:40:13to take a sample from the joints.
0:40:13 > 0:40:16For normal joint fluid, it is actually quite difficult to
0:40:16 > 0:40:19get joint fluid out, cos it's very viscous and it's hard to pull out.
0:40:21 > 0:40:23Nervous.
0:40:25 > 0:40:29Bend the joint as much as possible,
0:40:29 > 0:40:33then the two bones will basically open up, so there is a space
0:40:33 > 0:40:35that you can insert your needle into,
0:40:35 > 0:40:38and there should be the fluid...
0:40:38 > 0:40:42Fetch the bone then pull back from this very direct bit.
0:40:46 > 0:40:47Keep going further in?
0:40:47 > 0:40:51Good job. You're getting a bit of blood.
0:40:51 > 0:40:53So come back a bit...
0:40:54 > 0:40:58Success - finally something has gone Judy's way.
0:40:58 > 0:41:02One drop... I wasn't expected that, and it was really cool, so...
0:41:02 > 0:41:06That's just stick it in, suck it out and off you go.
0:41:06 > 0:41:08It was very good, yeah.
0:41:09 > 0:41:13But they've also spotted an unexpected problem.
0:41:13 > 0:41:17A lump under the skin not in the skin, under it, subcutaneous,
0:41:17 > 0:41:21and I can't really move it.
0:41:21 > 0:41:24I wonder if it's an abscess or something.
0:41:24 > 0:41:29If the lump is an abscess, it means Marnie does have an infection.
0:41:29 > 0:41:31That is going to be a huge problem
0:41:31 > 0:41:34for a dog that we need to put on steroids,
0:41:34 > 0:41:37because the steroids are in such a high dose that they would
0:41:37 > 0:41:40suppress her immune system, which is why we wanted to give them to her.
0:41:40 > 0:41:44But you need your immune system to fight any infections.
0:41:44 > 0:41:48So if she had an underlying infection, and we gave her steroids
0:41:48 > 0:41:52to suppress her immune system, then the infection would've taken over.
0:41:55 > 0:41:58The team uses ultrasound to examine the lump
0:41:58 > 0:42:00and take some tissue samples.
0:42:01 > 0:42:03All of that is in this little bag
0:42:03 > 0:42:05and it's all going over to the lab right now.
0:42:05 > 0:42:08So hopefully, we can get results back today
0:42:08 > 0:42:11and find out what on earth is going on with this dog.
0:42:19 > 0:42:20DOG BARKS
0:42:23 > 0:42:26Deep in the wilds of East Sussex, Matt is still learning
0:42:26 > 0:42:28how to treat zoo animals.
0:42:28 > 0:42:30Huh, hi!
0:42:31 > 0:42:35Today, head keeper Mark has brought in a northern pine snake
0:42:35 > 0:42:37who's very unwell.
0:42:37 > 0:42:39He's been losing weight for months
0:42:39 > 0:42:42and sadly he may have to be put to sleep.
0:42:42 > 0:42:45He has the desire to eat, but he doesn't,
0:42:45 > 0:42:46he's not able to hold it down.
0:42:46 > 0:42:50You can feel...you can immediately feel how thin he is.
0:42:50 > 0:42:54- So if you feel, you can feel the spine really well.- You can feel his spine right the way down.
0:42:54 > 0:42:58The zookeepers bred him themselves and have grown very attached to him.
0:42:58 > 0:43:03And he's only 14 years old - these snakes can live far longer.
0:43:03 > 0:43:06We've tried everything with him, diet wise and...
0:43:06 > 0:43:08We've exhausted every option that we can.
0:43:08 > 0:43:11- He's in a pretty poor state, isn't he?- Yeah.
0:43:11 > 0:43:16We probably ought to call it a day, really, I'm afraid.
0:43:16 > 0:43:18It was really the end of the road for the snake
0:43:18 > 0:43:22and the zookeepers had really run out of options with him, unfortunately.
0:43:22 > 0:43:25I think he still wasn't eating and he was just wasting away,
0:43:25 > 0:43:28and there wasn't really anything that anyone could do for him anymore.
0:43:28 > 0:43:32They'll use an overdose of anaesthetic to put him to sleep.
0:43:32 > 0:43:37But first, they need to find his heart to administer the injection.
0:43:37 > 0:43:41If you lay the snake out lengthways and cut it into thirds, it's sort of
0:43:41 > 0:43:45over the transition between the first third and the second third.
0:43:45 > 0:43:47Which apparently is here, so...
