- 2 minutes ago
Category
📺
TVTranscript
00:01Across Yorkshire's Moors and Dales, the world's most famous vets set the benchmark for animal care.
00:08And James Herriot's legacy lives on.
00:13His former trainee, Peter Wright...
00:16All my life, I've enjoyed doing this.
00:18...has been a Yorkshire vet for over 40 years.
00:22There we are. How are you doing, my old mate?
00:25Peter's old partner, Julian Norton...
00:27Not quite the same as operated in theatre, is it?
00:30I know.
00:31Now has two practices.
00:33I don't want to let him go.
00:35One of them in the town where Herriot worked, surrounded by the North Yorkshire landscape he loved.
00:41Everything that you can see all across there is Yorkshire.
00:44And in the foothills of the Pennines...
00:47That's a Hollywood smile.
00:48...a new generation of town and country vets also uphold the Herriot ethos.
00:54I'm just going to have a feel a bit deeper inside, see what we've got.
00:56The teams are united...
00:59Oh!
01:00...and always determined to hit their target.
01:03Yay!
01:05Yes!
01:06...as they help animals of all shapes...
01:09It's trying to grow an extra pair of legs.
01:11...sizes...
01:12Hello, gorgeous.
01:13...types...
01:14Catch!
01:15...and temperaments.
01:17No, don't be nasty.
01:18...it's definitely not glamorous.
01:21Cut that mucus out.
01:22...but it's varied.
01:23So we've actually found gold, literally found gold.
01:26...it's rarely easy.
01:27You've won Mr. Wet t-shirt.
01:29...but they continue the Herriot tradition.
01:32It's alive.
01:33...treating all creatures...
01:34Let's move it.
01:35I can't believe it.
01:37...great...
01:39You're all right, little bird.
01:40...and small.
01:41How are we happening?
01:42Yay!
01:42Yay!
01:55The pace of life in the Yorkshire countryside...
01:59...might seem slow.
02:06...but there is sometimes...
02:08...a sense of urgency.
02:11A need for speed.
02:17Emergencies can strike anywhere.
02:21At any time.
02:24And when blue skies turn dark.
02:29That's often when the most serious blue light jobs...
02:33...come for a Yorkshire vet.
02:37Donaldson's farm and equine.
02:39No problem.
02:40I'll get one of the farm vets out to you straight away.
02:43Rohin's rushing out of the practice in Huddersfield.
02:48I'm on call tonight.
02:50I've been waiting for emergencies to come in...
02:52...and we've just had one...
02:53...that is pretty much as bad as an emergency can be.
02:56It's from a young farmer called Abby.
02:59She's just had a bit of a nightmare situation.
03:02A ewe who was struggling to give birth.
03:04The ewe has now pushed her uterus out.
03:06She's had a uterine prolapse.
03:07She's now in a dire situation.
03:09If we don't get there quick and solve the problem...
03:12...her chances of survival are rapidly fading.
03:17Every long day on the farm can come with first-time emergencies...
03:20...for 18-year-old Abby.
03:22So she...
03:23...lammed early this morning.
03:24It took a bit of pulling and a bit of massaging to...
03:27...to open it and stretch it.
03:29Within about an hour she'd pushed her prolapse out.
03:34I've never experienced anything like this.
03:37All right, Abby.
03:38Sounds like a stressful day for you.
03:39Yeah, it has been stressful, yeah.
03:44Right.
03:45It's way over here.
03:46Right, so that's as big as a prolapse as you get, I guess.
03:49You've done the right thing to call us straight away anyway.
03:51Yeah.
03:53But this is definitely as bad as they come when the whole uterus comes out like that.
03:57I think you'd struggle to be able to push that back in without having an epidural and having all these
04:01meds on board.
04:03We've got two beautiful but very hungry lambs next door.
04:07She's not been able to feed them properly.
04:09I've just moved them into a different pen just so that we can sort her and they don't get in
04:13the way or get hurt.
04:14Might need you guys to give me a hand.
04:16If we have her just sort of propped up, we want her sitting like a frog, basically.
04:21So we want to get her...
04:22Turn her up like this.
04:24Perfect.
04:24Yeah, both legs.
04:27Out to the side.
04:28Let's get this other one.
04:29Yeah, steady, steady, steady, steady.
04:31That will just help us create more room in there.
04:35If we've got a plastic bag or a bin liner or a towel or something, we can slide underneath it.
04:39I can go and grab a towel for you.
04:40That would be perfect.
04:44Obviously, at the moment, as it always happens, the uterus is covered in mud and straw and it's really contaminated.
04:50And if that all goes back inside her, then she could end up with a bigger risk,
04:55which is where they get a really overwhelming infection.
04:57Right, so that's as clean as we can get it for now.
05:01Yeah, I think this is definitely as bad as they come.
05:04So I'm hoping we've caught this in time.
05:15When a vet team is hit with an emergency, every second counts.
05:23So at the practice in Weatherby...
05:25Have you ever heard of people on reception playing who commands the phones fastest?
