1 00:00:02,377 --> 00:00:03,795 DR. OAKLEY: Yakkity yak, don't talk back. 2 00:00:03,878 --> 00:00:06,256 NARRATOR: This time, everyone's on pins and needles. 3 00:00:06,339 --> 00:00:07,674 DR. OAKLEY (off-screen): Watch your hands. 4 00:00:07,757 --> 00:00:09,968 NARRATOR: As Dr. Michelle Oakley gets personal. 5 00:00:10,051 --> 00:00:11,136 DR. OAKLEY: Whoo! 6 00:00:11,219 --> 00:00:12,345 NARRATOR: With a prickly patient. 7 00:00:12,429 --> 00:00:13,555 DR. OAKLEY (off-screen): Very carefully. 8 00:00:13,638 --> 00:00:15,640 That's how you determine the sex of a porcupine. 9 00:00:15,724 --> 00:00:17,017 ROBERT (off-screen): It's okay. 10 00:00:17,100 --> 00:00:19,644 NARRATOR: A raging bull's not going down without a fight. 11 00:00:19,728 --> 00:00:22,564 DR. OAKLEY: Whoa! Whoa! Ow, oh, (bleep). 12 00:00:22,647 --> 00:00:26,026 NARRATOR: And a visit in the predators pen turns into 13 00:00:26,109 --> 00:00:27,402 double trouble. 14 00:00:27,485 --> 00:00:28,611 DR. OAKLEY: I'm gonna be ready if she moves. 15 00:00:28,695 --> 00:00:29,863 SARAH (off-screen): Watch out. 16 00:00:29,946 --> 00:00:31,031 MAN (off-screen): Heads up! 17 00:00:31,114 --> 00:00:32,490 SARAH (off-screen): Here he comes. 18 00:00:38,663 --> 00:00:40,957 NARRATOR: Dr. Michelle Oakley and her vet tech, Tracy, 19 00:00:41,041 --> 00:00:43,877 are headed into Alaska, and they don't call it the last 20 00:00:43,960 --> 00:00:45,754 frontier for nothing. 21 00:00:45,837 --> 00:00:49,174 Out here are some of her most unusual clients. 22 00:00:49,257 --> 00:00:52,802 And today's first patient is truly a rare breed. 23 00:00:52,886 --> 00:00:55,680 DR. OAKLEY: So we're going to be going to Bobby's yak farm today. 24 00:00:55,764 --> 00:00:56,765 TRACY (off-screen): Okay. 25 00:00:56,848 --> 00:00:58,933 DR. OAKLEY (off-screen): He said they're like 13, 1400 pounds. 26 00:00:59,017 --> 00:01:00,060 TRACY: Oh. 27 00:01:00,143 --> 00:01:01,978 DR. OAKLEY: For the bulls. I was like "Whoa, really!" 28 00:01:02,062 --> 00:01:04,105 DR. OAKLEY (off-screen): Bobby's place is definitely off the beaten track. 29 00:01:04,189 --> 00:01:07,358 Probably two or three hours' drive from the nearest vet so 30 00:01:07,442 --> 00:01:09,778 it's a good place for me to kinda stop off, 31 00:01:09,861 --> 00:01:11,780 and help him out with some of his animals. 32 00:01:11,863 --> 00:01:16,326 ROBERT: Come on, mamas! Come on, mamas! 33 00:01:16,409 --> 00:01:19,788 NARRATOR: Bobby Fithian sells yak fiber and small starter 34 00:01:19,871 --> 00:01:22,123 herds to aspiring ranchers. 35 00:01:22,207 --> 00:01:26,920 ROBERT (off-screen): There's 100 acres of pasture, and 100 yaks. 36 00:01:27,003 --> 00:01:30,423 It's a family run operation, our sons, and granddaughters, 37 00:01:30,507 --> 00:01:32,634 and grandsons all help us here. 38 00:01:32,717 --> 00:01:35,178 NARRATOR: Originally from the Tibetan plateau, 39 00:01:35,261 --> 00:01:38,223 yaks are recent imports to Alaska. 40 00:01:38,306 --> 00:01:41,810 But their tolerance of extreme cold makes them well-suited to 41 00:01:41,893 --> 00:01:43,686 harsh northern winters. 42 00:01:43,770 --> 00:01:45,146 ROBERT: You want to do something that stops all the 43 00:01:45,230 --> 00:01:47,690 traffic in Anchorage, you put one of these guys on a halter 44 00:01:47,774 --> 00:01:49,984 and lead rope, and walk 'em down the sidewalk. 45 00:01:51,653 --> 00:01:52,946 DR. OAKLEY: Hello! 46 00:01:53,029 --> 00:01:54,989 ROBERT (off-screen): Hi there! 47 00:01:55,073 --> 00:01:56,908 DR. OAKLEY: How's it going? ROBERT: Are you a yak doctor? 48 00:01:56,991 --> 00:01:58,743 DR. OAKLEY: I'm Dr. Michelle, nice to meet you. 49 00:01:58,827 --> 00:01:59,869 ROBERT: Bobby Fithian. 50 00:01:59,953 --> 00:02:01,913 DR. OAKLEY: So you've got some yaks for us to work on. 51 00:02:01,996 --> 00:02:02,914 ROBERT (off-screen): I do. 52 00:02:02,997 --> 00:02:04,415 DR. OAKLEY: Let's yak about it. 53 00:02:04,499 --> 00:02:07,919 ROBERT (off-screen): It's very hard to get a veterinarian to this part of the world. 54 00:02:08,002 --> 00:02:10,797 Actually, ah, Dr. Oakley is the very first vet we've ever 55 00:02:10,880 --> 00:02:13,383 had here on the ranch in over 20 years. 56 00:02:13,466 --> 00:02:15,510 We got a little guy over there, he's four years old, 57 00:02:15,593 --> 00:02:17,137 name is Drifter. 58 00:02:17,220 --> 00:02:20,098 He was trained at a young age to ride in pack. 59 00:02:20,181 --> 00:02:23,685 And he needs to be made into a steer. 60 00:02:23,768 --> 00:02:27,230 DR. OAKLEY: Okay, so castration. Alrighty. 61 00:02:27,313 --> 00:02:29,858 DR. OAKLEY (off-screen): Drifter is three or four years old which means he's a fully 62 00:02:29,941 --> 00:02:32,902 mature, uh, full grown adult male. 63 00:02:32,986 --> 00:02:36,823 DR. OAKLEY (off-screen): So the castration is a little on the tricky side. 64 00:02:36,906 --> 00:02:38,867 ROBERT: Little does he know what I'm talking about or he 65 00:02:38,950 --> 00:02:40,827 wouldn't be being so friendly. 66 00:02:40,910 --> 00:02:43,454 DR. OAKLEY: They got 'em tamed up nice but really any bull 67 00:02:43,538 --> 00:02:45,039 would come and get you. 68 00:02:45,123 --> 00:02:47,167 NARRATOR: Yak bulls have something domestic cattle 69 00:02:47,250 --> 00:02:49,627 don't: extra-large hearts and lungs, 70 00:02:49,711 --> 00:02:54,424 which gives them a power boost at high altitudes and in the bull pen. 71 00:02:54,507 --> 00:02:56,176 DR. OAKLEY: Okay, I'm ready with a hand-inject. 72 00:02:56,259 --> 00:02:58,136 Drifter is a big boy. 73 00:02:58,219 --> 00:03:01,514 DR. OAKLEY (off-screen): He has huge horns and really one quick move of those horns 74 00:03:01,598 --> 00:03:03,641 could really hurt somebody. 75 00:03:03,725 --> 00:03:05,727 I just have to be on my toes. 76 00:03:08,313 --> 00:03:10,064 Yeah, I don't know. 77 00:03:10,148 --> 00:03:12,025 DR. OAKLEY (off-screen): If he's gonna let me. 78 00:03:12,108 --> 00:03:13,526 ROBERT (off-screen): Come on. 79 00:03:22,160 --> 00:03:23,536 It's okay. 80 00:03:23,620 --> 00:03:25,288 DR. OAKLEY (off-screen): He's kinda flinching and looking like, 81 00:03:25,371 --> 00:03:27,540 you know, he might come at me. 82 00:03:28,666 --> 00:03:30,460 ROBERT (off-screen): It's okay, Drifter. 83 00:03:30,543 --> 00:03:32,045 It's okay, buddy. 84 00:03:32,128 --> 00:03:36,090 NARRATOR: Michelle was unable to push the plunger to inject the drugs. 85 00:03:36,174 --> 00:03:38,927 DR. OAKLEY (off-screen): He's having none of it. 86 00:03:39,010 --> 00:03:42,722 So I think the safest thing to do is switch gears to blowpipe. 87 00:03:43,681 --> 00:03:46,267 They're a little bit wilder than domestic cattle. 88 00:03:46,351 --> 00:03:48,728 DR. OAKLEY (off-screen): And it is ready to inject. 89 00:03:51,522 --> 00:03:53,441 We'll just be ready to run. 90 00:03:53,524 --> 00:03:56,236 Yep. You're kind of annoyed by me, aren't you? 91 00:04:02,367 --> 00:04:04,535 So that injected nicely. 92 00:04:09,249 --> 00:04:12,377 NARRATOR: Soon, the sedative should knock out Drifter. 93 00:04:16,965 --> 00:04:18,424 DR. OAKLEY (off-screen): Fighting it. 94 00:04:18,508 --> 00:04:20,593 It's almost like he knows what we're gonna do. 95 00:04:22,887 --> 00:04:26,516 Almost, almost. Yeah. 96 00:04:27,308 --> 00:04:29,894 ROBERT: You know, yak cows have hairy udders. 97 00:04:29,978 --> 00:04:34,023 DR. OAKLEY: Bobby is super nice, really neat guy. 98 00:04:34,107 --> 00:04:36,734 DR. OAKLEY (off-screen): He's really into his yaks. 99 00:04:36,818 --> 00:04:40,238 ROBERT: No wolves and no bears want to come mess with a yak. 100 00:04:40,321 --> 00:04:41,906 DR. OAKLEY: He's very in touch with his animals, 101 00:04:41,990 --> 00:04:43,157 which I love. 102 00:04:43,241 --> 00:04:45,535 ROBERT: At two days of age, they can learn voice commands. 103 00:04:45,618 --> 00:04:46,744 DR. OAKLEY: Oh, yeah. 104 00:04:46,828 --> 00:04:48,204 ROBERT: Get out of the house, get off the couch. 105 00:04:48,288 --> 00:04:49,664 DR. OAKLEY: Ahh. 106 00:04:49,747 --> 00:04:53,001 DR. OAKLEY (off-screen): If yaks had a fan club, Bobby would be the president. 107 00:04:55,003 --> 00:04:56,421 ROBERT (off-screen): Is it working? 108 00:04:56,504 --> 00:04:59,257 DR. OAKLEY (off-screen): Yeah, he's got his head down now. 109 00:05:00,049 --> 00:05:02,677 So now he's down, and it's basically a swoosh, swoosh, 110 00:05:02,760 --> 00:05:05,972 clamp, clamp, chick, chick, and that's it, get him back up. 111 00:05:07,640 --> 00:05:10,101 We're trying to, um, just get him in a better position so I 112 00:05:10,184 --> 00:05:11,644 can get at his back door there. 113 00:05:11,728 --> 00:05:12,770 ROBERT: Want me to push, Michelle? 114 00:05:12,854 --> 00:05:17,483 DR. OAKLEY: Yup, okay. There we go, perfect. 115 00:05:18,109 --> 00:05:19,485 DR. OAKLEY (off-screen): (Bleep). Ooh, oh (bleep). 116 00:05:19,569 --> 00:05:21,029 ROBERT (off-screen): Yeah. 117 00:05:21,112 --> 00:05:22,238 DR. OAKLEY: Oh, (bleep). Everybody back up please. 118 00:05:22,322 --> 00:05:24,282 ROBERT: Okay, Drifter. 