Pennod 5 Bywyd y Fet

-Subtitles

-

-Subtitles

-From elderly patients...

-..to those newly born.

-From the domestic...

-From the domestic...

-

-Is he eating and drinking?

-..to farm animals.

-..to farm animals.

-

-He doesn't like that!

-The usual clients.

-And the unexpected.

-These are the creatures Wern

-Veterinary Surgeons have to treat.

-You're alright. What's the matter?

-Goodness only knows what they face

-when they go to work in the morning.

-This is a very extreme case.

-They turn their hand to the old

-techniques as well as the new.

-The work of a vet is never dull.

-If we don't succeed...

-..if I'm not happy with the fix,

-we'll have to break the leg.

-Good morning, Wern Vets.

-Wern Veterinary Surgeons

-have six sites.

-They treat all kinds of animals

-across North East Wales.

-In this series, we'll experience

-the ups and downs of the Wern vets.

-And we'll have a close look

-at the life of a vet.

-Good girl!

-That's it. Job done!

-Although the practice has

-almost 70 members of staff...

-..vets, nurses and administrators...

-..they'd all be lost

-without this man.

-Glyn, the man with the van.

-Good morning, Sioned.

-How are you?

-Is there a lot of work today?

-Let's have a look.

-Glyn starts work very early

-each day.

-His first task is to look in the

-book to see what he has to do.

-I look at the book to see

-what has to be done.

-I then put everything ready to go

-in the van and load it up.

-Glyn's part in the complex jigsaw

-of veterinary work is all-important.

-He is the person who transports,

-goods, drugs...

-..and the occasional animal,

-between the six sites.

-I'm very happy in my work.

-I help the vets sometimes

-by going to the farms...

-..and taking them something

-they've forgotten.

-I travel back and fore

-between the surgeries.

-Is anyone going to Denbigh today?

-Yes, they should be.

-This stuff can stay here then.

-Yes, the vets will take it.

-Glyn has worked for the practice

-for five years.

-He enjoys the variety

-that comes with the job.

-He travels many miles

-across North East Wales every day...

-..chatting with vets and clients

-on his way.

-He knows that a warm welcome and

-a cup of tea awaits him in Bala.

-And a nice chat with receptionist,

-Ffion.

-Hi, Glyn.

-Did you have a good holiday?

-Yes, it was great.

-A cuppa?

-Yes, please.

-Whose is this dog?

-Whose is this dog?

-

-It's Alex's dog.

-He's a bit of company.

-It's nice to have company sometimes.

-How's it going? Are you busy?

-Not bad. It's just ops today.

-We don't have anything booked

-in this afternoon.

-Glyn was a farmer before he started

-working at Y Wern.

-He has worked with animals

-all his life.

-He is glad of the chance to continue

-with that in his new career.

-No chocolate biscuits today?

-No, we haven't got any.

-At the morning surgery

-in Abergele...

-..Nala has come to have

-her stitches taken out...

-..after an operation on her leg.

-It's this little dog's turn first.

-But he doesn't want to walk past

-the big dog.

-She must look like a giant to him!

-John is in charge of the surgery

-this morning.

-This is an X-ray we took

-of Nala's leg.

-She'd been lame

-for about three months.

-She's a big dog and is growing fast.

-Yes, Nala is big.

-But size isn't everything!

-Breeds such as the Great Dane often

-have problems with the bones...

-..because they grow so quickly.

-What this shows is that there's

-a small piece of bone here...

-..in her elbow that has come loose

-and is giving her pain.

-She can't walk very well.

-The operation was to open up the

-joint and remove the piece of bone.

-Usually, where a joint has been

-operated on...

-..arthritis develops

-as they get older.

-But now, it's much better

-than it was before the operation.

-The bone was moving about

-and causing pain in her leg.

-Hold her head there for a minute.

-Good girl!

-It's a bit swollen

-around the stitches.

-It was swollen

-when we came in last time.

-It will go down in time.

-Considering that

-she's only a year old...

-..she's grown as much as child

-would in eighteen years.

-This is why they have trouble

-with their joints.

-They grow so quickly that their

-bones don't form as they should.

-Joint problems and pieces of bone

-coming loose...