05:30Bev and Claire...
05:31Let's have a go.
05:34...are in training.
05:36This is cruel.
05:43Detention.
05:45Good afternoon, Sunbeck.
05:47Venture Centre.
05:47Beverly speaking.
05:49While Bev has taken the early lead...
05:51Better three than Bev.
05:53Right, you're on.
06:00Good afternoon, Sunbeck.
06:02Claire speaking.
06:03Claire might have her number.
06:06Oh no!
06:08And although there can only be one winner...
06:11Good afternoon, Sunbeck, Venture Centre. Beverly speaking.
06:15It's been a close call.
06:17I can't be a pro.
06:19Bev's obviously the absolute best.
06:22Shall I book you in at 6.15?
06:24No problem at all, we'll do that.
06:26The next patient booked in...
06:28Thanks, bye.
06:29..is an 11-year-old Dalmatian called Bobbin.
06:32Come on down here.
06:33Good girl.
06:34With Jan hoping Julian can fix an ongoing problem once and for all.
06:41She's had an ulcer on her eye and we've been on drops now for four weeks.
06:45And she's had it scraped twice and it hasn't quite worked.
06:49Very, very worried.
06:51In fact, I'm doing really well to have not been blubbering hole ready.
06:55She's very important to us.
06:58My husband has her sleeping on the bed.
07:00We end up in separate beds because the dog's on the bed.
07:03So, she rules the roost.
07:05Bobbin?
07:06Yes.
07:07Hello, Bobbin.
07:07Go on, darling.
07:08Come through.
07:14It looks like things have been going on for a while.
07:16Yes.
07:17We've been putting the drops in avidly but she's not seeming to be improving.
07:24Oh, this one?
07:24Yeah.
07:26Corneal ulcers are really painful.
07:28Mmm.
07:32The ulcer is quite deep.
07:35It's been quite persistent as well.
07:36So, what we'll need to do for these eye ulcers that aren't healing is to debride with a diamond burr.
07:43It's a bit like a pumice stone for hard feet.
07:45It rubs away the dead cells.
07:46And then it'll hopefully heal a bit better.
07:49It should work quite effectively and should kickstart the healing process.
07:52I'll take her through and then we'll give you a ring when we're done.
07:55Come on, Bobbin.
07:57Good girl.
07:57Off we go.
07:59That's it, Bobbin.
08:00Well done.
08:03Nurse Lucy has come to help with a Dalmatian.
08:06Bobbin.
08:08Bobbin is a sleepy girl.
08:10And she definitely hasn't seen 101.
08:13Shall we slide her out?
08:15Do you know what?
08:16You don't really see many Dalmatians now, do you?
08:19They're not that popular, I suppose.
08:25The problem is with doing it under anaesthetic, the third eyelid changes position.
08:30Yeah, it does.
08:31So, what we can do with these, there's two lots of anaesthetic drops.
08:35That should be enough to numb it all.
08:38What's been the problem then with Bobbin?
08:41So, Bobbin's got a corneal ulcer.
08:45Can you see it? Is it big?
08:47It's a lot easier to see now Bobbin's asleep.
08:51It looks a bit like Africa.
08:54So, we'll do a bit of burring.
09:02You just feel a little bit emotional because you just don't know what's going to happen.
09:08I just hope fingers crossed that it does the trick.
09:16Coming up...
09:17The longer the uterus is out, the more the risk of getting a toxic shock.
09:21It's all go on the maternity ward.
09:23There's another little lambing while we speak.
09:25It's all kicking off, isn't it?
09:27On shift with the fire brigade, Peter's talking animal emergencies.
09:32Have you ever been to a cat stalker portrayal?
09:34And faced with an unpredictable horse...
09:36Relax, relax, relax, relax.
09:38Matt is the firearms unit.
09:41I'll get my dart loaded up and away we go.
09:44Three, two, one.
09:47Oh.
09:53On his night shift at the Huddersfield practice...
09:56It's always a bit touch and go with prolapses.
09:59Yeah.
09:59Rohin's on an emergency call trying to save Abby's ewe, who's pushed out her uterus after having twins.
10:06Good girl.
10:08The longer the uterus is out, the more the risk of getting a toxic shock.
10:12But I think it might take quite a lot of pushing to get this all back in.
10:16Yeah.
10:18It's like handling a big water balloon almost.
10:20If you're not careful, you can put your fingers through it and cause a lot of damage there.
10:24But at the same time, you need quite a lot of force to get it through quite a small hole.
10:29It's frustrating. It goes halfway and then comes out again.
10:32And it's not just Rohin with his hands full.
10:35It's all go for 18-year-old farmer Abby.
10:38There's another one lambing while we speak.
10:40Yeah.
10:41It's all kicking off, isn't it?
10:43Well, you've had a hell of a day then.
10:44While we're doing this, another one's lambing behind us.
10:46The chaos of being a farmer or a vet at spring.
10:49Never a break.
10:52Come on, go. Nearly there.
10:55Yeah, we're getting there. Come on. Last bit. Yes.