0:43:51 > 0:43:55Kirsty checks that Matt really has found the snake's heart.
0:43:56 > 0:43:58I feel a lump there, actually, Mark, can you feel it?
0:43:58 > 0:44:00Yeah, I can, yeah.
0:44:00 > 0:44:01And he's got it right.
0:44:06 > 0:44:07It's always important that
0:44:07 > 0:44:09when you're putting any animal down to sleep,
0:44:09 > 0:44:13that they have a dignified ending and they go in the easiest and nicest possible way,
0:44:13 > 0:44:16because you don't want their ending to be horrible
0:44:16 > 0:44:18and you don't want the owners or the keepers
0:44:18 > 0:44:20to have to see something horrific.
0:44:26 > 0:44:27All done.
0:44:30 > 0:44:34I don't think you're going to be going anywhere now. Sorry, mate.
0:44:35 > 0:44:37So thin...really thin.
0:44:39 > 0:44:41It's the worst part of this job.
0:44:41 > 0:44:43I mean, we always get a lot of comments
0:44:43 > 0:44:45from people who come to visit us at the park saying,
0:44:45 > 0:44:49"You must have an amazing job" and, you know, we do and...
0:44:49 > 0:44:51But, yeah, it's horrible, every time.
0:44:51 > 0:44:55I never get used to it and we spend more time with these animals
0:44:55 > 0:44:58than most people spend with their cats and dogs, you know,
0:44:58 > 0:45:01so it's not work for us, you know, so you never get used to it.
0:45:01 > 0:45:03Yeah, it's horrible.
0:45:19 > 0:45:22Things are a little brighter at the animal park, where the mangy
0:45:22 > 0:45:26monkeys Matt treated at the beginning of the week
0:45:26 > 0:45:28are livelier than ever.
0:45:28 > 0:45:31But their scabs are still clearly visible.
0:45:31 > 0:45:34It's that one there with the little spot on above the right eye.
0:45:34 > 0:45:39They'll need further treatment - but first you need to catch your monkey.
0:45:41 > 0:45:45MONKEYS SCREECH
0:45:45 > 0:45:47- That was impressive.- It was.
0:45:47 > 0:45:49To catch it first time! She's brilliant at catching them.
0:45:49 > 0:45:52But I think the fact they've tolerated it so well,
0:45:52 > 0:45:54we should repeat it, definitely.
0:45:54 > 0:45:57And really with demodex, what you should be doing is bathing them
0:45:57 > 0:46:00every sort of ten days or so, until you get negative scrapes.
0:46:00 > 0:46:03You have to have two negatives several weeks apart, don't you?
0:46:03 > 0:46:05Absolutely, yeah.
0:46:05 > 0:46:08But it's going to take a while for those skin lesions to go down,
0:46:08 > 0:46:11- but it's a very odd presentation for demodex.- It's really strange.
0:46:11 > 0:46:13But it doesn't look any worse, which is good.
0:46:13 > 0:46:16And again it's the logistics - if you've got to anaesthetise them
0:46:16 > 0:46:18every time you bath them, it's quite a big deal, you know.
0:46:18 > 0:46:20There you go, well done.
0:46:20 > 0:46:21MONKEY SCREECHES
0:46:21 > 0:46:23Do you want to put him back, Jody?
0:46:23 > 0:46:24I think he's really cross!
0:46:26 > 0:46:28Today I've learnt so much.
0:46:28 > 0:46:30I've learnt so much about these animals,
0:46:30 > 0:46:31and it's been really enjoyable.
0:46:31 > 0:46:34I didn't feel like I was really doing any work,
0:46:34 > 0:46:38I just felt like I was at the zoo and it was really good
0:46:38 > 0:46:42because Mark was giving me my own guided, personal tour.
0:46:42 > 0:46:45And it's good news for Slasher the penguin -
0:46:45 > 0:46:48he's fully recovered from his sore throat.
0:46:48 > 0:46:51His appetite has now picked up, he's improved fantastically.
0:46:51 > 0:46:55He's actually out in the pool at the moment with the Humboldts,
0:46:55 > 0:46:58swimming around and really looking very good to me,
0:46:58 > 0:46:59we are really happy with him.
0:46:59 > 0:47:03He's recovered his appetite but the jury's out on whether Slasher
0:47:03 > 0:47:06will ever recover from his broken heart.
0:47:06 > 0:47:09When penguins mate, they mate for life.