-..are a common problem

-in large dogs.

-They don't live as long either.

-Large dogs live to be about nine

-or ten years old.

-A Jack Russell or a Chihuahua can

-live to be twenty years old.

-The body has to work harder

-and they can develop heart problems.

-When they reach six

-or seven years old...

-..their heartbeat isn't as regular

-as it was in puppies.

-People say that seven human years

-equals one dog year...

-..but it depends on

-the size of the dog.

-Leave that alone now.

-Don't wash it or anything.

-The swelling will go down in time.

-While Nala is in the surgery, John

-administers her annual vaccination.

-This gives her immunity to diseases.

-This is the first one

-she's had since she was little.

-Not that she's ever been little!

-They have to be vaccinated

-every year.

-To protect them from diseases

-like distemper and parvovirus.

-There are five different components

-to the vaccine.

-Good girl, Nala!

-And so Nala, the queen of dogs,

-is ready to go home.

-Thank you.

-Thank you.

-

-Thank you very much.

-Come on, Nala.

-Come on, Nala.

-

-She doesn't want to go!

-Today, Eleri has been called

-to an equine farm near Bala...

-..to carry out dental work.

-Mrs Oxbury asked us to carry out

-dental work on horses.

-There are five horses that need

-their teeth checked and filed.

-At least I'm not pregnant this time!

-Generally, we just check that there

-are no sharp teeth in the mouth...

-..which makes it uncomfortable

-for them to eat.

-When being ridden,

-they play with the bit...

-..instead of settling to their work.

-You might not like this,

-but we'll see how we get on.

-We'll say hello first.

-Animals like these live longer...

-..and their teeth are "constantly

-erupting", as we say.

-The teeth have very long roots...

-..and they continue to grow

-throughout their lives.

-Before she can do anything...

-..Eleri has to tie the speculum,

-or gag around Harmony's mouth...

-..to keep the mouth open

-so that she can put her hand in...

-..to feel the teeth

-without being bitten.

-I've just put the gag

-in the mare's mouth.

-She's a young pony.

-She's only four years old.

-She's a bit nervous,

-so I'm just going to feel first...

-..to see if there are any sharp bits

-on the teeth...

-..that will need to be filed down.

-The outside of the top teeth

-sometimes have a sharp point...

-..that cut into the bottom teeth.

-I try to do it without sedating them

-if I can.

-There are several types of tools

-for filing the teeth.

-It depends on the size

-of the horse's mouth...

-..and the type of teeth

-that need to be filed.

-I use this rasp

-to treat the back teeth.

-As you can imagine, they are quite

-far in, so you need the length.

-You grip the handle

-to manoeuvre the tool.

-Again, we do this by touching.

-Then, we have other rasps

-that are a bit shorter.

-These make it easier to reach

-the top teeth in the centre.

-There's more leverage

-because the handle is shorter.

-Wild horses do not need

-this treatment...

-..because they eat harder foodstuffs

-and their teeth wear down naturally.

-Domestic horses eat softer food...

-..and their teeth grow too much

-and are worn down unevenly.

-Eleri doesn't have much time

-as Harmony will get restless soon.

-There is a bit of a time limit...

-..in terms of how long

-they'll keep their mouth open.

-It's like us at the dentist,

-when we have to keep our mouth open.

-Our jaws ache after a while.

-Horses are just the same.

-It's quite a physical job

-and is very hard work.

-It doesn't look like it, but you

-have to apply a lot of pressure.

-People who do it all the time

-must have amazing arms.

-You can feel your muscles

-being worked.

-Isn't that nice? What a brave girl!

-Oh! You're lovely!

-She was a model patient.

-Glyn leaves Bala

-after his morning cuppa.

-Glyn changed direction

-after years of dairy farming.

-I was a dairy farmer.

-I gave up dairy farming and went

-into keeping suckler cows and sheep.

-At the age of sixty,

-I decided it was time to move on.

-I have two daughters

-who aren't interested in farming.

-I was lucky to sell the farm

-to Dyfrig who's a vet.

-He is very happy there.

-He still keeps animals on the farm.

-It's nice to see that there are

-still cattle and sheep there.

-I go there sometimes to help out.