10:58Oh, that's a relief.
11:00The good news, I can't feel any obvious tears or anything there from where we've been pushing it.
11:05I'm thinking then if next we can put a little stitch in.
11:08Yeah.
11:09Everything in her favour then to help her, I think.
11:11That's good. Yeah.
11:12Right. Awesome.
11:14Oh, no, don't push it back out.
11:16She is trying to push it back out, so...
11:19Yeah, she's doing fine.
11:21She's trying again, she really is.
11:25Good girl.
11:27She's straining so hard, she's even her...
11:29Even her bottom's trying to prolapse.
11:35That's better. Yeah.
11:36It was a close call.
11:37I got it just before it decided to come all the way out.
11:40Mm-hm.
11:46The longer it can stay in, the more it should settle down, really.
11:49Yeah.
11:49So now I can only just get a finger through a vulva there,
11:52so this has really tightened everything up.
11:55So that can be removed in about a month or so.
11:59She's had a hell of a day, hasn't she?
12:00Yeah, bless her.
12:04I'm just happy she's better.
12:05When I saw her, I was panicked.
12:08Cos I'd not seen anything like that.
12:10100%, yeah.
12:10It was definitely not a job for me.
12:14Oh, yes, well done.
12:16She's up.
12:16Perfect.
12:17We're up.
12:19Seeing that makes me a lot more relaxed now.
12:22Yeah.
12:22It's really good.
12:24Perfect.
12:26With one new mum sorted,
12:28Rohin can have a quick look at the farm's even newer arrivals.
12:32How's it looking?
12:34They're looking good.
12:35Yeah. Healthy lambs.
12:36Good.
12:37Two nice little lambs.
12:38Just trying to just clear the railways.
12:39Yeah, perfect.
12:41That's the highs and lows of farming, isn't it, for you right there?
12:44Yeah.
12:44Amazing.
12:47She's a good mum as well, isn't she?
12:48She's a very good mum.
12:49Yes.
12:50Perfect.
12:51As for a stressful day here,
12:53at least we've got ending on some good news as well.
13:01The fire brigade has been saving lives since the early 19th century.
13:08Although when it comes to them helping animals,
13:12all anyone thinks of is a cat up a tree.
13:17But up on the North York Moors,
13:19Fire Chief Nick knows these matters can get much hairier.
13:24We live in a rural area and we do get called out to quite a lot of animal rescues,
13:28which can range from domestic animals to farm animals.
13:31So it's quite important that we know how to deal with these for our own safety,
13:35as well as trying to help those animals involved.
13:38So they've invited local vet Peter to come to the station.
13:43I think as far as emergency services go, from a veteran surgeon point of view,
13:49it works both ways.
13:51Sometimes we need them, we'll call them out because we need assistance,
13:56and sometimes it's the other way around.
13:58So it's just a relationship that needs to be encouraged really.
14:05So when we look, first of all, responder safety and approaches,
14:10you've got to consider that a lot of these animals are afraid,
14:14they're frightened, they're in pain due to injury.
14:20Well, the case, a couple of years ago now,
14:23one of the deer sadly got its antlers stuck in all this twine,
14:25which had got embedded and then meshed in the ground.
14:29So as it tried to free itself,
14:30it actually just got more and more twine wrapped until it could hardly move.
14:34And what we did between us, we grabbed the antlers,
14:37so they couldn't do anybody any harm,
14:38and then we just set to work with knives cutting all this twine off these antlers.
14:44Right on, John!
14:47Hey!
14:48If we were straining by the antlers,
14:50we're not going to hurt the animal anymore, right?
14:52No, you're not going to do any harm in that respect.
14:54But again, the danger is, they're pretty powerful necks as well,
14:58so the danger is that it can still get around and catch you in the face,
15:01so that's something you've got to be very careful of.
15:04So I'm just thinking about what type of equipment you might carry
15:08when you are dealing with animals that are in need.
15:12I've used some pet oxygen masks to try and resuscitate a pet rat on one occasion.
15:17Really?
15:18Yeah. Numerous domestic pets have been involved in house fires.
15:23There's one more thing that I've got to ask you,
15:26and this is a little embarrassing.
15:28Have you ever been to a cat stuck up a tree?
15:31Actually, yes.
15:32You haven't, have you? Have you really?
15:33Yes, we have.
15:34Have you? Yeah.
15:35I've seen several cats in trees, and my advice,
15:38just leave them alone.
15:40Don't do anything.
15:41Those cats, if they're left alone,
15:44nine times out of ten,
15:46they will just come down when they're ready,
15:48and they're often gone up there
15:50because some sort of predator's been at them,
15:52something's tried to attack them,
15:54and they feel safe up there.
15:56Despite the archetypal story
15:58of the firemen going out to rescue cats,
16:01I would say, just let sleeping cats lie in that situation.
16:09Peter, when we go and do a school talk or something,
16:11we often say to the kids at the end,
16:13do you want to go in the fire engine?
16:15It's only fair that we say the same to you.