119 00:05:24,365 --> 00:05:25,575 DR. OAKLEY (off-screen): Drifter gave me a bit of a shock; 120 00:05:25,658 --> 00:05:26,701 I was sure he was out. 121 00:05:26,784 --> 00:05:28,953 But all animals are individuals when it comes to 122 00:05:29,037 --> 00:05:33,166 anesthesia, how their temperament kind of mixes with certain drugs. 123 00:05:33,249 --> 00:05:35,793 And how sedate they get. 124 00:05:35,877 --> 00:05:39,464 NARRATOR: Michelle gives the big bull a top up. 125 00:05:41,966 --> 00:05:44,177 DR. OAKLEY (off-screen): Oh, my God. 126 00:05:45,053 --> 00:05:47,472 NARRATOR: But Drifter's not ready for bedtime. 127 00:05:47,555 --> 00:05:49,724 DR. OAKLEY: I'm surprised he's still moving. 128 00:05:50,350 --> 00:05:52,935 Man, he just soaked those drugs up like no problem. 129 00:05:53,019 --> 00:05:54,896 ROBERT: It's not time to wake up, Drifter. 130 00:05:54,979 --> 00:05:56,647 DR. OAKLEY: I was shocked, actually. 131 00:05:58,983 --> 00:06:02,111 Geez! That is unbelievable! 132 00:06:03,029 --> 00:06:04,280 I've worked on yaks a couple of times, 133 00:06:04,364 --> 00:06:06,449 if you get them really excited the adrenaline competes with 134 00:06:06,532 --> 00:06:08,826 your drugs but that wasn't going on. 135 00:06:08,910 --> 00:06:11,788 NARRATOR: Drifter's resistance to anesthesia may have 136 00:06:11,871 --> 00:06:14,791 something to do with his super-size. 137 00:06:14,874 --> 00:06:16,376 DR. OAKLEY: He's definitely a chunky monkey. 138 00:06:16,459 --> 00:06:17,835 He's got a lot of fat on him. 139 00:06:17,919 --> 00:06:19,337 DR. OAKLEY (off-screen): When you get the drugs into the fat, 140 00:06:19,420 --> 00:06:21,381 there isn't the best blood supply there and it takes a 141 00:06:21,464 --> 00:06:23,633 long time for them to get absorbed and make their way to 142 00:06:23,716 --> 00:06:25,218 the brain where they work. 143 00:06:25,301 --> 00:06:26,803 Now I'm mad. 144 00:06:26,886 --> 00:06:28,888 DR. OAKLEY (off-screen): I think he's kinda taunting me at this point. 145 00:06:28,971 --> 00:06:30,556 That's all you got? 146 00:06:32,225 --> 00:06:34,060 NARRATOR: To get the drugs past the fat, 147 00:06:34,143 --> 00:06:35,853 and into Drifter's bloodstream, 148 00:06:35,937 --> 00:06:38,731 Michelle injects into a vein in his tail. 149 00:06:42,360 --> 00:06:43,736 ROBERT (off-screen): Looks like it's starting to work. 150 00:06:43,820 --> 00:06:45,446 DR. OAKLEY (off-screen): Yeah, finally. 151 00:06:45,530 --> 00:06:47,865 Yakkity yak, don't talk back. 152 00:06:49,826 --> 00:06:52,036 NARRATOR: With all the trouble getting Drifter down, 153 00:06:52,120 --> 00:06:55,039 there's no telling how long he'll stay under. 154 00:06:55,123 --> 00:06:57,041 DR. OAKLEY: So that could be tied like up and out. 155 00:06:57,125 --> 00:07:00,753 Drifter is a really tough kind of a guy. 156 00:07:00,837 --> 00:07:03,923 DR. OAKLEY (off-screen): Working between his legs, that's gonna be a dangerous 157 00:07:04,006 --> 00:07:05,883 spot if, you know, he starts to come awake. 158 00:07:05,967 --> 00:07:08,761 And it can go forward, it just got to be off of me. 159 00:07:08,845 --> 00:07:11,097 DR. OAKLEY (off-screen): Just in case the anesthesia doesn't keep him down. 160 00:07:11,180 --> 00:07:12,682 We're gonna want to have his leg tied. 161 00:07:12,765 --> 00:07:14,434 If he really starts struggling and pulling, 162 00:07:14,517 --> 00:07:15,852 he probably could get his leg free. 163 00:07:15,935 --> 00:07:18,146 But that should be enough time for me to get away. 164 00:07:18,229 --> 00:07:21,441 Okay. We wanna get the surgery going. 165 00:07:21,524 --> 00:07:25,945 That's some local freezing in there to help keep the pain down. 166 00:07:26,028 --> 00:07:28,990 Scrub a dub, dub. 167 00:07:29,073 --> 00:07:30,825 Are you gonna be okay doing that for a while? 168 00:07:30,908 --> 00:07:33,327 ROBERT: Well, it's better Drifter than I. 169 00:07:35,037 --> 00:07:37,540 DR. OAKLEY (off-screen): These are huge! 170 00:07:38,040 --> 00:07:40,418 ROBERT (off-screen): His male anatomy is quite a bit larger than I 171 00:07:40,501 --> 00:07:43,045 think any of us expected, so. 172 00:07:43,129 --> 00:07:45,840 DR. OAKLEY: Okay, wow. 173 00:07:45,923 --> 00:07:49,177 Took a lot of force to get it down. 174 00:07:52,054 --> 00:07:53,389 Not only was the testicle large, 175 00:07:53,473 --> 00:07:56,434 there was a muscle in there that was all quite large on him. 176 00:07:56,517 --> 00:07:58,311 DR. OAKLEY (off-screen): Okay. 177 00:07:58,394 --> 00:08:01,147 So just to kinda close the emasculators, 178 00:08:01,230 --> 00:08:04,400 I really had to but some elbow grease into it. 179 00:08:07,528 --> 00:08:09,238 (Bleep). Okay. 180 00:08:09,322 --> 00:08:11,782 Whoa, whoa! Whoa, whoa! 181 00:08:11,866 --> 00:08:14,827 I did the "crick," and I just about got a ninja kick. 182 00:08:14,911 --> 00:08:17,121 DR. OAKLEY (off-screen): So it was quite a shock. 183 00:08:17,205 --> 00:08:20,917 Grab some Ketamine. Grab three, three mils of Ketamine. 184 00:08:21,000 --> 00:08:23,252 DR. OAKLEY (off-screen): For his safety, for our safety, 185 00:08:23,336 --> 00:08:25,004 he can't be moving around. 186 00:08:25,087 --> 00:08:28,216 It's too dangerous, so we need to get him back down. 187 00:08:31,093 --> 00:08:33,137 (Bleep), (bleep). Excuse me. 188 00:08:33,221 --> 00:08:36,849 We are not done, buddy. Okay. 189 00:08:40,311 --> 00:08:42,563 NARRATOR: It was likely pressure, not pain, 190 00:08:42,647 --> 00:08:44,774 that caused Drifter to react. 191 00:08:44,857 --> 00:08:46,567 DR. OAKLEY (off-screen): He did have a lot of local anesthetic, 192 00:08:46,651 --> 00:08:47,693 but he didn't feel the crush. 193 00:08:47,777 --> 00:08:49,946 It was kinda when I clamped a little bit higher and he felt 194 00:08:50,029 --> 00:08:52,740 that, and that, that definitely woke him up. 195 00:08:52,823 --> 00:08:57,078 NARRATOR: With Drifter back down, minus his manhood, 196 00:08:57,161 --> 00:08:59,539 all that's left is a bit of clean up. 197 00:08:59,622 --> 00:09:00,790 DR. OAKLEY (off-screen): That looks awesome. 198 00:09:00,873 --> 00:09:02,667 Now we're just taking everything off. 199 00:09:02,750 --> 00:09:05,127 NARRATOR: The incision is left open to allow any infection 200 00:09:05,211 --> 00:09:07,213 that might develop to drain. 201 00:09:07,296 --> 00:09:10,091 It should heal up in two or three days. 202 00:09:10,174 --> 00:09:11,759 DR. OAKLEY: Let it go, let it go. 203 00:09:11,842 --> 00:09:15,054 DR. OAKLEY (off-screen): Yeah, it was, it was a tough day for anesthesia. 204 00:09:15,137 --> 00:09:19,350 But finally we got him down and got the job done. 205 00:09:19,934 --> 00:09:21,769 Are you ready to get up, Drifter? 206 00:09:21,852 --> 00:09:25,022 ROBERT (off-screen): Well Drifter, he's doing well. 207 00:09:25,106 --> 00:09:26,816 There's no drainage. There's no bleeding. 208 00:09:26,899 --> 00:09:28,484 Um, everything's good. 209 00:09:28,568 --> 00:09:32,029 DR. OAKLEY: He took more than a bison that I've darted from 210 00:09:32,113 --> 00:09:33,990 a helicopter. 211 00:09:34,073 --> 00:09:37,410 ROBERT (off-screen): Sometimes these short stocky guys have a lot going for 'em. 212 00:09:37,493 --> 00:09:39,495 DR. OAKLEY (off-screen): Alright, bye-bye. 213 00:09:42,039 --> 00:09:44,292 NARRATOR: It's been an exciting summer already, 214 00:09:44,375 --> 00:09:48,254 but for Michelle and Tracy, things are just getting started. 215 00:09:48,337 --> 00:09:49,880 DR. OAKLEY (off-screen): Oh man, what a beautiful day, 216 00:09:49,964 --> 00:09:52,216 in the neighborhood. 217 00:09:52,300 --> 00:09:53,968 NARRATOR: They hightail it to the Alaska Wildlife 218 00:09:54,051 --> 00:09:56,679 Conservation Center, where they'll meet their next 219 00:09:56,762 --> 00:10:00,933 patient: a big cat with a big problem. 220 00:10:01,642 --> 00:10:03,102 DR. OAKLEY (off-screen): So I think sedation, IV fluids. 221 00:10:03,185 --> 00:10:04,604 We'll grab blood just in case. 222 00:10:08,316 --> 00:10:09,233 Hey, guys. 223 00:10:09,317 --> 00:10:10,443 SARAH: Hey. RACHEL: Hey. 224 00:10:10,526 --> 00:10:11,611 DR. OAKLEY: How's it going? 225 00:10:11,694 --> 00:10:12,862 RACHEL: As good as it can be. 226 00:10:12,945 --> 00:10:13,904 DR. OAKLEY: Okay. 227 00:10:13,988 --> 00:10:15,156 SARAH: We called Dr. Oakley to, 228 00:10:15,239 --> 00:10:17,408 to look at our lynx Venetie, she's our 11 year old female lynx. 229 00:10:17,491 --> 00:10:20,494 SARAH (off-screen): We're concerned with her because she's kinda starting 230 00:10:20,578 --> 00:10:21,954 to get the shakes again. 231 00:10:22,038 --> 00:10:23,956 We've seen this in the past with our lynx. 232 00:10:24,040 --> 00:10:26,500 NARRATOR: The staff suspects Venetie may be developing 233 00:10:26,584 --> 00:10:28,085 kidney disease. 234 00:10:28,169 --> 00:10:30,379 But this cat still packs a punch. 235 00:10:30,463 --> 00:10:33,049 She's about three times the size of a house cat with long 236 00:10:33,132 --> 00:10:36,010 canine teeth used for gripping prey. 237 00:10:36,093 --> 00:10:38,179 SARAH: You can't just go up and hug a lynx and be like, 238 00:10:38,262 --> 00:10:40,056 "Okay let me, you know, get your temperature," 239 00:10:40,139 --> 00:10:43,100 and stuff like that," we really needed Dr. Oakley here. 240 00:10:43,184 --> 00:10:44,852 DR. OAKLEY (off-screen): Where does she like to hide normally? 