-I don't like sitting around

-doing nothing.

-It's worked out very well.

-The van can be seen in and around

-the lanes of North Wales.

-It involves a lot of driving.

-Glyn's next stop is in Llanrwst.

-Collecting chilled goods

-is one of his jobs.

-He must check

-the samples refrigerator...

-..and the drugs refrigerator...

-..in case there's anything

-to take back to Ruthin.

-Hello! How are you, Sian?

-Fine, thanks.

-It's warm today.

-There's some stuff to be taken

-from the fridge.

-OK, thanks.

-These are due to expire

-at the end of the month.

-Are they fridge items?

-Yes.

-I'll just see

-if there's anything else.

-OK, thanks.

-I've turned up occasionally

-and forgotten to check the fridges.

-Then I've been asked

-where are the fridge items.

-And they're still in Ruthin.

-Mostly, they find

-they don't need them.

-But once, I had to go back

-to fetch them.

-I don't think there's anything else.

-Have you checked the samples?

-Have you checked the samples?

-

-There's nothing in the fridge.

-We're OK then. See you tomorrow.

-Glyn and his van are off to Abergele

-to see what's to do there.

-.

-Subtitles

-Subtitles

-

-Subtitles

-Eleri is still doing

-her dental work in Bala.

-The next horse is likely

-to be a bit more troublesome.

-This is Diamond.

-At her first glimpse of Diamond,

-Eleri thinks...

-..that he'll need something

-to calm him before she can begin.

-I guess I'd better

-give him something.

-I can tell just by looking at him

-that he's a bit skittish.

-I don't want to give him

-a nasty experience.

-I can tell he's going

-to hit the roof...

-..and I don't want him to get hurt.

-With sedation, if you think

-an animal will misbehave...

-..you're better off picking up

-on the vibes from the outset.

-Once they're disturbed,

-the adrenalin level rises...

-..sedation doesn't work so well.

-How old is he?

-How old is he?

-

-He's fourteen.

-Really? He behaves like

-a much younger horse.

-It's like birthing a foal or

-performing a caesarean on a cow.

-If they get angry before you sedate

-them, it's like playing catch-up.

-It's all down to experience really -

-being able to read the situation...

-..and knowing

-what's going to cause a problem.

-We might hit the roof,

-we don't know.

-I'm a bit wary.

-The dose the vet gives

-to sedate a horse...

-..depends on their size and weight.

-Diamond will stay on all-fours...

-..but the head will go down

-as the sedative starts to work.

-She's very good with needles.

-Yes, better than I expected.

-Generally, it works and you can

-concentrate on what you're doing.

-Dental work is quite difficult,

-especially if the animal moves.

-It makes you feel as if you're not

-doing a thorough job.

-It's a lot easier really.

-The sedative is starting to work.

-They don't remember what has been

-done to them after sedation.

-If there's a lot of work

-to be done on the teeth...

-..it's much easier if they're not

-fighting against you.

-Diamond is sleepy.

-Eleri can begin her work safely.

-Over in Bontuchel, near Ruthin...

-..dog breeders,

-Ifor and Mari are very busy...

-..with a new litter of Labradors

-born a few weeks ago.

-The puppies are now ready

-for their first visit to Wern Vets.

-They need to be examined

-by one of the vets.

-They're just over eight weeks

-old now.

-They're almost ready

-for their new homes.

-We're taking them to the vets'

-this afternoon...

-..to be examined and microchipped.

-They're only puppies, but two cars

-are needed to transport them.

-Vet, Erica, has the difficult job...

-..of examining

-the seven lively puppies.

-I like them because I have a black

-Labrador myself.

-This one's been here before.

-He wasn't well and was on a drip.

-Oh, bless!

-The nurses called him Grumpy.

-Last spring, it became a legal

-requirement that every new puppy...

-..be microchipped

-by the age of eight weeks.

-The chip, placed under the skin...

-..keeps a record of its details

-and its owners' details...

-..in case the dog goes missing.

-Tough cookie!

-There is just one number on the chip

-and it is unique to that dog.

-The practice or the Dogs Trust...

-..or whoever does the chipping...

-..registers the number

-against the dog's details.