16:17Do you know, I've never been in a fire engine in me life.
16:21It'd be rude not to then, let's not pass this opportunity up.
16:24Oh, yes, please. Let's have a go.
16:26Right, up you get.
16:32Oh.
16:34Right.
16:35Brum, brum.
16:40Where are we going, aren't we?
16:42Wherever you want.
16:48At the practice in Wetherby.
16:50It looks a bit strange,
16:52but it rubs off the dead cells and the loose bits.
16:55Julian and Lucy are in theatre with Bobbin,
16:58the elderly Dalmatian.
16:59I hate watching that.
17:01Who has an ulcer on her eye.
17:04This machine is the modern way of doing it.
17:10Your eyes, you don't realise how much you need them, do you?
17:14Well, I do.
17:15I have my eyes lasered.
17:18Yeah, sure.
17:19I hope my eyes don't go bad.
17:22Once you get to 50, it happens to everybody.
17:25My eyes will go bad anyway,
17:26cos my dad's got glasses,
17:28so that don't make me feel very good.
17:30I just never like it whenever we do this procedure.
17:34Eyes are meant to feel like queasy.
17:36All right, it's done now.
17:38Done?
17:39Yeah.
17:41We'll just put these drops in,
17:43just so, and that numbs it afterwards.
17:45Oh, what's that?
17:47Oh, dear.
17:48Come on.
17:49We don't want to break any more of them, do we?
17:53Bobbin's eye has gone really well, actually.
17:55So I'm happy that all the rough edges have been removed
17:58and that should stimulate the next round of healing
18:00and she'll be good, I think.
18:02It's the first step in a sort of, hopefully,
18:05fairly short road to recovery.
18:09A few hours later...
18:11Here we are.
18:13Bobbin's owner, Jan, is back
18:15and desperate to see her.
18:18She usually pads about after everywhere in the house
18:21and it's been really felt really quiet and empty without her.
18:26So I'll be glad to have her back.
18:28And while Bobbin is delighted to see Jan...
18:31Come on, steady.
18:33..so she's quite happy.
18:35Pleased to see you.
18:36Oh, Davey.
18:38She seems keen to see the back of Julian.
18:41It went fine.
18:42It was to plan.
18:43It was to go, doesn't it?
18:45She does.
18:47There's some painkillers there,
18:49which I don't know whether she's had this before.
18:50Oh, yes, she did.
18:51It's quite a good idea to use that for the next few days.
18:54At least.
18:55And then we should check her again in a week if we can.
18:57All right.
18:58That's lovely.
18:58I'll get the door.
19:00Oh, baby.
19:01There we are.
19:04Oh, there we are, dammit.
19:13Some days a Yorkshire vet knows they're facing a tall order.
19:19Matt's heading from the Huddersfield practice to see Jordan,
19:22who's having problems with her large young horse, Prince.
19:26He knows there's something going on.
19:28Prince hasn't been conducting himself like a gentleman.
19:32We're nice to each other.
19:34He's coming.
19:36This is a rising two-year-old colt.
19:39We bought him in December from Cornwall.
19:42He's really feral.
19:44Not been handled until we bought him.
19:47Er, that's naughty.
19:48The closest you can get to him at the minute
19:50is if you've got a bucket of feed, you can touch his face,
19:54but that's about it.
19:57We're hopefully going to get him gelded today
19:59and a head collar on
20:00so we can start doing some more handling with him.
20:09Afternoon, Jordan.
20:10Hello.
20:11Thank you, Matthew. Nice to meet you.
20:12Nice to meet you.
20:13How's it going?
20:13This is Olivia, student with me.
20:15Hiya.
20:16So, Prince, what's the story?
20:18He's just not really coming round enough
20:20where he can get a head collar on and do anything
20:22and he's starting to show behaviour that we don't really want.
20:25Right, okay.
20:26When I've done these before, you can see in the face,
20:28it all looks fine and then suddenly it's like you do something they don't like
20:31and then...
20:32Oh yeah, he definitely lets you know he don't like it.
20:35Yeah.
20:35And this is his little companion, is it?
20:37Yeah, it's one of his field friends that's keeping him calm
20:40and not running round the field like a nutter because he's alone.
20:43Yes.
20:44Because he don't like being alone either.
20:46Knowing Prince won't be keen for him to get too close,
20:50Matt has a plan.
20:53Some horses, if they've not been handled,
20:55even getting near them to brush them can be quite hazardous
20:59because you're not going to argue with an animal three or four times the size of you
21:02and often darting is the safest way to deliver from sedative
21:06to make everything as controlled as possible.
21:08I've darted a lot of horses before
21:12and I've grown in my experience to know that you've often got only one shot
21:16to get them sleepy enough for you to work with.
21:18I'll get my dart loaded up, I'll get within a reasonable distance
21:21and away we go.
21:23I've got an extra pair of hands with me,
21:24I've got a cat coming to give me a hand with the castration
21:26because in these situations when you're doing operational procedures
21:29it's always good to have a second vet there.