241 00:10:44,935 --> 00:10:46,520 SARAH: Most times, she's the ground dweller. 242 00:10:46,604 --> 00:10:47,938 DR. OAKLEY: Like, I can probably dart her through the 243 00:10:48,022 --> 00:10:49,899 fence maybe or just step in the door. 244 00:10:49,982 --> 00:10:51,108 SARAH: Yeah. 245 00:10:51,192 --> 00:10:52,860 DR. OAKLEY: Okay, Let's get 'er done. 246 00:10:52,943 --> 00:10:55,029 NARRATOR: To figure out if her shaking's being caused by a 247 00:10:55,112 --> 00:10:58,908 worsening kidney condition, Michelle must get hands on. 248 00:10:58,991 --> 00:11:01,035 DR. OAKLEY (off-screen): It's high time to check in and, and make sure it's, 249 00:11:01,118 --> 00:11:03,329 you know, that it's not some type of kind of degeneration 250 00:11:03,412 --> 00:11:04,789 of the kidneys themselves. 251 00:11:04,872 --> 00:11:07,667 So doing a physical exam, feeling all of her muscles and 252 00:11:07,750 --> 00:11:10,419 her kidneys is gonna be really important for her. 253 00:11:10,503 --> 00:11:12,880 NARRATOR: But at 11 years of age, she's an older cat, 254 00:11:12,963 --> 00:11:16,175 and that makes anesthesia dangerous. 255 00:11:16,258 --> 00:11:20,471 Last year, a similar procedure ended in tragedy. 256 00:11:22,598 --> 00:11:24,225 DR. OAKLEY (off-screen): Last time, they anesthetized her sister, 257 00:11:24,308 --> 00:11:25,935 that animal passed away. 258 00:11:26,018 --> 00:11:28,020 So everyone is nervous. 259 00:11:28,104 --> 00:11:29,438 DR. OAKLEY (off-screen): I just have to focus. 260 00:11:29,522 --> 00:11:31,691 I want to reassure them, but I also have to be upfront that 261 00:11:31,774 --> 00:11:34,276 yeah, anesthesia has its risks. 262 00:11:34,360 --> 00:11:35,736 DR. OAKLEY (off-screen): There are ways it can go wrong. 263 00:11:35,820 --> 00:11:37,905 SARAH: She's right there, she might stand up and look at ya, but. 264 00:11:37,988 --> 00:11:40,658 DR. OAKLEY: Okay, I'm gonna be quick cause I don't want her to run away. 265 00:11:40,741 --> 00:11:42,076 SARAH (off-screen): Okay. 266 00:11:49,667 --> 00:11:53,504 DR. OAKLEY: Hey, there. Sweetheart. 267 00:11:55,339 --> 00:11:59,635 RACHEL: Venetie, she's a not unfriendly but not outwardly friendly. 268 00:11:59,719 --> 00:12:02,513 RACHEL (off-screen): She's a little bit more moody than others. 269 00:12:02,596 --> 00:12:05,558 She is a cat, so she does have her days. 270 00:12:05,641 --> 00:12:09,061 DR. OAKLEY (off-screen): You don't recognize me, do ya? 271 00:12:09,979 --> 00:12:13,983 NARRATOR: Lynx have been known to attack humans when threatened. 272 00:12:14,066 --> 00:12:17,653 DR. OAKLEY (off-screen): You're wondering what's up? 273 00:12:19,405 --> 00:12:21,198 I don't have food for ya. 274 00:12:23,576 --> 00:12:25,286 I need your butt though. 275 00:12:25,369 --> 00:12:26,704 DR. OAKLEY (off-screen): She's not in the right position. 276 00:12:26,787 --> 00:12:30,249 She's kinda facing me head-on, looking back at me quite intense. 277 00:12:30,332 --> 00:12:32,960 I'm gonna go around and just try to get a, 278 00:12:33,043 --> 00:12:34,920 I need a perpendicular angle. 279 00:12:35,463 --> 00:12:37,798 NARRATOR: But entering the cat's cage is risky. 280 00:12:37,882 --> 00:12:40,217 Because while Michelle's keeping an eye on the lynx, 281 00:12:40,301 --> 00:12:44,472 a second female is keeping an eye on her. 282 00:12:47,516 --> 00:12:49,393 DR. OAKLEY (off-screen): Just watch, that one is really looking at us. 283 00:12:51,520 --> 00:12:53,731 DR. OAKLEY: Okay, I'm gonna be ready if she moves. 284 00:12:56,650 --> 00:12:57,818 SARAH (off-screen): Watch out. 285 00:12:57,902 --> 00:12:59,278 MAN (off-screen): Heads up! 286 00:12:59,361 --> 00:13:04,450 DR. OAKLEY: A swing and a miss. Need another one, I missed. 287 00:13:05,993 --> 00:13:07,286 NARRATOR: The leaping lynx broke Michelle's 288 00:13:07,369 --> 00:13:10,498 concentration, causing her to miss the shot. 289 00:13:10,581 --> 00:13:12,208 DR. OAKLEY (off-screen): But try, try again. 290 00:13:12,291 --> 00:13:15,586 Come on, Oakley. Don't miss this time. 291 00:13:15,669 --> 00:13:16,962 DR. OAKLEY (off-screen): Take two. 292 00:13:17,046 --> 00:13:18,047 SARAH (off-screen): Good luck. 293 00:13:18,130 --> 00:13:19,548 DR. OAKLEY (off-screen): Thanks! 294 00:13:22,510 --> 00:13:23,719 There. 295 00:13:24,303 --> 00:13:26,222 NARRATOR: The second lynx has moved in closer. 296 00:13:26,305 --> 00:13:29,141 DR. OAKLEY: She might be watching for an opportunity. 297 00:13:29,225 --> 00:13:31,227 SARAH (off-screen): I'm almost positive she'll stay up in the rafters. 298 00:13:31,310 --> 00:13:32,728 DR. OAKLEY (off-screen): Okay. Almost positive. 299 00:13:32,812 --> 00:13:34,104 SARAH (off-screen): Watcha doin'? 300 00:13:34,188 --> 00:13:36,398 DR. OAKLEY: Oh, look at that, perfect target. 301 00:13:36,482 --> 00:13:37,775 DR. OAKLEY (off-screen): Right there. 302 00:13:43,155 --> 00:13:45,574 Yeah, yeah, that's what I like to see. 303 00:13:46,992 --> 00:13:49,078 NARRATOR: To figure out if Venetie is, in fact, 304 00:13:49,161 --> 00:13:53,207 suffering from kidney disease, Michelle will check her head to toe. 305 00:13:53,290 --> 00:13:55,000 DR. OAKLEY (off-screen): She's out. 306 00:13:58,754 --> 00:14:02,424 Don't growl. I hear ya growling. 307 00:14:02,508 --> 00:14:06,387 NARRATOR: Last year, another lynx died while under routine sedation. 308 00:14:06,470 --> 00:14:08,848 DR. OAKLEY: Oh, she's kicking a little, just watch yourself. 309 00:14:08,931 --> 00:14:11,350 NARRATOR: Michelle must closely monitor this aging cat 310 00:14:11,433 --> 00:14:13,936 to make sure she's tolerating anesthesia. 311 00:14:14,270 --> 00:14:15,729 DR. OAKLEY: We'll have to watch her temperature. 312 00:14:15,813 --> 00:14:17,606 They can get hypothermic pretty quick. 313 00:14:19,358 --> 00:14:22,152 DR. OAKLEY (off-screen): She's not a real chubby animal and she does have a fairly 314 00:14:22,236 --> 00:14:25,281 high metabolism so that means that she can easily have her 315 00:14:25,364 --> 00:14:27,825 body temperature plummet when she's under anesthesia. 316 00:14:27,908 --> 00:14:30,035 TRACY: 37.1. 317 00:14:30,119 --> 00:14:32,162 DR. OAKLEY: She's right at the low end of normal right now. 318 00:14:32,246 --> 00:14:35,958 If Venetie is, is chilled she's gonna be much slower to 319 00:14:36,041 --> 00:14:38,502 break down the drugs and come out of the anesthesia. 320 00:14:38,586 --> 00:14:40,754 NARRATOR: To reduce the chances of hypothermia, 321 00:14:40,838 --> 00:14:44,091 Michelle must complete the check up and wake Venetie up 322 00:14:44,174 --> 00:14:46,302 as fast as possible. 323 00:14:49,722 --> 00:14:52,141 DR. OAKLEY: Her lungs and heart sound fabulous. 324 00:14:52,224 --> 00:14:54,268 Make sure I don't feel any weird masses. 325 00:14:54,351 --> 00:14:56,395 What I feel is the, is the colon, 326 00:14:56,478 --> 00:14:57,771 and a bunch of poop's in there. 327 00:14:57,855 --> 00:14:59,231 She needs her litter box. 328 00:14:59,315 --> 00:15:02,276 NARRATOR: So far, so good. 329 00:15:02,359 --> 00:15:06,780 But one of Michelle's main concerns is Venetie's kidneys. 330 00:15:06,864 --> 00:15:10,910 If they're rough or shrunken, she may be going into a renal failure. 331 00:15:11,577 --> 00:15:13,078 DR. OAKLEY: Oh, I can feel both kidneys, amazing. 332 00:15:13,162 --> 00:15:15,164 Okay. So that's good to know. 333 00:15:15,247 --> 00:15:17,166 The kidney feels really nice and smooth, 334 00:15:17,249 --> 00:15:18,834 which is a good sign. 335 00:15:18,918 --> 00:15:20,127 RACHEL: Uh-hmm. 336 00:15:20,210 --> 00:15:21,795 NARRATOR: Venetie's kidney's pass muster. 337 00:15:21,879 --> 00:15:23,881 Her checkup's nearly complete. 338 00:15:23,964 --> 00:15:25,925 TRACY: We got our blood sample. 339 00:15:26,008 --> 00:15:28,135 DR. OAKLEY (off-screen): Yeah, you wanna check that temperature one more time? 340 00:15:28,218 --> 00:15:30,679 SARAH: 36.7. I don't know if. 341 00:15:30,763 --> 00:15:32,514 DR. OAKLEY: Yeah, we gotta warm her up. 342 00:15:32,598 --> 00:15:34,266 DR. OAKLEY (off-screen): This is a serious problem. 343 00:15:34,350 --> 00:15:35,935 We need to get on that immediately. 344 00:15:36,018 --> 00:15:37,186 SARAH (off-screen): 36.6. 345 00:15:37,978 --> 00:15:39,647 DR. OAKLEY: Yeah, she's too cold. 346 00:15:40,189 --> 00:15:43,025 NARRATOR: Michelle prepares a drug to wake Venetie up, 347 00:15:43,108 --> 00:15:45,194 and stop her hypothermic spiral. 348 00:15:45,277 --> 00:15:46,987 DR. OAKLEY (off-screen): I'm gonna give her a reversal. 349 00:15:47,071 --> 00:15:49,907 NARRATOR: She should wake up in a few minutes but there's 350 00:15:49,990 --> 00:15:51,367 one thing left to do. 351 00:15:52,451 --> 00:15:54,453 DR. OAKLEY: The only other thing we want to do is deworm her. 352 00:15:55,162 --> 00:15:57,915 NARRATOR: A dewormer can kill any parasites that may be 353 00:15:57,998 --> 00:16:00,167 robbing the cat of nutrients. 