Scottish Vets Down Under

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A BBC TV channel for Scotland which will broadcast every evening and will show drama, factual, comedy and news programmes made in Scotland

BBC Scotland HD

Documentaries

Factual: Pets & Animals

Documentary following two Scottish vets who have relocated to Australia.

BBC Scotland

Scottish Vets Down Under: Series 1: Episode 12

Episode 12

Series 1

BBC Scotland - Scottish Vets Down Under, Series 1, Episode 12

Dr Chris operates to save a cat’s eye, while Dr Mike performs keyhole surgery on a mare.

In the series finale, Dr Chris performs delicate surgery on a cat at risk of losing its eyeball, while Dr Mike'steam operates on a conscious horse to remove a tumour.



In the last episode of the series, Dr Chris has freed up his morning schedule at the Bendigo Animal Hospital to take on a challenging case.of a cat with an eye problem. Family pet Ginger has been diagnosed with corneal sequestrum, which occurs when a part of the corneal tissue dies off, creating a painful dark spot on the eye’s surface. Dr Chris has decided to operate, hoping to shave off the top layers of cornea to reach the dead tissue but if that doesn’t work, the eye will have to be removed. It’s a complex surgery and he estimates the chances of saving the eye to be around 20 per cent.

At the equine hospital, Dr Mike is joined by his farrier, Nathan, to tend to a horse with foot issues. One of the rear hooves has a crack in it and needs to be cut back and a new shoe fitted so it won’t develop into a painful problem. The patient has been brought in by Neville, a colourful Bendigo character who has been a trainer for 65 years.

Also at the equine hospital, the team prepares for a delicate operation. A brood mare with an ovarian tumour is being prepped for laparoscopic surgery – a less invasive procedure than traditional operations. A small incision will allow a special camera to guide the surgeon to the trouble spot, all whilee the horse is still standing.

For this specialised type of surgery, Dr Sarah has called in her colleague Dr Hadley, who has flown 600 kilometres from Canberra to perform the operation. The plan is to remove the ovary with tumour attached, leaving the second healthy ovary in place. While it is easier to access the area with the horse upright, having the patient awake presents some challenges. The level of sedation has to be enough so the horse isn’t aware of what’s going on and can’t injure herself or any of the team, but not strong enough to make her unsteady on her feet. They also need to be careful not to startle the mare who will be able to hear what’s going on around her.

And Dr Mike and Dr Chris join farrier Nathan on a desert camping trip to a world heritage site 400 kilometres north of Bendigo. The temperature peaks at 51 degrees as they attempt to catch freshwater crayfish for a campfire dinner. It’s the ultimate adventure for these two Scottish vets in their new home.

Scottish Vets Down Under: Series 1

A BBC TV channel for Scotland which will broadcast every evening and will show drama, factual, comedy and news programmes made in Scotland


Series following two Scottish vets who have established practices rural Australia.

Series following two Scottish vets who have established their own practices in a small rural community in Australia.

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Scottish Vets Down Under

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