21:33Hey Matt.
21:34You alright cat, how are you?
21:36How are you doing?
21:37I'm all good, I'm all good.
21:38Better for seeing you.
21:42There's always a degree of adrenaline when it comes to procedures like this
21:46because obviously you never know what's going to happen,
21:47you're just going to plan your best and adapt.
21:52A little bit anxious still
21:54because I don't know how he'll react.
21:56Obviously I expect he's probably going to run around a little bit,
21:59just hoping he don't try and go through the gate.
22:05Three, two, one.
22:10Lovely.
22:16Absolutely fine, straight into the muscle,
22:18so now it's just a case of leaving him as quiet as it can be,
22:2115 minutes and let's see where we're at.
22:24So far everything has gone smoothly.
22:26OK.
22:32Oh dear.
22:34He's a good boy.
22:36Steady.
22:38Steady.
22:40Are we going to bring him in this corner up here?
22:43Hey, relax, relax, relax, relax.
22:47Nearly.
22:48Nearly.
22:49We were almost there.
22:51Didn't try that again.
22:53I knew we were never going to make things simple.
22:56I think he's a little bit too aware, isn't he?
22:59Yeah, he is indeed.
23:00Prince being a bit of a tricky customer,
23:03but it's all right, we're not beaten yet.
23:06So the plan now is I'm going to give him some more sedative.
23:10So we're going to get another dose into him
23:11and hopefully that just gives us the edge.
23:17Right, take two.
23:25Three, two, one.
23:29Oh, ****.
23:34Coming up...
23:35I don't think I've ever seen a 27 years old cow.
23:39Peter's wowed and worried by a golden oldie called Big Girl.
23:44All right, all right, look, let me get him back.
23:46I don't want you to be kicked.
23:47No, I'm not keen on it myself, really.
23:49While Julian's concerned that ageing is making him little.
23:53I've shrunk.
23:54Length and round the middle.
23:56What's going on?
23:57I wish I could do that. I've got a holiday in June.
24:00Can't stop eating now.
24:07Although the breed hails from the Highlands of Scotland,
24:11the North York Moors have been home
24:13to Bridget's potentially record-breaking cow...
24:16Big Girl!
24:18Come on!
24:19..for nearly three decades.
24:22This is Big Girl.
24:23She's 27 years old.
24:25I think she could be possibly
24:27the oldest Highland cow in the country.
24:30She actually survived foot and mouth,
24:33which was absolutely amazing.
24:37But living to a grand old age does have its drawbacks.
24:42She's very stiff on her right front leg.
24:45It's a bit swollen.
24:46If she's been in pain, she may not have that long left.
24:51So to assess an experienced cow,
24:55an experienced vet.
24:58Hello, Mrs Puxley.
25:00Yes, hello, Peter. Nice to meet you.
25:01Nice to see you.
25:02Lovely to meet you.
25:03Well, I understand you've got a patient
25:05that goes by the name of Big Girl.
25:06Is that right?
25:07I do, I do.
25:08She's quite an old girl as well.
25:10That's the passport.
25:11Good grief.
25:12Yeah.
25:138th of June.
25:14Yep.
25:141998.
25:16I don't think I've ever seen a 27 years old cow.
25:20To sum it up, what would you say were her main problems?
25:23It's her right foreleg.
25:25It's a bit swollen on the knee,
25:27and I just want to check that she's not in any pain.
25:30Shall we go and have a closer look?
25:31Yes, do.
25:35See, she's hobbling a bit.
25:37Yes, it is an effort.
25:39Hello, Big Girl.
25:41Hello.
25:44Yeah.
25:45Just a minute, just a minute, just a minute.
25:48There's quite a lot of change.
25:51Sorry.
25:52Right.
25:52Quite a lot of change.
25:53All right, all right.
25:55Look, let me get him back.
25:55I don't want you to be kicked.
25:58No, I'm not keen on it myself.
25:59No, no, no.
26:03Right, now there's quite a lot of bony change.
26:06Right.
26:06On that knee.
26:08Good girl.
26:09Looks like your hand on the elbow as well.
26:12Do you think she'll be in pain?
26:14Looking at her eyes, yes, she has discomfort.
26:18Has she got pain that warrants putting her to sleep?
26:20No, I don't think so.
26:21That's what you wanted to hear, wasn't it, Big Girl?
26:23Yeah, well, me and Big Girl, both of us.
26:25Yes.
26:26I'm getting a kiss from her now.
26:29I think I've been accepted.
26:30You have been.
26:31Honestly, Peter, she's never done that before.
26:33I feel highly honoured.
26:34Yeah.
26:35And what I was going to suggest, now that I've seen what the problem is,
26:39I would like to give her this anti-inflammatory injection,
26:42which will last for three days.
26:44What we can do then, if you see some benefits over three days,
26:49it may be worth trying an oral preparation that we can put on her food.
26:54Right.
26:54But I think if the injection doesn't work,
26:57then it's pointless attempting anything oral.
27:00Yeah.