354 00:16:02,711 --> 00:16:04,088 DR. OAKLEY (off-screen): Watch yourself. 355 00:16:04,171 --> 00:16:05,339 SARAH: She's moving. 356 00:16:05,422 --> 00:16:06,882 DR. OAKLEY: She just moved her ear? 357 00:16:08,801 --> 00:16:10,761 Okay! She's not as out as we think. 358 00:16:10,844 --> 00:16:12,680 Just watch your fingers, you have to be really carefully 359 00:16:12,763 --> 00:16:14,682 cause she definitely could bite. 360 00:16:14,765 --> 00:16:16,517 This is the dewormer. 361 00:16:16,600 --> 00:16:18,560 She's up. (bleep). 362 00:16:18,644 --> 00:16:19,770 SARAH (off-screen): She's up. 363 00:16:19,853 --> 00:16:21,188 DR. OAKLEY: Okay, everybody get out. 364 00:16:21,271 --> 00:16:23,691 Just. Grab that out. 365 00:16:23,774 --> 00:16:24,858 Move your hand, move your hand, 366 00:16:24,942 --> 00:16:26,026 I wanna put the dewormer. 367 00:16:26,110 --> 00:16:28,112 TRACY (off-screen): Okay. I got her. 368 00:16:34,410 --> 00:16:36,745 DR. OAKLEY (off-screen): So now Venetie is recovering, that's great. 369 00:16:36,829 --> 00:16:39,164 She can move around and even just that little bit of muscle 370 00:16:39,248 --> 00:16:40,708 activity is gonna start warming her body temperature 371 00:16:40,791 --> 00:16:42,543 right back up to normal. 372 00:16:42,626 --> 00:16:45,004 Her back end has a bit of a wobble but she's able to walk 373 00:16:45,087 --> 00:16:46,630 around on her own, which is good. 374 00:16:46,714 --> 00:16:48,257 She'll warm back up. 375 00:16:48,340 --> 00:16:50,634 SARAH (off-screen): I was incredibly relieved, 376 00:16:50,718 --> 00:16:53,262 the lynx popped right back up when it was over, 377 00:16:53,345 --> 00:16:57,391 it was a very happy situation, all around. 378 00:16:57,474 --> 00:16:59,351 DR. OAKLEY (off-screen): She's a very healthy looking girl. 379 00:16:59,435 --> 00:17:01,478 Her muscling feels really nice for her age. 380 00:17:01,562 --> 00:17:03,147 So she actually feels really good. 381 00:17:03,230 --> 00:17:04,356 TRACY (off-screen): Yeah. 382 00:17:04,440 --> 00:17:06,066 DR. OAKLEY (off-screen): Why Venetie is trembling, I, I don't know. 383 00:17:06,150 --> 00:17:09,737 It could be something as simple as her nutritional levels. 384 00:17:09,820 --> 00:17:12,448 We took some blood and we should have results back in a 385 00:17:12,531 --> 00:17:15,409 couple of days so we can adjust as we need to. 386 00:17:15,492 --> 00:17:17,619 NARRATOR: Michelle will keep tabs on Venetie's condition 387 00:17:17,703 --> 00:17:19,663 with regular checkups. 388 00:17:19,747 --> 00:17:21,206 DR. OAKLEY (off-screen): Sarah and I will work together, 389 00:17:21,290 --> 00:17:23,083 and make sure she's on the right track. 390 00:17:23,167 --> 00:17:26,128 DR. OAKLEY (off-screen): We should be ready to hit the road. 391 00:17:30,049 --> 00:17:33,010 NARRATOR: It's a new day and another drive across 392 00:17:33,093 --> 00:17:35,012 the Alaskan back country. 393 00:17:35,095 --> 00:17:38,015 Michelle's asked Maya to come lend her a hand. 394 00:17:38,891 --> 00:17:40,601 MAYA: How many appointments do we have today? 395 00:17:40,684 --> 00:17:42,686 DR. OAKLEY: A full wait list. 396 00:17:42,770 --> 00:17:45,314 DR. OAKLEY (off-screen): Full slammed day of appointments. 397 00:17:45,397 --> 00:17:47,024 NARRATOR: They're headed to the American Bald Eagle 398 00:17:47,107 --> 00:17:50,861 Foundation in Haines for Michelle's bi-monthly clinic. 399 00:17:50,944 --> 00:17:52,988 DR. OAKLEY (off-screen): Sometimes I can get a technician to give me a 400 00:17:53,072 --> 00:17:55,407 hand, but I couldn't this time, but instead I have Maya, 401 00:17:55,491 --> 00:17:56,533 which is great. 402 00:17:56,617 --> 00:17:59,328 One, two, three. Bend at the knees. 403 00:17:59,411 --> 00:18:01,413 DR. OAKLEY (off-screen): She's been helping me since she was tiny and it kinda 404 00:18:01,497 --> 00:18:04,458 forces some mother-daughter time which, you know, 405 00:18:04,541 --> 00:18:06,960 is tough to get teenagers to willingly submit to. 406 00:18:07,044 --> 00:18:09,171 That's perfect, Maya, thank you. 407 00:18:09,254 --> 00:18:10,672 DR. OAKLEY (off-screen): We both love animals and you know, 408 00:18:10,756 --> 00:18:12,382 she's a lot of fun to have around. 409 00:18:12,466 --> 00:18:13,842 MAYA: Oh. 410 00:18:13,926 --> 00:18:15,969 WOMAN: Come on. 411 00:18:16,053 --> 00:18:18,013 DR. OAKLEY (off-screen): Alrighty, who's next? 412 00:18:18,097 --> 00:18:19,681 MAYA: Hi Brittany, it's Honey, right? 413 00:18:19,765 --> 00:18:20,891 BRITTANY: Mhm. 414 00:18:20,974 --> 00:18:22,476 MAYA: Okay, Honey. 415 00:18:22,559 --> 00:18:25,312 NARRATOR: Their next patient is one Michelle's seen before, 416 00:18:25,395 --> 00:18:29,650 a three-month old puppy who survived a scrape with death. 417 00:18:29,733 --> 00:18:32,694 BRITTANY: I was at work and Honey was at my house. 418 00:18:32,778 --> 00:18:35,906 BRITTANY (off-screen): My landlord pulled in not knowing that the dog would go 419 00:18:35,989 --> 00:18:37,199 underneath the car. 420 00:18:37,282 --> 00:18:38,826 And she actually ran over Honey. 421 00:18:38,909 --> 00:18:40,744 MAYA (off-screen): Honey, come here. 422 00:18:40,828 --> 00:18:45,374 BRITTANY: I couldn't stop crying, um, she's, like, 423 00:18:45,457 --> 00:18:48,043 my best friend and, like, I love her with all my heart. 424 00:18:48,127 --> 00:18:49,419 MAYA (off-screen): Hey, buddy. 425 00:18:49,503 --> 00:18:51,338 BRITTANY: Thankfully, Dr. Oakley was in town and we 426 00:18:51,421 --> 00:18:53,048 just raced down here. 427 00:18:53,132 --> 00:18:54,508 DR. OAKLEY (off-screen): Hi beauty, how are you, Honey? 428 00:18:54,591 --> 00:18:56,009 BRITTANY: Hi. Hi how are ya? 429 00:18:56,093 --> 00:18:57,469 DR. OAKLEY (off-screen): Hi. How, how are you? 430 00:18:57,553 --> 00:18:58,595 BRITTANY: I'm good. 431 00:18:58,679 --> 00:19:01,557 NARRATOR: That bend in Honey's leg is not from a broken bone, 432 00:19:01,640 --> 00:19:05,018 but rather the effects of severe nerve damage. 433 00:19:05,102 --> 00:19:06,395 DR. OAKLEY: Have you been doing the rehab with her like 434 00:19:06,478 --> 00:19:07,688 moving her foot several times a day? 435 00:19:07,771 --> 00:19:08,730 BRITTANY: Yeah, I have. 436 00:19:08,814 --> 00:19:10,023 DR. OAKLEY (off-screen): Oh. 437 00:19:10,107 --> 00:19:12,484 The last time I saw Honey, her leg was pulled and the nerves 438 00:19:12,568 --> 00:19:15,195 that were underneath the leg may have just been stretched 439 00:19:15,279 --> 00:19:17,823 or may have been snapped right away from the spinal cord. 440 00:19:17,906 --> 00:19:21,785 DR. OAKLEY (off-screen): That is an injury that can permanently turn the leg so 441 00:19:21,869 --> 00:19:24,746 that it can no longer be straightened out and used normally. 442 00:19:24,830 --> 00:19:27,166 NARRATOR: But after three weeks of healing, 443 00:19:27,249 --> 00:19:30,085 there's a chance her feeling's coming back. 444 00:19:30,169 --> 00:19:31,587 DR. OAKLEY (off-screen): If the nerves just stretched, 445 00:19:31,670 --> 00:19:34,131 they may heal slowly over time. 446 00:19:34,214 --> 00:19:37,426 So I'm really hopeful that we're gonna see some sensation 447 00:19:37,509 --> 00:19:39,511 coming back in, in Honey's leg today. 448 00:19:39,595 --> 00:19:42,181 NARRATOR: To find out if Honey's feeling is returning, 449 00:19:42,264 --> 00:19:44,766 Michelle will test her response to pain, 450 00:19:44,850 --> 00:19:48,478 starting with the good leg, for a baseline response. 451 00:19:48,562 --> 00:19:50,731 DR. OAKLEY (off-screen): I'm just gonna check her toe right now with a 452 00:19:50,814 --> 00:19:52,816 really strong pinch. 453 00:19:52,900 --> 00:19:55,402 Okay, no, I won't do that hard. 454 00:19:55,485 --> 00:19:57,196 I won't. I just want to make sure. 455 00:19:57,279 --> 00:19:59,031 Okay. 456 00:20:04,578 --> 00:20:06,079 Nothing. 457 00:20:10,250 --> 00:20:13,879 I work my way up the leg, so I pinch here, nothing, 458 00:20:13,962 --> 00:20:17,299 little bit harder, nothing, harder, nothing. 459 00:20:17,382 --> 00:20:19,885 I'm just gonna try with a needle to see where I can 460 00:20:19,968 --> 00:20:22,679 finally get some sensation, okay. 461 00:20:22,763 --> 00:20:24,348 DR. OAKLEY (off-screen): I know, I know I'm poking you. 462 00:20:27,017 --> 00:20:28,185 Oop, you felt that, good. 463 00:20:28,268 --> 00:20:29,895 Oh, yeah, you felt that. 464 00:20:29,978 --> 00:20:31,897 It's not looking good, to be honest. 465 00:20:31,980 --> 00:20:35,943 There's still unfortunately no feeling in this leg, 466 00:20:36,026 --> 00:20:38,862 and the nerve has gone so the muscles are just hanging there 467 00:20:38,946 --> 00:20:40,489 and the leg is just hanging there. 468 00:20:40,572 --> 00:20:41,657 BRITTANY: Uh-hmm. 469 00:20:41,740 --> 00:20:43,116 DR. OAKLEY: And has she been chewing at it or anything like that? 470 00:20:43,200 --> 00:20:44,910 BRITTANY: She chews it every day. 471 00:20:44,993 --> 00:20:47,120 DR. OAKLEY: Okay. 472 00:20:47,204 --> 00:20:50,123 BRITTANY (off-screen): Like I'll catch her chewing on it so hard. 473 00:20:50,207 --> 00:20:53,669 DR. OAKLEY: Yeah, okay. Okey-dokey. 