Pennod 6 Bywyd y Fet

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-From elderly patients...

-..to those newly born.

-From the domestic...

-From the domestic...

-

-Is he eating and drinking?

-..to farm animals.

-..to farm animals.

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-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?

-Who knows what they will 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 amputate.

-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!

-There we are. Job done!

-Anglesey is vet Gwyn's destination

-today.

-As he was raised on the island...

-..he tries to spend one day

-a week here treating farm animals.

-Today, he's attending a calf

-that has a nasty hernia.

-This is the hernia.

-It's retracted a little

-because the calf is on its back.

-There's a hole there.

-I can insert my finger into it.

-If I leave it, the intestine

-could strangulate and kill him.

-We'll operate on him

-and repair the hole.

-I'll stitch it up.

-What are the bags for?

-They are to cover his dirty feet,

-so that if he kicks his legs...

-..he won't drop dirt into the wound.

-I'm putting gloves on him

-to keep the dirt away.

-Cattle are hardy creatures.

-Carrying out an operation on the

-floor of a barn is quite usual.

-But you must clean the animal

-thoroughly first.

-Gwyn has given the calf

-an anaesthetic jab...

-..before starting the treatment.

-He has to put a tube down his throat

-to help him breathe.

-Could you hold his head back?

-Hold it right back.

-I'm trying to get this

-into his windpipe.

-A calf like this

-is more of a risk...

-..because he has so much muscle,

-equal to the size of his lungs.

-There was less of a safety net

-with the anaesthetic.

-Although Gwyn is working

-on a barn floor...

-..the surgery is

-just as technical...

-..as it would be

-in a vet's operating theatre.

-What I've done now

-is dissect the sack.

-Every hernia has a sack which

-protrudes from the stomach.

-I'm just dissecting it so I can see

-exactly where the sides are.

-A hernia is when part

-of an animal's insides...

-..protrudes through the stomach.

-If left untreated, the effect

-on the intestines can be fatal.

-I have to be very careful just in

-case the intestine is sticking out.

-I don't want to cut the intestine.

-The intestine is a long tube.

-There'd be quite a mess if I cut it.

-I'd have to restitch it.

-That's the hernia sack.

-There's the hole

-where it was part of the stomach.

-I've trimmed the hole.

-This is the hole that's left.

-I have to stitch it up.

-It has to take some weight,

-so the stitches have to be robust.

-They have to take the weight of the

-calf's stomach and the calf itself.

-That's why I'm using nylon

-instead of catgut.

-It should last forever.

-Over at the Llanrwst practice,

-Roy, the sheepdog...

-..has come in for an acupuncture

-session with vet, Mary...

-..who specialises

-in this sort of treatment.

-Roy is eleven years old...

-..and has been Glyn's faithful

-working dog since he was a puppy.

-He is about to retire

-from farm work.

-But Glyn is keen that he has a good

-quality of life in his retirement.

-The three stages of life in humans

-also apply to animals.

-Unfortunately,

-this is all part of getting old.

-Working dogs tend to age

-more quickly.

-They're out in all weathers.

-They work hard.

-They have a proper place to sleep...

-..but they are out in the elements

-all day.

-Also, this dog had a lot of energy

-when he was young.

-He was terrible for jumping fences

-and gates.

-Perhaps that's catching up

-with him now.

-Glyn has tried him on

-anti-inflammatories...

-..and it worked a bit, but not

-as much as he would have liked.

-So we discussed trying acupuncture

-as another option for him.

-I'd rather try this sort of thing

-than giving him more drugs.

-If he has too many painkilling

-drugs...

-..it will affect the other organs

-in his body.

-The session includes him coming in.

-He sits on the table.

-I'm placing very fine,

-solid needles...

-..into certain points on Roy.

-Those points are based on channels

-or meridian lines...

-..as the Chinese

-like to call them.

-These are basically to do with

-where the nerves run...

-..and where they come out

-of the spine...

-..and where they go into his legs...

-..or other affected areas.

-I put needles centrally

-along his spine...

-..and then some within

-his affected legs.

-Mostly on borders between nerves

-and muscles.

-Those seem to be the best areas

-to effect a response from him.

-This is alternative medicine.

-I think we should be looking more

-to alternative medicine.

-It focuses more on the patient...