0:47:09 > 0:47:12But the zoo is on the lookout for a new girlfriend for him,
0:47:12 > 0:47:16so Slasher may yet find love a second time around.
0:47:30 > 0:47:32- CAMERAMAN:- What're you up to?
0:47:33 > 0:47:37I'm going to see how Marnie's doing, she's still in recovery,
0:47:37 > 0:47:40just recovering from her general anaesthetic.
0:47:40 > 0:47:42Judy and the team have been trying
0:47:42 > 0:47:44to identify Marnie's mystery illness.
0:47:44 > 0:47:47What have they done? There.
0:47:47 > 0:47:50The good news is she doesn't have an infection.
0:47:50 > 0:47:53We had the results back, which has confirmed our suspicion
0:47:53 > 0:47:55that she has got this type of meningitis.
0:47:55 > 0:47:58She'll probably stay in for a couple of days,
0:47:58 > 0:48:01while we start her on some steroids.
0:48:01 > 0:48:05They're really good at suppressing the immune system, and because
0:48:05 > 0:48:09it's the immune system that's causing all the pain that she's getting,
0:48:09 > 0:48:14hopefully the steroids that we put her on will stop the pain.
0:48:14 > 0:48:17On the up side, the great thing for Marnie is that SRMA,
0:48:17 > 0:48:21in many cases, is totally treatable. It is the kind of disease she's never
0:48:21 > 0:48:24going to get rid of it, because it's an immune disease,
0:48:24 > 0:48:26probably it will come back,
0:48:26 > 0:48:30but again we just put em back on the good old steroids and it goes away
0:48:30 > 0:48:33and so, the cycle continues throughout the rest of her life.
0:48:34 > 0:48:36Marnie!
0:48:36 > 0:48:39Judy's clearly bonded with Marnie.
0:48:39 > 0:48:42Now though, she's going to have to say goodbye
0:48:42 > 0:48:47and parting with her patients is another thing Judy will have to get used to as a vet.
0:48:48 > 0:48:54Yes, you've been through a lot today, haven't you, hmm?
0:48:54 > 0:48:56It's been a long day.
0:49:00 > 0:49:02And it's not over yet.
0:49:02 > 0:49:05Judy now needs to get her own results back
0:49:05 > 0:49:07from senior vet Karin Allenspach.
0:49:07 > 0:49:11Last hurdle is we have to go and get our grades and well,
0:49:11 > 0:49:15our feedback generally, so we're just queuing up to do that.
0:49:15 > 0:49:17How's this week been going for you?
0:49:17 > 0:49:20- Good, I've enjoyed it, really enjoyed it, yeah.- Good, OK.
0:49:20 > 0:49:22We have good feedback for you.
0:49:22 > 0:49:25Don't be too hard on yourself
0:49:25 > 0:49:28- because you do know things, don't you?- Yeah, yeah.
0:49:28 > 0:49:31You're just one of these people -
0:49:31 > 0:49:33it's a personality thing, I'm guessing -
0:49:33 > 0:49:36but you're one of these people who always feels that you need to defend yourself
0:49:36 > 0:49:41if you say something wrong and you don't, just because it's Judy.
0:49:41 > 0:49:46Well, I just think, you know, I hate getting things wrong and then...
0:49:46 > 0:49:49- Don't think, "Oh, no, I don't know that," because you do.- OK.
0:49:49 > 0:49:52Thank you, Karin. Cheers then, see ya!
0:49:59 > 0:50:02Clever lady, saw through me, darn it!
0:50:02 > 0:50:05But no, it was really good, I was really happy with that feedback.
0:50:07 > 0:50:10Judy's brilliant, everyone knows who she is,
0:50:10 > 0:50:14she's always willing to help everybody and she's quite a morale booster as well,
0:50:14 > 0:50:16because she always comes in with a smiley face.
0:50:18 > 0:50:21I think she will be missed, yeah.
0:50:25 > 0:50:29I think one of the weirdest patients I've seen, they've got this kind
0:50:29 > 0:50:34of ball of fluff sat on their lap, that looks kind of small dog size.
0:50:34 > 0:50:37And brought it in, it turns out it's not a dog, it's a racoon!
0:50:37 > 0:50:40And they've brought a raccoon in, on a lead into the vet's.
0:50:40 > 0:50:41As you do.
0:50:41 > 0:50:43And what was wrong with it?
0:50:43 > 0:50:45It was just coming in for a health check.
0:50:45 > 0:50:47I wouldn't even know where to start!