474 00:20:53,752 --> 00:20:56,129 DR. OAKLEY (off-screen): When I hear that Honey's been chewing her leg, you know, 475 00:20:56,213 --> 00:20:57,923 alarm bells start to go off. 476 00:20:58,006 --> 00:21:01,051 The problem is, it's just kind of this weird thing flopping around. 477 00:21:01,134 --> 00:21:03,262 Especially a puppy, they'll often chew it and mutilate it, 478 00:21:03,345 --> 00:21:05,597 and they'll just get ongoing infections. 479 00:21:05,681 --> 00:21:07,766 And some of them will chew their leg right off. 480 00:21:07,849 --> 00:21:09,685 It's horrible. 481 00:21:09,768 --> 00:21:14,439 Um, so. I guess there's kind of no other way of beating around 482 00:21:14,523 --> 00:21:17,359 the bush, it's looking very strongly like we're going to 483 00:21:17,442 --> 00:21:19,194 need to amputate that leg. 484 00:21:22,364 --> 00:21:24,658 DR. OAKLEY (off-screen): I can see Brittany feel so bad for her dog. 485 00:21:24,741 --> 00:21:27,828 You have this wonderful young puppy and you're picturing, 486 00:21:27,911 --> 00:21:29,955 you know, this dog growing up with you. 487 00:21:30,038 --> 00:21:32,916 DR. OAKLEY (off-screen): Um, it's hard to suddenly get your mind around 488 00:21:33,000 --> 00:21:36,295 "Okay, now my dog is seriously injured, my dog may, 489 00:21:36,378 --> 00:21:37,713 need to have his leg amputated, 490 00:21:37,796 --> 00:21:39,548 what does that mean?" 491 00:21:39,631 --> 00:21:42,301 BRITTANY: Why can we not just leave the leg? 492 00:21:42,384 --> 00:21:44,511 DR. OAKLEY: Well, certainly there have been people who've 493 00:21:44,594 --> 00:21:47,347 left the leg and the dog will have a shriveled leg and I've seen that. 494 00:21:47,431 --> 00:21:50,142 But they were lucky the dog didn't sort of continue to 495 00:21:50,225 --> 00:21:51,768 mutilate the leg. 496 00:21:51,852 --> 00:21:55,105 The fact that she's chewing on it already is, means, you know, she's probably 497 00:21:55,188 --> 00:21:56,523 going to continue to do that. 498 00:21:56,606 --> 00:21:58,525 DR. OAKLEY (off-screen): You can get infections and things brewing. 499 00:21:58,608 --> 00:22:00,944 So it's just easier to get it out of the way. 500 00:22:03,322 --> 00:22:05,741 We certainly can give it another couple weeks, 501 00:22:05,824 --> 00:22:09,328 you know one to two weeks and see if there's any improvement at all. 502 00:22:09,411 --> 00:22:14,958 The prognosis is very poor for any type of return to function. 503 00:22:15,042 --> 00:22:19,338 DR. OAKLEY (off-screen): Um, but every dog is an individual and we need to give 504 00:22:19,421 --> 00:22:21,381 it a couple more weeks to be sure, 505 00:22:21,465 --> 00:22:24,384 just in case she starts to get the sensation back. 506 00:22:24,468 --> 00:22:26,845 If we don't have to take her leg, that's fantastic. 507 00:22:26,928 --> 00:22:29,097 We certainly can make the decision about whether to 508 00:22:29,181 --> 00:22:30,849 remove the leg or not, okay? 509 00:22:30,932 --> 00:22:32,392 BRITTANY: Okay. 510 00:22:32,476 --> 00:22:33,852 DR. OAKLEY (off-screen): Thanks for coming in Brittany. 511 00:22:33,935 --> 00:22:37,647 BRITTANY: It's just really sad. It's, it's hard. 512 00:22:37,731 --> 00:22:40,442 I feel, like I feel really bad for her. 513 00:22:40,525 --> 00:22:42,444 BRITTANY (off-screen): Honey, Come here. 514 00:22:44,654 --> 00:22:46,740 DR. OAKLEY: We'll be in touch; we'll figure it out. 515 00:22:48,825 --> 00:22:50,619 NARRATOR: With an end to an emotional day, 516 00:22:50,702 --> 00:22:53,455 Michelle and Maya close up the clinic. 517 00:22:56,208 --> 00:22:59,002 But before calling it a night, they stop off at a roadside 518 00:22:59,086 --> 00:23:01,338 lodge to gas up. 519 00:23:01,421 --> 00:23:03,423 DR. OAKLEY (off-screen): So we pull over to see a gas. 520 00:23:03,507 --> 00:23:06,051 Maya came in and was, was checking this gorgeous 521 00:23:06,134 --> 00:23:09,262 hairless Sphynx cat, sitting on the wood stove. 522 00:23:09,346 --> 00:23:10,639 DR. OAKLEY (off-screen): And all of the sudden she's like, "Mom, 523 00:23:10,722 --> 00:23:12,599 there's like a pin in the cat's foot." 524 00:23:12,682 --> 00:23:14,976 And sure enough, there was a fishhook stuck in the toes. 525 00:23:15,060 --> 00:23:17,479 MAYA: This is the paw with the fishhook in it. 526 00:23:18,480 --> 00:23:20,148 DR. OAKLEY: Poor kitty. I think we're good. 527 00:23:20,232 --> 00:23:21,274 TRACY: All right. 528 00:23:21,358 --> 00:23:22,734 NARRATOR: Tracy is able to stop by with supplies to 529 00:23:22,818 --> 00:23:24,486 help treat the cat. 530 00:23:24,569 --> 00:23:26,822 DR. OAKLEY: Of course there's no other vet around, 531 00:23:26,905 --> 00:23:29,449 we're out in the middle of nowhere so we're gonna get it out. 532 00:23:29,533 --> 00:23:32,994 NARRATOR: This lodge and the cat are owned by Mabel Wimmer. 533 00:23:33,078 --> 00:23:35,038 MABEL: She's on the pizza oven. 534 00:23:35,122 --> 00:23:36,456 MABEL (off-screen): Hey, little princess. 535 00:23:36,540 --> 00:23:38,208 DR. OAKLEY (off-screen): Aww, she likes to be on the warm oven? 536 00:23:38,291 --> 00:23:39,418 MABEL: Yeah. 537 00:23:39,501 --> 00:23:41,253 DR. OAKLEY: Yeah, you'd think a hairless cat maybe isn't the 538 00:23:41,336 --> 00:23:42,629 right fit for Alaska. 539 00:23:42,712 --> 00:23:43,755 TRACY: I'll warm my hands up. 540 00:23:43,839 --> 00:23:45,048 DR. OAKLEY (off-screen): But she's found the perfect spot, 541 00:23:45,132 --> 00:23:46,174 right on top of the woodstove. 542 00:23:46,258 --> 00:23:47,717 So I'm not worried about her. 543 00:23:47,801 --> 00:23:49,052 She's gonna stay warm. 544 00:23:49,136 --> 00:23:51,054 NARRATOR: With higher than normal body temperatures and 545 00:23:51,138 --> 00:23:52,973 light fuzz covering their skin, 546 00:23:53,056 --> 00:23:56,184 Sphynx cats definitely need a place to get out of the cold. 547 00:23:56,268 --> 00:23:58,145 MABEL: How are you little princess? 548 00:23:58,228 --> 00:23:59,187 DR. OAKLEY (off-screen): Aww. 549 00:23:59,271 --> 00:24:00,981 MABEL: Her name is Elsie. I love you. 550 00:24:01,064 --> 00:24:02,357 She's a shoulder cat. 551 00:24:02,441 --> 00:24:03,775 DR. OAKLEY: Oh my goodness, she's beautiful. 552 00:24:03,859 --> 00:24:05,235 MABEL: Well, if I knew you were coming she would've had a 553 00:24:05,318 --> 00:24:06,611 bath this morning. 554 00:24:06,695 --> 00:24:08,488 DR. OAKLEY: Really? I don't think she looks dirty. 555 00:24:08,572 --> 00:24:10,198 TRACY: Hi Elsie. 556 00:24:10,282 --> 00:24:12,742 Let's see that paw. 557 00:24:12,826 --> 00:24:16,204 Oh, honey. Look at that. 558 00:24:16,288 --> 00:24:18,498 DR. OAKLEY (off-screen): Oh, yeah, that toe is quite swollen. 559 00:24:18,582 --> 00:24:20,500 TRACY (off-screen): Whoa. 560 00:24:20,584 --> 00:24:23,170 NARRATOR: There's no telling how long the hook has been in 561 00:24:23,253 --> 00:24:26,965 Elsie's foot, or how embedded it has become. 562 00:24:27,048 --> 00:24:30,427 DR. OAKLEY (off-screen): We're gonna do a little hairless kitty burrito. 563 00:24:30,510 --> 00:24:33,013 MABEL: I am so sorry Ms. Elsie. 564 00:24:33,096 --> 00:24:34,639 DR. OAKLEY (off-screen): Oh goodness. 565 00:24:34,723 --> 00:24:35,849 MABEL (off-screen): You can see her shaking, 566 00:24:35,932 --> 00:24:37,350 she's a little scared. 567 00:24:37,434 --> 00:24:39,311 NARRATOR: Before Michelle can try to get it out, 568 00:24:39,394 --> 00:24:41,938 she needs to administer a local anesthetic. 569 00:24:46,776 --> 00:24:48,153 DR. OAKLEY: Okay, beauty. Okay, beauty. 570 00:24:48,236 --> 00:24:49,279 TRACY (off-screen): It's okay. 571 00:24:49,362 --> 00:24:51,281 DR. OAKLEY: I just don't want her to feel this. 572 00:24:51,364 --> 00:24:53,241 See, she didn't feel it that time. 573 00:24:53,325 --> 00:24:55,619 DR. OAKLEY (off-screen): All right, beauty. 574 00:24:59,414 --> 00:25:01,416 So when I gave her the freezing she let out a wah, 575 00:25:01,500 --> 00:25:05,337 which made me feel really bad but there's not a whole lot of 576 00:25:05,420 --> 00:25:07,130 way to get around that. 577 00:25:07,214 --> 00:25:08,340 MABEL: I'm so sorry little princess. 578 00:25:08,423 --> 00:25:09,883 DR. OAKLEY: You got it? 579 00:25:09,966 --> 00:25:11,468 MABEL: I love you, here. 580 00:25:11,551 --> 00:25:13,094 MABEL (off-screen): And watch your, watch your hands, mama. Okay. 581 00:25:13,178 --> 00:25:14,471 DR. OAKLEY (off-screen): Okay. Here we go. 582 00:25:14,554 --> 00:25:17,265 So we'll just let that sit for a minute. 583 00:25:17,349 --> 00:25:19,643 NARRATOR: While they wait for the local to take effect, 584 00:25:19,726 --> 00:25:21,811 Michelle breaks the ice with Elsie. 585 00:25:21,895 --> 00:25:24,356 DR. OAKLEY: What a beautiful little creature you are. 586 00:25:24,439 --> 00:25:25,398 MABEL (off-screen): She is just a kitten. 