-..rather than on the disease.

-He's had about six sessions now...

-..and it seems to have done

-a really good job.

-He's brighter.

-He wants to go working more.

-He's jumping things again.

-That's really good.

-He seems really happy.

-He's certainly enjoying things more

-because he feels better.

-The biggest effect is psychological.

-He feels better,

-so that gives him confidence.

-That's a sign

-that he's in less pain.

-He's been a good dog

-and you think a lot of him.

-Yes, he's done his best for me, so I

-feel I should do my best for him.

-It's nice for the vet

-to see a patient get better.

-But it isn't always like that.

-In Bala, Manon is treating a calf

-in a serious condition...

-..after a night of diarrhoea.

-This calf has suffered heatstroke

-and is very dehydrated.

-His eyes are sunken and he's weak.

-He's had diarrhoea as well.

-We're going to put him on a drip

-overnight...

-..and get as many fluids into him

-as we can.

-Manon has to work quickly

-as the calf is very young...

-..and could deteriorate suddenly.

-I'm not super hopeful

-about this calf.

-What are you giving him?

-I'm putting fluids into his veins.

-I'm trying to get as much

-into him as I can.

-It can be difficult

-to find a vein...

-..when they're as dehydrated

-as this.

-A good vein is essential in order

-for the drip to be effective.

-But with the animal so poorly,

-the veins have become flat...

-..and difficult to find.

-Nothing is taking. Manon has to give

-up trying to find a vein.

-There is some doubt as to whether

-the calf is still alive.

-Yes, he's gone.

-Manon confirms that the calf

-is dead.

-Unfortunately, calves can become

-very ill very quickly.

-It's a challenge for the farmer

-and the vet to treat them in time.

-Over on Anglesey, there is better

-news for this calf.

-The hernia operation has been

-successful.

-Gwyn is satisfied

-that the problem is solved.

-I'm just applying a spray

-to seal the hole...

-..and keep out the insects.

-But it's not all good news.

-Not for the calf, anyway.

-Gwyn is going to perform another

-operation while he's here.

-He's going to castrate him.

-He's a good calf

-and would be a good bull...

-..but because of the hernia,

-he can't be used as a bull.

-So I'm going to take this

-opportunity to castrate him.

-After making a small hole

-in the sack...

-..Gwyn removes the testicles

-with his hands.

-It looks like a cruel treatment...

-..but this is the safest and

-healthiest way to neuter a calf.

-I just need to give him a quick jab.

-An antibiotic injection to finish,

-and the calf is back on his feet.

-He's a little shaky,

-but who can blame the poor thing.

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-Wow, now!

-Near Ruthin,

-Dyfrig has to catch his patient.

-Come on! Good girl!

-Wow!

-Dyfrig has to give Coco something

-to sedate her...

-..before Lee, the horse dentist,

-can begin his work.

-Here you are, Coco! Good girl, Coco!

-She knows what's coming.

-There you go! Worst bit over.

-Good girl.

-Now we're the boss.

-Because her nose is crooked,

-as you see here...

-..her front teeth have turned.

-They prevent her from moving her jaw

-like she should.

-It also means that her back teeth

-are not quite right either.

-Lee has come to help us today.

-I've sedated her. We can't do

-anything without sedating her.

-Lee is going to file down her teeth

-so she can eat more easily.

-She's lost some weight lately.

-I'm here today,

-purely for restraint.

-Lee is putting the gag on now,

-so that he can open the mouth...

-..and put his hand inside

-and examine the back teeth.

-Although the front teeth

-seem out of place...

-..they are not as important

-for eating.

-It's the back teeth

-that do all the work.

-Usually, a vet can file down

-a horse's teeth by hand.

-But because of the extreme condition

-of Coco's teeth...

-..they need to call in an expert

-and his electric grinder.

-If Coco did not get this treatment

-regularly...

-..she wouldn't be able to eat and

-would eventually starve to death.

-Horses' teeth are totally different

-from human teeth.

-They continue to grow

-throughout their life.

-That's why we have

-to file their teeth.

-This is a very extreme case.

-It's not often that we see

-something like this.

-An ordinary horse will just have

-the sharp points filed down.

-I usually do it manually

-with a rasp.

-I just file down the sharp points...