27:06This is my Heath Robinson way of gating her.
27:11Oh, well done.
27:12Are you happy where she is?
27:16Well, time will tell.
27:17Right.
27:18Good loss.
27:20Mm-hmm.
27:23She's got a tough skin, haven't you, dear?
27:27Now this will help you.
27:32Go on, Big Girl, you can go now.
27:33There you go.
27:34You've had your check over, my love.
27:39Well, I've given Big Girl an monsteroid anti-inflammatory injection,
27:44and that'll dictate as to what we do next.
27:46So let's see how things are in about a week's time.
27:49Thank you very much, Peter.
27:50It's been a pleasure.
27:51So kind of you.
27:51Thank you very much indeed.
27:52It's been a great pleasure meeting Big Girl.
27:53Yeah, well, I think she's certainly taken to you.
27:55That's brilliant.
27:56I'll go with a smile.
27:58You will?
27:59Nice to see you.
28:00Bye, Peter.
28:00Thanks so much.
28:10At the practice in Weatherby, today's Dalmatian operation has left Julian and Lucy chatting
28:17about fur, fashion, and the famous film.
28:22Cruella de Vil.
28:23I actually thought she looked well cool in all her fur coats.
28:26I mean, maybe not made out of Dalmatians, but I would love to wear coats like that.
28:30That's not very nice, though, is it?
28:32If there were faux fur, then I'd consider it.
28:34I wouldn't consider a Dalmatian coat.
28:37Good.
28:38You look quite cool with, like, a long fur jacket at Floyd, like a pimp.
28:44Okay, well, maybe I'll put it on there.
28:46You should just walk into work with one on.
28:48Maybe I should put it on there.
28:49See what everyone says with sunglasses on.
28:50Christmas present list, shall I?
28:52And some brown leather trousers.
28:55Do you know what I've been thinking about getting some leather trousers?
28:57I know.
28:58Everybody that I've asked seems to think it's a daft idea.
29:02Don't ask men, though, because men...
29:03No, I've asked everybody, including women.
29:05And Anne's just started laughing.
29:07Ask me.
29:08I'm the stylish one here.
29:09Don't be so stupid.
29:10I bought some new jeans, actually, yesterday.
29:12But you don't know what's happened to me and jeans.
29:15I've shrunk in length and round the middle.
29:18What's going on?
29:19I wish I could do that.
29:20I've got a holiday in June.
29:22I can't stop eating, though.
29:23I bought some shoes and got smallish feet than I used to have.
29:26Yeah, but men shrink.
29:27This is what's happening to me.
29:29I'm not happy about it.
29:31And if Julian is getting a shrinking complex,
29:34he's probably talking to the wrong person.
29:36Everyone thinks I'm literally seven foot,
29:39because the sea is tiny next to me and I go,
29:41No, you're just small.
29:43Oh, Julian, what are you doing down there?
29:46It's not a borrower.
29:48It feels like I work with borrowers here.
29:50I feel like I do work with borrowers.
29:59Across Yorkshire, dart gunslinger Matt has a big horse
30:04to bring into line, but he's been struggling
30:08to sedate Jordan's feisty young cold prince
30:10ahead of his castration.
30:12He's clearly out to make life hard today.
30:19Oh, there we go. That got him.
30:21Happy with that.
30:24Went in. Hopefully it'll do its job.
30:28All being well.
30:29We can get a rope on him and then a head collar on him.
30:34Although the sedative seems to have taken effect,
30:38Matt and his colleague Kat are approaching with caution.
30:42We've got him.
30:45I'll keep him asleep while Kat relieves him of his testicles.
30:48Yes.
30:49So I've got to be anaesthetic.
30:52Touch wood or I'll go to the plan.
30:54Are you OK?
30:55Yeah.
30:55Relax, relax, relax, relax, relax, relax.
31:01No, it's fine, it's fine, it's fine, it's fine.
31:05Itty boy.
31:07Can't hear you beauty.
31:10No, we're going.
31:11We're going.
31:12We're going.
31:13We're going.
31:13We're going.
31:14And we're down.
31:14Right, we're down.
31:15All right.
31:17Relax, relax, relax.
31:19Towel and clippers.
31:23So what I'm going to do is just give myself plenty of space here, just in case I need to
31:28top up.
31:29Yeah.
31:29Obviously if Kat's doing the procedure.
31:34All right, we've got 20 minutes, right?
31:36Just to use that to kind of keep his leg out of the way.
31:39Obviously that's going to keep things safe, obviously, for Kat.
31:43Are we OK?
31:44Happy?
31:46Nice big horn.
31:48So we've got one testicle there.
31:53With fractured horses, the anaesthesia is always a lot riskier.
31:58There can be high mortalities with it.
32:00It's my job to make sure that Prince stays asleep while Kat relieves him of his testicles
32:05and I'm keeping an eye on his heart rate.
32:08Kat's certainly the quicker castrator than I am, that's for sure.
32:11And the speed is of the essence here.
32:14Come on testicle.
32:17Slippy.