587 00:25:25,482 --> 00:25:26,775 She's only like ten months old. 588 00:25:26,858 --> 00:25:29,611 She's always being held and cuddled and passed around and 589 00:25:29,694 --> 00:25:31,655 trying to eat people's food. 590 00:25:31,738 --> 00:25:34,366 DR. OAKLEY (off-screen): Oh. She's really neat. 591 00:25:34,449 --> 00:25:36,201 MABEL (off-screen): It looks like she's feeling no pain. 592 00:25:36,284 --> 00:25:39,246 DR. OAKLEY: Let me just have a look at that puffy toe. 593 00:25:39,871 --> 00:25:42,082 NARRATOR: Michelle must remove the hook carefully or she 594 00:25:42,165 --> 00:25:45,585 could cause more damage to Elsie's tiny toe. 595 00:25:45,669 --> 00:25:47,420 DR. OAKLEY (off-screen): It can be tricky to try and kind of work it out 596 00:25:47,504 --> 00:25:48,797 because it has that barb in it, 597 00:25:48,880 --> 00:25:50,215 if you try and pull it backwards then it starts 598 00:25:50,298 --> 00:25:52,050 tearing the tissue. 599 00:25:52,133 --> 00:25:53,677 TRACY (off-screen): The tip is buried in. 600 00:25:53,760 --> 00:25:56,429 DR. OAKLEY (off-screen): I first wiggled the hook, 601 00:25:56,513 --> 00:25:59,724 but it was actually lodged at the base of the bone part 602 00:25:59,808 --> 00:26:01,351 that's attached to the toenail. 603 00:26:01,434 --> 00:26:05,355 DR. OAKLEY (off-screen): Oh boy, it doesn't look like it's moving. 604 00:26:05,438 --> 00:26:07,691 MABEL (off-screen): Holy mackerel. 605 00:26:07,774 --> 00:26:10,068 DR. OAKLEY (off-screen): Oh, my poor little lovey. 606 00:26:13,113 --> 00:26:14,739 DR. OAKLEY: I'm kind of working it. 607 00:26:14,823 --> 00:26:16,157 MABEL (off-screen): Oh goodness. 608 00:26:16,241 --> 00:26:18,326 DR. OAKLEY (off-screen): Okay. 609 00:26:19,411 --> 00:26:21,788 Yay! Yes! 610 00:26:21,871 --> 00:26:24,040 It didn't really want to move and suddenly, pop! 611 00:26:24,124 --> 00:26:26,501 Just popped right out. Ha-ha! 612 00:26:26,585 --> 00:26:27,752 MABEL (off-screen): Oh my gosh! 613 00:26:27,836 --> 00:26:29,296 DR. OAKLEY: Kitty is gonna be fine. 614 00:26:29,379 --> 00:26:31,548 DR. OAKLEY (off-screen): So the barb was tiny enough that I didn't even have to crimp it. 615 00:26:31,631 --> 00:26:33,633 So that was lucky. 616 00:26:33,717 --> 00:26:35,802 DR. OAKLEY (off-screen): We're gonna hook her up with some antibiotics, 617 00:26:35,885 --> 00:26:37,846 and a little bit of something for pain and she's all set. 618 00:26:37,929 --> 00:26:40,265 DR. OAKLEY (off-screen): You're like a lion with a thorn in its paw. 619 00:26:40,348 --> 00:26:42,976 And I'm sorry I poked you and made you cry. 620 00:26:43,059 --> 00:26:47,147 To happen upon a hairless cat, in the middle of Alaska with a 621 00:26:47,230 --> 00:26:50,817 fishhook stuck in its toe, you know nothing surprises me anymore. 622 00:26:52,193 --> 00:26:53,486 It's Alaska. 623 00:26:53,862 --> 00:26:55,071 Well we have to get on the road. 624 00:26:55,155 --> 00:26:57,157 But I'm really glad we stopped by and it was nice to meet you. 625 00:26:57,240 --> 00:26:58,908 MABEL: Well, I am so glad too. 626 00:26:58,992 --> 00:27:00,327 That's how things go in Alaska. 627 00:27:00,410 --> 00:27:02,454 DR. OAKLEY: Yeah, a lodge call. 628 00:27:02,537 --> 00:27:04,539 Easy peasy. 629 00:27:09,502 --> 00:27:11,588 NARRATOR: The new day brings stormy weather. 630 00:27:11,671 --> 00:27:14,716 But it's not raining cats or dogs. 631 00:27:15,300 --> 00:27:17,177 DR. OAKLEY: Oh! Right in the puddle! 632 00:27:17,677 --> 00:27:19,471 NARRATOR: It's raining Oakley's. 633 00:27:19,554 --> 00:27:22,349 Sierra has come in to keep her mom and sister company before 634 00:27:22,432 --> 00:27:24,142 heading to college. 635 00:27:24,225 --> 00:27:25,769 DR. OAKLEY (off-screen): Sierra is going to school this fall, 636 00:27:25,852 --> 00:27:27,270 Maya will be gone next year. 637 00:27:27,354 --> 00:27:29,272 You know we got to kind of pull everyone together and 638 00:27:29,356 --> 00:27:31,024 take advantage of these moments when we can. 639 00:27:31,107 --> 00:27:33,777 NARRATOR: They're at the Alaska Wildlife Conservation Center, 640 00:27:33,860 --> 00:27:36,988 to solve a mystery in the porcupine pen. 641 00:27:38,239 --> 00:27:40,283 SIERRA: I want a pet porcupine! 642 00:27:40,367 --> 00:27:42,285 DR. OAKLEY: Hey Mike, how's it going? 643 00:27:42,369 --> 00:27:43,536 MIKE: Dr. Oakley. 644 00:27:43,620 --> 00:27:44,746 DR. OAKLEY: How are you? MIKE: Good to see you again. 645 00:27:44,829 --> 00:27:45,955 DR. OAKLEY: Good to see you again. 646 00:27:46,039 --> 00:27:47,290 MIKE: You got your daughters with you today. Huh? 647 00:27:47,374 --> 00:27:48,583 DR. OAKLEY: Hi. I got helpers today. 648 00:27:48,667 --> 00:27:50,126 MIKE (off-screen): It's like Noah's ark. 649 00:27:50,210 --> 00:27:52,587 We're gonna go in and grab that porcupine and then we'll 650 00:27:52,671 --> 00:27:54,964 take it into that barn, just to get out of the rain. 651 00:27:55,048 --> 00:27:56,257 DR. OAKLEY: Okay. Sure. 652 00:27:56,341 --> 00:27:59,761 MIKE: The porcupine we use him quite a bit in classroom 653 00:27:59,844 --> 00:28:01,096 educations and, you know, he's, 654 00:28:01,179 --> 00:28:03,765 he goes all over the state. 655 00:28:03,848 --> 00:28:05,016 Here he comes! 656 00:28:05,100 --> 00:28:06,851 MIKE (off-screen): And he sort of likes the attention I guess. 657 00:28:06,935 --> 00:28:10,397 And maybe he thinks he's good looking and wants to strut his stuff. 658 00:28:10,897 --> 00:28:12,565 RACHEL (off-screen): His name is Snickers. 659 00:28:12,649 --> 00:28:14,401 MAYA: He's so cute! 660 00:28:14,484 --> 00:28:16,653 NARRATOR: This Alaskan celebrity may seem to be 661 00:28:16,736 --> 00:28:19,906 living the good life, but there's just one problem, 662 00:28:19,989 --> 00:28:23,410 this leading man, may not be a man at all. 663 00:28:23,493 --> 00:28:27,455 MIKE: One thing you can help us with is make sure he is a he, 664 00:28:27,539 --> 00:28:30,166 I don't think we really know. 665 00:28:30,250 --> 00:28:33,336 DR. OAKLEY (off-screen): I imagine gender confusion could make stage 666 00:28:33,420 --> 00:28:35,880 introductions a little awkward. 667 00:28:35,964 --> 00:28:37,841 MIKE: I would just rather check it out and be sure. 668 00:28:37,924 --> 00:28:39,384 DR. OAKLEY: Yeah. One two three. 669 00:28:39,467 --> 00:28:41,761 DR. OAKLEY (off-screen): Sierra, do you want to grab the front of that? 670 00:28:41,845 --> 00:28:44,514 I'm gonna see if I can't slip in there maybe just lift his 671 00:28:44,597 --> 00:28:47,976 tail and if I can't tell, a little inappropriate groping 672 00:28:48,059 --> 00:28:49,352 and I should have our answer. 673 00:28:49,436 --> 00:28:51,980 NARRATOR: Even though Snickers is well socialized, 674 00:28:52,063 --> 00:28:56,276 most porcupines don't take kindly to manhandling by strangers. 675 00:28:56,359 --> 00:28:57,485 MIKE (off-screen): There's the beast. 676 00:28:57,569 --> 00:28:59,446 DR. OAKLEY (off-screen): Hey. There he is. 677 00:28:59,529 --> 00:29:01,281 NARRATOR: And Michelle's seen what can happen when a 678 00:29:01,364 --> 00:29:03,158 porcupine gets offended. 679 00:29:05,618 --> 00:29:06,745 DR. OAKLEY (off-screen): Hold on, my love. 680 00:29:06,828 --> 00:29:08,496 You know they get a bit of a bad rep but some of it's a 681 00:29:08,580 --> 00:29:09,998 little well-deserved. 682 00:29:10,081 --> 00:29:11,624 DR. OAKLEY (off-screen): They're just trying to defend themselves, 683 00:29:11,708 --> 00:29:14,252 but dogs end up with a mouthful of quills or even on 684 00:29:14,335 --> 00:29:15,712 their face or on their paws. 685 00:29:15,795 --> 00:29:17,464 Oh that was a good one. 686 00:29:17,547 --> 00:29:20,383 Certainly if I'm going in to feel for testicles he's 687 00:29:20,467 --> 00:29:22,135 probably won't just put up with that. 688 00:29:22,218 --> 00:29:24,387 DR. OAKLEY (off-screen): Oh broccoli. 689 00:29:24,471 --> 00:29:26,848 NARRATOR: To keep Michelle from getting stuck, 690 00:29:26,931 --> 00:29:30,185 they'll feed Snickers some porcupine delicacies. 691 00:29:33,062 --> 00:29:34,481 DR. OAKLEY: He's like "Hey!" 692 00:29:34,564 --> 00:29:36,566 DR. OAKLEY (off-screen): Hopefully I don't get poked. 693 00:29:36,649 --> 00:29:38,568 30,000 quills is making this tricky. 694 00:29:38,651 --> 00:29:41,112 I don't want to be saddled with any one of them. 695 00:29:41,196 --> 00:29:45,742 NARRATOR: Michelle tries first to warm Snickers up to her touch. 696 00:29:45,825 --> 00:29:49,287 DR. OAKLEY (off-screen): Can I just feel, would you let me? 697 00:29:49,370 --> 00:29:52,624 When you part those long guard hairs out of the way, 698 00:29:52,707 --> 00:29:55,585 I can just feel the tips of all those quills. 699 00:29:55,668 --> 00:29:58,797 As long as he stays still. Woo. 700 00:29:58,880 --> 00:30:01,132 So, I could feel all those quills just scratching me. 701 00:30:01,216 --> 00:30:04,010 NARRATOR: Snickers seems to be okay with the petting, 702 00:30:04,093 --> 00:30:06,846 now it's time to go below the belt. 703 00:30:06,930 --> 00:30:08,556 DR. OAKLEY (off-screen): Very carefully. 704 00:30:08,640 --> 00:30:10,809 That's how you determine the sex of a porcupine. 705 00:30:10,892 --> 00:30:12,769 DR. OAKLEY (off-screen): I'm gonna get personal. 706 00:30:12,852 --> 00:30:14,354 Hope I don't get pooped on. 707 00:30:14,437 --> 00:30:17,315 Oh wow, so Mike, I think it's a she actually, just a she. 708 00:30:17,398 --> 00:30:19,150 MAYA (off-screen): Oh my god. 709 00:30:19,234 --> 00:30:21,277 DR. OAKLEY Because going this way it looked like a vulva. 