-..and that's all that's required.

-It's not quite a Hollywood smile...

-..but Coco's teeth

-look a lot better now.

-Back at the surgery for small

-animals in Ruthin...

-..they're about to get very busy.

-Gwion and Annest have arrived...

-..with a crate full of

-cocker spaniel puppies.

-They are here for vaccination

-and microchipping.

-But keeping seven puppies and two

-enthusiastic owners in order...

-..is quite a challenge.

-Stop!

-Gwion and Annest are delighted

-with the puppies.

-The puppies are delighted

-with them too. Poor Dad!

-What do you like about that one?

-Sometimes he sleeps

-and sometimes he gives me kisses.

-And sometimes he runs after us.

-He likes running.

-But they're not so fond of vet,

-Sarah.

-Or of the chipping, anyway.

-They've already had one painful

-injection...

-..so they're expecting the worst.

-I'm going to insert a microchip.

-I don't know if she's going to cry.

-Oh yes!

-Because they've already

-had an injection...

-..they feel the microchip

-being inserted more...

-..because they're expecting it.

-There we are. She now has a number.

-Are they all wearing different

-collars?

-Yes.

-PUPPY CRIES

-Gwion knows very well that this

-treatment is worth the pain.

-If a dog gets lost

-and someone finds it...

-..they can take it to a vet

-who can scan their microchip...

-..and then they will know

-who owns it.

-It's like a circus in here.

-The puppies are taking over.

-They're determined

-to leave their mark too.

-One of them's done a wiggle!

-One of them's done a wiggle!

-

-Uh-oh!

-Put them in the cage.

-Are you alright, pup?

-Seven puppies have been vaccinated

-and microchipped.

-Only one fell off the table. Time

-to go home for Gwion and Annest.

-Back home on the farm, Roy has

-perked up since his acupuncture.

-When a sheepdog has worked for

-the same farmer all his life...

-..the two become very fond

-of each other.

-I had a similar dog fifteen

-or twenty years ago.

-He had trouble with his joints

-as he got older.

-They put him on

-anti-inflammatories...

-..but within six months, they had

-damaged his liver and his kidneys.

-I didn't want that to happen to Roy,

-if at all possible.

-He's given me his best years.

-You can't expect anyone

-to give more than that.

-He's certainly done that.

-To illustrate how faithful

-he is...

-..and the fact that he won't go

-with anyone except me...

-..when he was about three years old,

-I sold him.

-I had three dogs

-and I only needed two.

-There was one older than Roy,

-and that one was too old to sell.

-The other one wasn't fully trained.

-But I decided to sell

-the middle one.

-Six months after selling him...

-..I found out that he wouldn't work

-for the person I sold him to.

-I telephoned him, bought the dog

-back and went to fetch him.

-Fair play to the farmer, he had

-a lovely environment for him.

-He'd looked after him really well,

-despite the dog refusing to work.

-I took him to the field and

-he worked for me straightaway.

-That shows how obedient, loyal

-and devoted he was to me.

-I think there are more important

-things to look for in a dog.

-His temperament is excellent.

-He isn't afraid of people and

-nothing distracts him from his work.

-You see many dogs constantly

-stopping and lying down.

-That's not what makes

-a good sheepdog.

-He has the two most important

-elements in a dog.

-Once you have those two,

-you're half way to a very good dog.

-The acupuncture has raised

-his spirits significantly.

-He's a much happier dog.

-He's still a bit stiff sometimes...

-..but he's definitely happier.

-I would recommend trying

-acupuncture...

-..to anyone in a similar situation

-to Roy.

-As you can see, he wouldn't have

-been able to work with the sheep...

-..like that a year ago

-without being in pain.

-Coco, the horse

-with the crooked mouth...

-..can now enjoy a bagful of hay

-after his dental treatment.

-The calf that had the hernia removed

-and two other valuable objects...

-..is happy and back with his mother.

-Next time on Bywyd y Fet...

-Nelson the dog is in trouble again.

-Some dogs are accident-prone.

-I'll just get my...oh Nelson!

-You can get him down, if you like.

-It's a difficult decision for Alex.

-His horse isn't going to get better.

-She's quite old.

-She has a few other health issues.

-It's not looking good.

-S4C Subtitles by Testun Cyf.

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