-It's a good thing that Ifor and Mari

-are used to dealing with puppies.

-It's quite a job to remember

-which little black dog...

-..has been microchipped

-and which one is still waiting.

-Hello!

-Let's swap them round. Well done.

-Well done! Very brave.

-You run the scanner over the dog

-to check for the chip...

-..and then you enter the chip

-into the database.

-The number goes in and you get the

-details associated with the chip.

-Good girl! Well done!

-It's quite painful for the puppy.

-The needle is larger...

-..than the one

-I use for vaccinations.

-It's a very small hole.

-Sorry, flower. You're a good girl!

-Perfect!

-Thank you very much!

-Goodbye!

-Glyn is also in Ruthin.

-He has come to collect

-Brasier the dog.

-He needs to go back

-to the surgery in Denbigh...

-..after an eye operation.

-Transporting animals back and forth

-is an enjoyable task for Glyn.

-But he doesn't like

-all his companions.

-Sometimes a cat escapes

-from its cage while in the van.

-Once I had to bring a rat back

-from Denbigh. I don't like rats.

-Sioned offered to fetch it.

-I felt like a bit of a wimp.

-So I went to fetch it in the end.

-I managed it. I brought it back,

-but I'm not keen on rats.

-Brasier is safe

-in the back of the van.

-He'll be back at Denbigh surgery

-waiting for his owner in no time.

-Put your foot down, Glyn!

-Eleri's next client

-is a pony called Lady.

-She's quite an old lady now.

-I'll just check her heart

-because she's 24 years old.

-These small ponies

-seem to live forever.

-Hi, Lady! It's your best buddy.

-She says "not really!"

-She's quite a character.

-I've had trouble with her in the

-past because she misbehaves.

-Although she looks innocent,

-she can be quite a handful.

-Eleri wastes no time

-in sedating her.

-I don't want to fight against her...

-..because she'll jump up

-on her hind legs straight away.

-So I've sedated her before I start.

-Good girl. Well done!

-I think she's a bit more mellow

-than last time.

-Don't be fooled!

-Lady is sedated, so Eleri shouldn't

-have any trouble with her.

-Get on your knees, Eleri!

-Tooth decay is common

-in older horses.

-Lady is 24 years old, of course.

-It's important that she can chew

-her food properly...

-..to stay healthy into old age.

-This is much more civilized.

-She isn't thin, so obviously she is

-able to chew her food properly...

-..but in winter,

-when the pasture is shorter...

-..we have to make sure that her

-teeth are as good as they can be.

-In the winter, a dental problem

-can affect their overall health.

-When the grass is shorter...

-..older horses have difficulty

-getting hold of the grass...

-..and grazing properly,

-but she should be fine now.

-Lady didn't misbehave after all.

-She behaved like a real lady.

-She goes back in the stable

-to have her dinner now.

-Denbigh.

-Glyn's final stop of the day

-is the Denbigh surgery.

-Come on!

-Well done!

-You'll have to stay here

-for a minute.

-Poor Brasier just wants

-to go home now.

-But he has to go back in the cage

-for a bit first.

-Sorry, Brasier!

-There you go.

-I'll go and get his paperwork now.

-And his medicine.

-Hi, how are you?

-Fine, thanks.

-I've brought the dog back.

-Thanks very much.

-This is his medicine.

-This is his medicine.

-

-Great, thank you.

-He's had an eye operation.

-I'll phone the owner

-to come and collect him now.

-I don't think the owner

-knows that he's here.

-OK?

-Thanks.

-Thanks.

-

-Bye!

-It's the end of the day

-and every drug, sample and animal...

-..has reached its destination.

-It's time for Glyn to relax.

-He'll be back in the driving seat

-tomorrow...

-..keeping the veterinary practice

-running smoothly.

-Next time on Bywyd y Fet...

-..an emergency call-out to a calf

-that needs Gwyn's urgent attention.

-If I leave him, the intestine

-could strangulate and kill him.

-We'll operate on him

-and repair the hole.

-An acupuncture session

-for a sheepdog in pain...

-..after years of hard work

-on the farm.

-He's given me his best years.

-You can't expect more than that

-from anyone.

-S4C Subtitles by Testun Cyf.

-.