0:50:47 > 0:50:49TOY SQUEAKS
0:50:56 > 0:50:59A week on, Hughie's owners have made the tough decision to use
0:50:59 > 0:51:03a potentially lethal drug to correct his irregular heartbeat.
0:51:03 > 0:51:06It's Hughie's only chance of competing again,
0:51:06 > 0:51:10so Jo and the vet team in Kent will need to keep a constant watch over him.
0:51:12 > 0:51:14It's a really unusual thing to get to see
0:51:14 > 0:51:18and I'm really lucky to see it cos I quite enjoy cardiology.
0:51:18 > 0:51:20I like how it all works.
0:51:24 > 0:51:26It can be a long process,
0:51:26 > 0:51:31we give him a dose of a drug called quinidine every two hours and he can
0:51:31 > 0:51:35have up to seven doses so that could potentially be a 14-hour day.
0:51:35 > 0:51:39I'm going in at 45 degrees and then down, and then pushing my side out.
0:51:39 > 0:51:43Also, the drug that we're giving is really quite a dangerous drug,
0:51:43 > 0:51:45it can cause some nasty side effects.
0:51:45 > 0:51:49Good boy, Hughie! Well done.
0:51:49 > 0:51:55Best-case scenario is that he returns to a normal heart rhythm pretty quickly,
0:51:55 > 0:51:58so after a few doses of quinidine,
0:51:58 > 0:52:02in which case we would hope he would remain in a normal rhythm
0:52:02 > 0:52:07and would have a normal life, be able to continue eventing
0:52:07 > 0:52:09which is what the rider's hoping to do with him.
0:52:11 > 0:52:13But there are occasional instances
0:52:13 > 0:52:16when horses have serious reactions to this.
0:52:16 > 0:52:21Worst-case scenario is that he dies as a result of the treatment.
0:52:24 > 0:52:25The first dose of quinidine
0:52:25 > 0:52:29is administered via a sterile plastic glove,
0:52:29 > 0:52:32normally used for rectal examinations.
0:52:32 > 0:52:35Because it is not a particularly nice drug, if we have that
0:52:35 > 0:52:37in a funnel and he starts throwing his head around and starts
0:52:37 > 0:52:42spraying quinidine everywhere, then...it's not ideal.
0:52:44 > 0:52:46Yeah, lovely.
0:52:46 > 0:52:48- CAMERAMAN:- Where's the tube going?
0:52:48 > 0:52:50The tube goes down into his stomach,
0:52:50 > 0:52:55so the quinidine is quite irritant to the membranes
0:52:55 > 0:52:58in the mouth, which is why we give it straight into the stomach.
0:53:00 > 0:53:03- Oh.- Good boy.
0:53:03 > 0:53:09We had to watch him really closely, he had his ECG wires on him 24-7
0:53:09 > 0:53:13and they were connected to a transmitter which gave us
0:53:13 > 0:53:16an ECG on the laptop in the office.
0:53:16 > 0:53:21What will probably happen is that as the quinidine starts to work,
0:53:21 > 0:53:25his heart rate will go up and those sort of teeth, if you like,
0:53:25 > 0:53:30will hopefully get bigger, so you have a more coarse baseline there.
0:53:30 > 0:53:34So rather than sort of wobbling at a high frequency,
0:53:34 > 0:53:38they'll start hopefully to contract with lower frequency
0:53:38 > 0:53:42and then you'll start to see proper waves of contraction appearing.
0:53:47 > 0:53:50He's looking all right, he's not showing any signs of laminitis,
0:53:50 > 0:53:56or a low blood pressure, and even though he's a bit miserable,
0:53:56 > 0:53:59I'd be miserable too if I was not given any food
0:53:59 > 0:54:01and made to stand still for ages.
0:54:02 > 0:54:05He's not looking ill or anything like that yet,
0:54:05 > 0:54:09so yeah, he's OK to have another dose.
0:54:09 > 0:54:13Good boy! Good boy!
0:54:13 > 0:54:17Throughout the day, Hughie's given five more doses of quinidine.
0:54:17 > 0:54:19There's no adverse reaction,
0:54:19 > 0:54:22but Hughie's heartbeat still hasn't corrected.
0:54:23 > 0:54:26- Oh, well, bit more time.- Yep.
0:54:26 > 0:54:30It was a little bit frustrating that he wasn't converting after
0:54:30 > 0:54:34so many doses he still had an irregular rhythm.
0:54:34 > 0:54:37Overnight the team will try just one more dose.