710 00:30:21,361 --> 00:30:24,823 MIKE: Wow, that's, really? 711 00:30:24,906 --> 00:30:26,032 DR. OAKLEY: Yeah! 712 00:30:26,115 --> 00:30:27,492 DR. OAKLEY (off-screen): It may come as a shock to Mike, 713 00:30:27,575 --> 00:30:30,578 but I'm not seeing any boy bits at this point. 714 00:30:30,662 --> 00:30:32,288 So I'm trying to get a better look here. 715 00:30:32,372 --> 00:30:34,332 DR. OAKLEY (off-screen): It'd be nice to have a flashlight or a headlamp. 716 00:30:34,415 --> 00:30:36,709 ERIN: There's a light on this I don't know if that'll help. 717 00:30:36,793 --> 00:30:38,711 DR. OAKLEY: Thanks. 718 00:30:38,795 --> 00:30:40,922 Try and see if you can lead her that way. 719 00:30:41,005 --> 00:30:43,633 DR. OAKLEY (off-screen): A lot of times their testicles will be kind of up in their 720 00:30:43,716 --> 00:30:46,719 abdomen and it's not as obvious, as say a dog. 721 00:30:46,803 --> 00:30:49,639 I'm trying to see if there's any boy business there. 722 00:30:49,722 --> 00:30:51,933 It looks like a vulva, but they're a little hard to tell. 723 00:30:52,016 --> 00:30:53,476 DR. OAKLEY (off-screen): Maya, can you come down here and hold this? 724 00:30:53,560 --> 00:30:54,853 Come on down here. 725 00:30:54,936 --> 00:30:56,938 You're going to have to see what I'm seeing here to know 726 00:30:57,021 --> 00:30:58,690 where to point it. 727 00:30:58,773 --> 00:31:01,484 DR. OAKLEY (off-screen): I can't tell for sure what it is at this point. 728 00:31:01,568 --> 00:31:04,070 It just looks like a whole bunch of skin and folds. 729 00:31:04,153 --> 00:31:06,948 So I'm gonna have to sneak under there and get a feel. 730 00:31:07,031 --> 00:31:09,284 NARRATOR: The tail is one of the most dangerous parts of a 731 00:31:09,367 --> 00:31:13,746 porcupine, sporting up to 150 quills per square inch. 732 00:31:15,999 --> 00:31:17,834 MAYA: Watch it! Okay. 733 00:31:20,920 --> 00:31:23,047 DR. OAKLEY (off-screen): Eww. That's interesting. 734 00:31:23,131 --> 00:31:24,674 I feel testicles. 735 00:31:24,757 --> 00:31:26,593 MIKE (off-screen): Oh, do you? 736 00:31:26,676 --> 00:31:27,719 DR. OAKLEY: Yeah so. 737 00:31:27,802 --> 00:31:28,720 MIKE (off-screen): He's back to being a boy. 738 00:31:28,803 --> 00:31:30,597 DR. OAKLEY: He's a boy. It's a boy. 739 00:31:30,680 --> 00:31:32,724 He's like "Whoa, inappropriate." 740 00:31:32,807 --> 00:31:35,101 I've never met such a flexible porcupine. 741 00:31:35,184 --> 00:31:37,896 Yeah, he's really easy going. 742 00:31:37,979 --> 00:31:39,147 MAYA: As easy as it gets. 743 00:31:39,230 --> 00:31:41,065 DR. OAKLEY: Usually they're little more pointed and, 744 00:31:41,149 --> 00:31:42,609 you know, pokey. 745 00:31:42,692 --> 00:31:43,943 DR. OAKLEY (off-screen): He's super curious. 746 00:31:44,027 --> 00:31:46,654 Oh, you might not want him in that area. 747 00:31:46,738 --> 00:31:48,656 He might nibble. 748 00:31:48,740 --> 00:31:50,617 MIKE: We've been calling it a male for years, 749 00:31:50,700 --> 00:31:53,703 but I feel better now that I know that we're saying the right thing. 750 00:31:53,786 --> 00:31:55,705 DR. OAKLEY: Okay. Well thanks, Mike. 751 00:31:55,788 --> 00:31:56,789 MAYA (off-screen): Thank you. 752 00:31:56,873 --> 00:31:58,124 MIKE (off-screen): Good seeing you. 753 00:31:58,207 --> 00:31:59,751 DR. OAKLEY: Great to see you. 754 00:32:02,337 --> 00:32:04,005 NARRATOR: With Snickers' ID in the bag, 755 00:32:04,088 --> 00:32:06,341 Michelle's Alaskan tour is a wrap. 756 00:32:06,424 --> 00:32:09,302 It's time to head back to home sweet Yukon. 757 00:32:09,385 --> 00:32:11,596 And to the All Paws Clinic. 758 00:32:13,514 --> 00:32:15,099 DR. OAKLEY (off-screen): What, what, what, what. 759 00:32:15,183 --> 00:32:16,267 I know the feeling. 760 00:32:16,351 --> 00:32:17,810 DR. OAKLEY (off-screen): That's how I felt this morning. 761 00:32:17,894 --> 00:32:18,978 Now that I'm off coffee. 762 00:32:19,062 --> 00:32:20,605 Huh, hey, what? 763 00:32:20,688 --> 00:32:23,399 NARRATOR: Brittany Hupp has also made the long trek from 764 00:32:23,483 --> 00:32:27,362 Alaska to Whitehorse with her young puppy in tow. 765 00:32:29,364 --> 00:32:32,325 After being hit by a car, Honey still suffers from 766 00:32:32,408 --> 00:32:34,202 severe nerve damage. 767 00:32:34,285 --> 00:32:36,037 BRITTANY: You're going to be okay. 768 00:32:36,120 --> 00:32:37,747 DR. OAKLEY (off-screen): We gave it a bit of time but all the nerves 769 00:32:37,830 --> 00:32:41,084 that are in the armpit area are stretched and permanently damaged. 770 00:32:41,167 --> 00:32:45,213 So, the best thing for her is to actually remove the entire leg. 771 00:32:47,090 --> 00:32:48,925 DR. OAKLEY (off-screen): Hey, come on in. 772 00:32:49,008 --> 00:32:50,343 BRITTANY: Hey. 773 00:32:50,426 --> 00:32:52,595 NARRATOR: Brittany says goodbye before Honey is taken 774 00:32:52,679 --> 00:32:54,722 back for surgery. 775 00:32:54,806 --> 00:32:56,683 BRITTANY (off-screen): Mommy is right here, baby girl. 776 00:32:56,766 --> 00:32:58,226 I know. 777 00:32:58,309 --> 00:33:00,728 I love you so much, Honey. 778 00:33:04,607 --> 00:33:06,317 DR. OAKLEY: Okay, missus. 779 00:33:06,401 --> 00:33:08,277 Good girl, Honey. 780 00:33:08,361 --> 00:33:10,947 DR. OAKLEY (off-screen): Oh yeah, you've been chewing at that a bit. 781 00:33:11,030 --> 00:33:13,366 The sooner we get it off of her, 782 00:33:13,449 --> 00:33:17,412 the less likely she is to get an infection or to chew on it severely. 783 00:33:17,870 --> 00:33:18,955 It's a good girl. 784 00:33:19,038 --> 00:33:20,331 What do you think of those clippers? 785 00:33:20,415 --> 00:33:21,916 Do they feel funny? 786 00:33:22,000 --> 00:33:23,835 DR. OAKLEY (off-screen): I'm gonna give sedation, it's a little stingy. 787 00:33:23,918 --> 00:33:25,628 Okay. A little poke. 788 00:33:28,840 --> 00:33:30,800 Good girl, good girl. 789 00:33:33,219 --> 00:33:35,430 Time is of the essence. 790 00:33:35,513 --> 00:33:37,640 NARRATOR: It's all hands on deck today, 791 00:33:37,724 --> 00:33:39,809 including Dr. Candace Stuart. 792 00:33:39,892 --> 00:33:40,810 DR. OAKLEY (off-screen): Ready? 793 00:33:40,893 --> 00:33:42,353 DR. STUART (off-screen): Yeah, sure. 794 00:33:42,437 --> 00:33:44,063 DR. OAKLEY (off-screen): It's a long surgery. 795 00:33:44,147 --> 00:33:47,066 Her scapula or shoulder blade is right here. 796 00:33:47,150 --> 00:33:49,318 So the incision starts and goes down all the way around 797 00:33:49,402 --> 00:33:52,280 her arm and then the whole shoulder blade and arm comes off. 798 00:33:52,363 --> 00:33:55,241 NARRATOR: They'll have to work cautiously hiding between 799 00:33:55,324 --> 00:33:59,120 layers of tissue is a network of blood vessels. 800 00:33:59,203 --> 00:34:05,001 DR. OAKLEY: Go like so. So cutting. 801 00:34:06,961 --> 00:34:10,298 NARRATOR: Each vessel needs to be located and tied off before 802 00:34:10,381 --> 00:34:12,300 they can be cut. 803 00:34:12,383 --> 00:34:16,179 DR. OAKLEY (off-screen): So I'm taking my time and I'm removing layers 804 00:34:16,262 --> 00:34:18,014 of muscle that need to be removed. 805 00:34:18,097 --> 00:34:20,433 I want to save as much of that as I can. 806 00:34:20,516 --> 00:34:22,185 Wait, what's happening there? 807 00:34:22,268 --> 00:34:23,936 DR. STUART (off-screen): What do you mean what's happening there? 808 00:34:24,020 --> 00:34:25,063 DR. OAKLEY: Can you see it from this angle? 809 00:34:25,146 --> 00:34:26,314 DR. STUART (off-screen): Yeah. 810 00:34:26,397 --> 00:34:27,774 DR. OAKLEY: That's the main artery and vein that are 811 00:34:27,857 --> 00:34:29,484 inside, we have to be really careful of that. 812 00:34:29,567 --> 00:34:32,403 DR. OAKLEY (off-screen): There's one very large vessel called the axillary artery. 813 00:34:32,487 --> 00:34:34,072 And there's a few branches of it. 814 00:34:34,155 --> 00:34:36,741 You don't want to accidentally cut that vessel because it 815 00:34:36,824 --> 00:34:39,744 could retract inward and be very difficult to get at to 816 00:34:39,827 --> 00:34:41,245 stop the bleeding. 817 00:34:41,329 --> 00:34:43,122 DR. OAKLEY: I can't see how deep I am. 818 00:34:43,206 --> 00:34:45,750 NARRATOR: Michelle must carefully tease out the artery. 819 00:34:45,833 --> 00:34:46,959 DR. OAKLEY: Hmm. 820 00:34:47,043 --> 00:34:49,504 It's like getting under it without damaging it. 821 00:34:49,587 --> 00:34:52,840 NARRATOR: But it's buried beneath muscle and tissue. 822 00:34:52,924 --> 00:34:54,884 DR. OAKLEY: I'm afraid to pull on that vessel. 823 00:34:54,967 --> 00:34:57,136 DR. STUART: No. Don't pull it yet. 824 00:34:57,220 --> 00:35:01,349 DR. OAKLEY: Uh-oh, it's bleeding. (Bleep). 825 00:35:01,891 --> 00:35:03,893 I got a little bit more bleeding than I'm expecting. 826 00:35:03,976 --> 00:35:05,228 DR. STUART: Uh-hmm. 827 00:35:09,273 --> 00:35:11,400 Her heart rate is going up a bit. 828 00:35:11,484 --> 00:35:14,237 DR. OAKLEY: There was one branch that I did nip. 829 00:35:14,320 --> 00:35:16,531 We'll do a tie around some of that. 830 00:35:16,614 --> 00:35:18,908 DR. OAKLEY (off-screen): And you know, there's some blood pumping. 