32:17Slippy little sucker.
32:19You just might feel this bit, guys.
32:21It's all right.
32:21You OK?
32:22We're all good.
32:23But no responses.
32:26There we go.
32:28You all right, Matt?
32:29Yeah, we're all good here, Kat.
32:30OK, I'll get on to the next one.
32:33All right, we'll cut that one off.
32:34Have you got a hold?
32:36Slice that one.
32:37That's one gone.
32:39Matt, as long as you're happy, I'm going to keep it on for a couple more minutes.
32:41We don't want him bleeding.
32:42That's fine.
32:42We're good on the time front.
32:44Unfortunately, because we're in a hurry, we can't rush the emasculator job.
32:47We need him on a good few minutes on each side.
32:49You've currently been on two minutes.
32:51Oh, the clamp's been on, is that all?
32:53Yeah, the clamp's been on two minutes.
32:53I do feel that I need to make sure he stays very asleep, because that hoof is obviously quite close
32:59to Kat.
33:00He's just breathing a little bit more heavily, Matt.
33:09Still to come.
33:10She likes to go in the cars with us.
33:12Is Bobbin on the road to recovery, or another emergency?
33:16So with the lulite, it highlights the stain more fully.
33:20And high alert.
33:21Whenever you're already Kat, fingers crossed.
33:24With big boy Prince.
33:27Good lad.
33:37Just north of Barnsley.
33:38So nut to nut.
33:39In a roughly 20 minute window to castrate Jordan's feisty cold Prince.
33:44You don't know how long you've got when they're down like this.
33:46Matt and Kat are 15 minutes in.
33:50Any signs that it's coming round, I'll give him another injection and get him to sleep straight away.
33:58So what are your plans for him, Jordan? Obviously to get him broken in and...
34:01Obviously he'll not really do much this year, being a two year old, but then next year we'll start the
34:06process of groundwork and getting him going and eventually back in and riding.
34:10Yeah, that Prince. Grand plans.
34:12But the very first hurdle...
34:14Yeah, whenever you're ready, Kat.
34:16..is getting big Prince up.
34:18Fingers crossed.
34:20Right, see, I'll just take that off you, you slowly release me.
34:23That's it, give me some slack.
34:24That's it, that's it, that's it, that's it, that's it.
34:28Here we go, lad.
34:30What we'll do is, we'll just get him to a sat-up position.
34:34I've got legs undone.
34:36Yeah.
34:41There we go.
34:42There we go.
34:43There we go.
34:44You're definitely going to feel this morning, boy.
34:47Good lad.
34:48Oh, that's all right.
34:50Hey, hey, hey.
34:51Oh, there.
34:52Careful.
34:53Good.
34:54Good lad.
34:55Good boy.
34:56He's doing all right.
34:57He just looks drunk.
34:58Matt's done a good job there.
35:00Yeah, I've got the end.
35:01It is a big relief to see them up.
35:03I think that's the main reason people don't like anaesthetics.
35:06They're going down and getting up.
35:08Oh, yes, Prince.
35:12He's come over for some support from Red here, who's doing a very good job.
35:16I think after all his drugs, he might be seeing three of them.
35:19Take it steady.
35:21He definitely made us work for it today, but it's nice to see that he's come through it all right.
35:29As expected, he proved to be a bit of a tricky patient.
35:32When I first saw him, I thought, you know what?
35:34He might not be too bad.
35:35One dart might be just enough.
35:37That was not the case.
35:40But the procedure's gone well.
35:42We've had a great team on Prince today.
35:44Hopefully, it's going to be more handleable in a few weeks' time,
35:47and Jordan can get to work at making him into a really, really lovely horse.
36:01And three weeks later, life with her Prince...
36:04Good boy.
36:05..is much easier for Jordan.
36:08He's definitely a lot better than he was.
36:11You can stroke him now, which is a big improvement for what he wore.
36:15You won't get laced off him before. You can't even physically touch him.
36:19I nearly finished that now.
36:23I've only got some crumbs left.
36:28Come on.
36:31This seems to be a bit more of a nervous type of horse,
36:34but, yeah, he's doing really well.
36:36Good boy.
36:38So, it's nice to know that he's not scared of us any more.
36:41He is starting to build trust with us.
36:45What are you snorting for?
36:49Oh!
36:54At the practice in Wetherby...
36:56That's a good girl.
36:59..elderly Dalmatian Bobbin is back with her owner, Jan.
37:02Bobbin?
37:03Oh, yes. Hello.
37:05..a month after Julian operated on her eye ulcer.
37:08In we go, darling.
37:12How's she been?
37:13She's been much better, much brighter in her eye.
37:15She's not doing the winking thing.
37:17I mean, from here it looks a lot better.
37:20Yeah.
37:20Let's have a closer look.
37:23I'm just going to put these coloured drops in again.
37:26Sure.
37:26And this tests if there's any damage on the surface.
37:29I'm just going to use my blue light and switch the light off.
37:34So, with the blue light, it highlights the stain more fully.