0:54:37 > 0:54:43They can only hope that it works, or Hughie's eventing days will be over.
0:54:43 > 0:54:47We're kind of betting on whether he's going to convert before
0:54:47 > 0:54:49he needs this next dose, so we're keeping our fingers crossed.
0:54:49 > 0:54:53But, yeah, there'll be vets here, all throughout the night
0:54:53 > 0:54:56to check on him and to give him more doses if he needs them.
0:55:01 > 0:55:03It's been a long wait,
0:55:03 > 0:55:07but the next morning there's some good news at last.
0:55:07 > 0:55:11After one more dose, Hughie's heart rate finally normalises.
0:55:11 > 0:55:16Suddenly we have this change from the abnormal rhythm here,
0:55:16 > 0:55:19and then suddenly a very regular beat.
0:55:19 > 0:55:23It's like a switch, he was back into normal rhythm and the rate
0:55:23 > 0:55:26of his heart was very steady, it was about 50 beats per minute.
0:55:26 > 0:55:30- Fantastic.- And he's remained in normal rhythm this morning.
0:55:30 > 0:55:34The drug is working its way out of his system and he's much brighter and happier
0:55:34 > 0:55:37- and he's tucking into his food again.- Oh, very good news.
0:55:37 > 0:55:40So very good news for me, yes, very good news.
0:55:40 > 0:55:41Everyone was so happy!
0:55:41 > 0:55:44It was such a long waiting game, but everyone was so happy
0:55:44 > 0:55:47when he finally converted back to a normal rhythm.
0:55:50 > 0:55:54Just two weeks later, Hughie is back home at Headcorn, in Kent,
0:55:54 > 0:55:56and fit enough to ride.
0:55:57 > 0:56:02I'm really pleased how quickly his condition is coming back.
0:56:02 > 0:56:05So hopefully that will carry on and certainly his appetite is back,
0:56:05 > 0:56:07which is one thing I was so worried about.
0:56:07 > 0:56:10It did take a few days after he'd had the quinidine,
0:56:10 > 0:56:13but now he's eating, and eating like a horse.
0:56:16 > 0:56:20Well, my first thoughts were, that's it, and then to find out
0:56:20 > 0:56:25that there is something that you can do about it is great,
0:56:25 > 0:56:28and then it has worked so I'm really relieved,
0:56:28 > 0:56:31he's a very special horse to me.
0:56:31 > 0:56:33Hughie's doing really well now,
0:56:33 > 0:56:37he's back to his normal athletic self and back in training
0:56:37 > 0:56:42and back competing and his heart hasn't caused him any problems since.
0:56:59 > 0:57:01Four months after her surgery,
0:57:01 > 0:57:04Polly is very much back on her feet -
0:57:04 > 0:57:06all three of them.
0:57:06 > 0:57:10We're very happy to have her back. On the 19th February,
0:57:10 > 0:57:13we couldn't have foreseen that this would actually be the case,
0:57:13 > 0:57:16that she'd still be here.
0:57:16 > 0:57:19Push, that's our girl!
0:57:19 > 0:57:22Mark and Diane rescued Polly when she was 18 months old
0:57:22 > 0:57:25and she quickly became part of the family.
0:57:25 > 0:57:29But after the accident, they never expected she would come back home
0:57:29 > 0:57:32and certainly not as fit and happy as she ever was.
0:57:32 > 0:57:36The only concession that we make is that we don't really want her
0:57:36 > 0:57:39jumping in and out of the car so we have a ramp for her now,
0:57:39 > 0:57:43cos that saves jarring the remaining leg.
0:57:43 > 0:57:47Uh, but otherwise, we treat her as a normal dog.
0:57:47 > 0:57:50We have got Polly back, definitely, definitely.
0:57:50 > 0:57:51- BOTH:- Polly, come!
0:57:51 > 0:57:55And for Charlie, helping to save Polly's life has been
0:57:55 > 0:57:58one of the highlights of his final year.
0:57:58 > 0:58:01Yeah, I took quite a lot away from Polly's case
0:58:01 > 0:58:04and being able to see how well she recovered from her amputation
0:58:04 > 0:58:07was really inspiring for me.
0:58:07 > 0:58:08SHE WHISTLES
0:58:12 > 0:58:15Lovely, isn't it?
0:58:15 > 0:58:17She came in completely flat and life-threatening
0:58:17 > 0:58:20and then went home fixed!
0:58:20 > 0:58:21Minus a leg.