37:39That looks pretty much normal now, compared to where we were originally.
37:45Yeah, we were getting a bit worried, weren't we, before?
37:48Yeah, yeah, yeah.
37:48It wasn't healing, but it's picked up now.
37:51Corneal lesions in some dogs can take ages to heal,
37:55but I think we've got there.
37:58Maybe carry on with the drops until they get to the end,
38:01but I don't think we need to see her again.
38:03That's great.
38:04Nothing personal, obviously.
38:05All right.
38:06Thank you very much.
38:06Good stuff, excellent.
38:07And keep out her mischief bobbins.
38:10Bye.
38:12The bobbin looks fantastic today.
38:14That's it.
38:15The eye's wide open.
38:16It's not red, it's not inflamed and it's not sore.
38:19So, she's in the clear and she'll be pleased
38:22not to keep coming back to see me shining lights at her.
38:29And a couple of weeks later...
38:32Come on, baby.
38:34In we go.
38:35Bobbin is loving life on the road.
38:37Here we go, baby, in we get.
38:39She's much better now that her eye's healed up
38:41and she's back to normal,
38:42so she comes on jaunts with us each day.
38:46She likes to go in the cars with us.
38:48She always sits with her head out like that
38:50and then as it gets faster,
38:52she tends to bring her head further in.
38:57This Dalmatian doesn't need Highway 101,
39:00just a country lane to the pub.
39:03Where Jan's husband, Miles, is ready to celebrate.
39:07Robin, come here, baby.
39:09What's this, baby?
39:10Good girl.
39:11That's it.
39:13Hello.
39:15She's my little baby.
39:17Absolutely devastated when she was poorly.
39:19She's been through the wars and she's on the mend now.
39:23She's back to normal.
39:24Best dog we've ever had.
39:25So I'm glad she's 100%.
39:29And landlord Mark is happy to welcome back
39:32one of his favourite regulars.
39:35Bobby.
39:35What's he got?
39:38What's he got here?
39:39Oh, look at that.
39:40Good girl.
39:41Definitely gets spoiled here.
39:43Definitely gets spoiled.
39:45Good girl.
39:58Up on the North York Moors,
40:00Peter's come back to see 27-year-old Highland cow, Big Girl.
40:05Big Girl.
40:06I saw a week or two back,
40:07and she was having a bit of mobility problems,
40:11particularly with the right foreleg.
40:13There are some athletic changes in her joints.
40:16I did give her a short-term injection.
40:19I'd be interested to see if that did any good.
40:21And then what we've got to consider is Big Girl's future
40:25and how we're going to proceed from here.
40:29Well, Bridget, how are you?
40:31I'm very well, thank you.
40:32I've brought a present for Big Girl.
40:34I hope she approves.
40:35Oh, she'd love that so much.
40:39Come on.
40:41Come and see what Peter's got for you.
40:44I've got a treat for you, Big Girl.
40:48Are you coming?
40:49She's just thinking about it.
40:51Yes, she is.
40:52How do you feel she's been since the story, Bridget?
40:55The first day after you went,
40:57she was much, much better.
40:59She had a lot of movement in her shoulder.
41:01The day after that, yeah, a little bit easier.
41:04But third day, it was almost as if she'd gone back to...
41:08Yeah.
41:08..when you'd first seen her.
41:10Yeah.
41:11So, I mean, I'd love to know if there is anything else
41:14that, you know, we could possibly give her.
41:16There is a liquid, oral preparation.
41:21Over the years, we've used it with varying degrees of success
41:25in ruminants.
41:27Hmm.
41:27And it's maybe something that we could consider.
41:32There's turmeric.
41:33Now there's an interesting thing.
41:34I wondered, I wondered.
41:36Yes, turmeric.
41:36Well, why not give it a try?
41:38It's not going to do any harm whatsoever.
41:40I think Bridget's got a very good idea there.
41:42Turmeric.
41:43Some people swear by it if they've got degenerative joint changes,
41:47which is basically what arthritis is.
41:50And we could certainly give it a try.
41:52And I think the proof of the pudding will be in the eating.
41:56Not nice.
41:56What about a little bit of kale?
41:59Yes, I'm quite enjoying this.
42:02Aren't we?
42:03Eh?
42:05But I still think from looking at that quality of life,
42:08it's still reasonable.
42:09I've never seen a 27-year-old cow before.
42:13And I think it's testimony to her lifestyle that she has down here.
42:17Hmm.
42:19She's just recently had her 27th birthday
42:21and let's hope we'll be having this discussion
42:25when she's just had her 28th.
42:28And something that might just keep her young.
42:30What about that?
42:32Big Girl seems to have found herself a toy boy.
42:36Well, dear old Big Girl's been by herself for so many years now
42:39and I think, Peter, you've actually found a place in her heart.
42:42Well, that's lovely.
42:43So, Big Girl's found a big boy.
42:50Better than ever, Bridget, I suppose.
42:53He loves.
43:02Yeah, so.
43:16He loves.
43:17So.
43:17He loves.
Comments