831 00:35:18,991 --> 00:35:20,535 We're not quite out of the woods yet. 832 00:35:20,618 --> 00:35:22,286 DR. OAKLEY (off-screen): And I quickly tie it with a bit of suture material 833 00:35:22,370 --> 00:35:24,122 to stop the bleeding. 834 00:35:24,205 --> 00:35:26,165 NARRATOR: With the tiny tourniquet in place, 835 00:35:26,249 --> 00:35:28,334 Michelle can cut the artery. 836 00:35:28,417 --> 00:35:29,669 DR. STUART: It's in there, the nerve, the branch. 837 00:35:29,752 --> 00:35:31,045 DR. OAKLEY: Oh, that's perfect. Yeah. 838 00:35:31,129 --> 00:35:32,171 DR. STUART: Her pressures are good now. 839 00:35:32,255 --> 00:35:34,966 DR. OAKLEY: Okay. Teamwork. 840 00:35:35,049 --> 00:35:36,551 Get her done. 841 00:35:36,634 --> 00:35:38,553 DR. OAKLEY (off-screen): It was awesome to have Dr. Candace in there. 842 00:35:38,636 --> 00:35:40,388 She's cutting in one spot and tying things off. 843 00:35:40,471 --> 00:35:43,349 DR. OAKLEY (off-screen): And the two of us were kind of going at it at the same time. 844 00:35:43,432 --> 00:35:44,934 Okay, Honey. 845 00:35:45,017 --> 00:35:46,894 We're getting there. 846 00:35:46,978 --> 00:35:49,230 I don't think there's any, any more left actually. 847 00:35:49,313 --> 00:35:50,356 Should I just do it? 848 00:35:50,439 --> 00:35:51,983 DR. STUART: Just do it. 849 00:35:53,693 --> 00:35:56,821 DR. OAKLEY: Whoa, and that is that. 850 00:35:58,948 --> 00:36:01,242 NARRATOR: Over two hours and 100 stitches later, 851 00:36:01,325 --> 00:36:05,037 Honey's life has changed forever. 852 00:36:05,121 --> 00:36:08,332 BRITTANY (off-screen): I think she might be set back a little bit but 853 00:36:08,416 --> 00:36:11,961 hopefully she won't even realize that she's different 854 00:36:12,044 --> 00:36:13,838 from the other dogs. 855 00:36:13,921 --> 00:36:17,675 DR. OAKLEY: Hi! Hi Honey, how are you? 856 00:36:17,758 --> 00:36:21,053 BRITTANY (off-screen): It's been hard just sitting here. 857 00:36:21,137 --> 00:36:24,724 I'm really anxious to see her, just to see that she's okay. 858 00:36:24,807 --> 00:36:26,100 DR. OAKLEY: Hey. Hi, how's it going? 859 00:36:26,184 --> 00:36:27,518 BRITTANY: Hey. 860 00:36:27,602 --> 00:36:28,686 MAN (off-screen): Hey, how are you? 861 00:36:28,769 --> 00:36:30,188 DR. OAKLEY: She's waking up, do you wanna come see her? 862 00:36:30,271 --> 00:36:31,314 BRITTANY: Yes. 863 00:36:31,397 --> 00:36:32,523 DR. OAKLEY: She did really well. 864 00:36:32,607 --> 00:36:35,693 Come on back. So there she is. 865 00:36:35,776 --> 00:36:37,820 DR. OAKLEY (off-screen): She did awesome. 866 00:36:37,904 --> 00:36:40,823 BRITTANY: Hey, Honey. 867 00:36:40,907 --> 00:36:43,159 BRITTANY (off-screen): I really don't know what the challenges are going to be yet 868 00:36:43,242 --> 00:36:45,536 because I've never like raised a dog before, 869 00:36:45,620 --> 00:36:47,079 let alone with three legs. 870 00:36:47,163 --> 00:36:50,291 NARRATOR: Honey will stay at All Paws overnight where she 871 00:36:50,374 --> 00:36:53,502 can be closely monitored for pain and bleeding. 872 00:36:53,586 --> 00:36:55,838 BRITTANY: Hopefully she'll get through it and so will I. 873 00:36:57,632 --> 00:36:59,634 NARRATOR: Soon, will come the ultimate test of how Honey 874 00:36:59,717 --> 00:37:02,511 will adjust to life on three legs. 875 00:37:03,012 --> 00:37:04,847 DR. OAKLEY (off-screen): Tomorrow when Honey takes her first steps, 876 00:37:04,931 --> 00:37:08,100 I'm hoping that she's not struggling to get around. 877 00:37:08,184 --> 00:37:11,479 I just want her to be strong and be able give it her best. 878 00:37:11,562 --> 00:37:13,314 BRITTANY: Can you hear mama? 879 00:37:13,397 --> 00:37:15,900 BRITTANY (off-screen): I love you so much. 880 00:37:18,986 --> 00:37:20,655 NARRATOR: It's summer in the Yukon, 881 00:37:20,738 --> 00:37:24,033 and Michelle's taking full advantage of the long day. 882 00:37:26,619 --> 00:37:28,204 DR. OAKLEY (off-screen): Today I'm going to Carrie Kinison's house. 883 00:37:28,287 --> 00:37:31,123 And I've come up here to have a look at one of her horses. 884 00:37:31,207 --> 00:37:32,792 CARRIE (off-screen): Hi Michelle! 885 00:37:32,875 --> 00:37:35,294 DR. OAKLEY: All the dogs sound good. 886 00:37:35,378 --> 00:37:36,420 How are you doing today? 887 00:37:36,504 --> 00:37:37,463 CARRIE: Hi. 888 00:37:37,546 --> 00:37:39,382 DR. OAKLEY: Good to see you. And who do we have today? 889 00:37:39,465 --> 00:37:40,841 CARRIE: This is Socks. 890 00:37:40,925 --> 00:37:42,218 DR. OAKLEY (off-screen): Okay. 891 00:37:42,301 --> 00:37:45,304 NARRATOR: Socks suffers from a drastic dip in her spine, 892 00:37:45,388 --> 00:37:48,766 a condition that almost cost her, her life. 893 00:37:48,849 --> 00:37:52,186 CARRIE (off-screen): Socks came into our life when she was being walked 894 00:37:52,270 --> 00:37:55,982 to the city dump to be shot. 895 00:37:56,065 --> 00:37:58,818 CARRIE (off-screen): My husband showed up and that's when we said we have 896 00:37:58,901 --> 00:38:00,736 lot of acres, we'll take her. 897 00:38:00,820 --> 00:38:02,738 And so we took her out here and gave, 898 00:38:02,822 --> 00:38:04,824 just let her live her life out. 899 00:38:04,907 --> 00:38:06,951 NARRATOR: Socks may be a free horse now, 900 00:38:07,034 --> 00:38:11,831 but not too long ago, she spent her days hauling packs and babies. 901 00:38:11,914 --> 00:38:13,624 CARRIE (off-screen): She's had 17 foals. 902 00:38:13,708 --> 00:38:15,459 DR. OAKLEY: 17 foals. CARRIE: 17 foals. 903 00:38:15,543 --> 00:38:18,004 DR. OAKLEY: Well, that kind of partially explains that swayback, I think. 904 00:38:18,087 --> 00:38:18,963 CARRIE (off-screen): Yes. 905 00:38:19,046 --> 00:38:20,006 DR. OAKLEY (off-screen): Yeah. 906 00:38:20,089 --> 00:38:21,257 CARRIE: Yes. She was a breeder. 907 00:38:21,340 --> 00:38:22,591 DR. OAKLEY: I think I'd be walking like that too if I had 17 foals. 908 00:38:22,675 --> 00:38:24,051 CARRIE (off-screen): Yeah, and. 909 00:38:24,135 --> 00:38:26,429 NARRATOR: Spending over 15 years of her life pregnant, 910 00:38:26,512 --> 00:38:31,225 Socks' spinal ligaments gave way causing her back to dip. 911 00:38:31,309 --> 00:38:36,564 In some horses, this condition can be extremely painful. 912 00:38:36,647 --> 00:38:38,065 DR. OAKLEY (off-screen): Horses cannot take a lot of pain. 913 00:38:38,149 --> 00:38:40,443 They often um, will go off feed, 914 00:38:40,526 --> 00:38:42,570 and it can send them in a shock. 915 00:38:42,653 --> 00:38:45,781 DR. OAKLEY (off-screen): So I want to make sure she's comfortable and figure out 916 00:38:45,865 --> 00:38:47,325 what I can do to help. 917 00:38:49,368 --> 00:38:50,995 Would you mind if we walk her, just to see how she does? 918 00:38:51,078 --> 00:38:52,121 CARRIE (off-screen): Okay. 919 00:38:52,204 --> 00:38:53,622 DR. OAKLEY: Just up and back that'd be great just to see 920 00:38:53,706 --> 00:38:55,249 how she's moving. 921 00:38:59,420 --> 00:39:02,089 DR. OAKLEY (off-screen): Normally a horse has a little dip in, in their spine, 922 00:39:02,173 --> 00:39:04,675 but I honestly haven't seen such a dramatic swayback. 923 00:39:04,759 --> 00:39:08,095 DR. OAKLEY (off-screen): In the case of Socks it's, it's quite severe. 924 00:39:08,179 --> 00:39:10,139 Nice. 925 00:39:10,222 --> 00:39:12,767 NARRATOR: But to know if the horse's deformity can be 926 00:39:12,850 --> 00:39:16,103 treated, Michelle needs to hone in on her age. 927 00:39:16,187 --> 00:39:18,147 DR. OAKLEY: Hey missus. Now let's see the teeth. 928 00:39:18,230 --> 00:39:21,567 NARRATOR: And to do that, takes some dental detective work. 929 00:39:21,650 --> 00:39:25,654 DR. OAKLEY: Okay. I know but I got to have a look. 930 00:39:25,738 --> 00:39:27,948 DR. OAKLEY (off-screen): I got to have a look. If you can let me look? 931 00:39:28,032 --> 00:39:29,325 Hold on sweetheart. 932 00:39:29,408 --> 00:39:30,534 CARRIE: Yeah. 933 00:39:30,618 --> 00:39:31,786 Good girl. Good girl. 934 00:39:31,869 --> 00:39:32,828 DR. OAKLEY: Hold on. 935 00:39:32,912 --> 00:39:33,954 We got to look to be able to tell. 936 00:39:34,038 --> 00:39:35,873 DR. OAKLEY (off-screen): Hold on. Hold on, sweetie. 937 00:39:35,956 --> 00:39:36,957 Wait, wait. 938 00:39:37,041 --> 00:39:39,085 Wait, wait, wait, wait, wait, wait, wait. 939 00:39:39,168 --> 00:39:40,711 There we go. Thank you. 940 00:39:40,795 --> 00:39:42,463 CARRIE: That's why I haven't been there before. 941 00:39:42,546 --> 00:39:45,299 DR. OAKLEY: So first of all you can see that her teeth are quite like this. 942 00:39:45,383 --> 00:39:46,842 So, you know, this horse are kind of in there. 943 00:39:46,926 --> 00:39:47,927 CARRIE (off-screen): Uh-hmm. 944 00:39:48,010 --> 00:39:49,762 DR. OAKLEY: Teens and early 20s they start to go, 945 00:39:49,845 --> 00:39:53,182 once they get up to 30 really start to get the slant. 946 00:39:53,265 --> 00:39:57,186 And so I say she's, she's probably in her mid to, mid to late 20s. 947 00:39:58,104 --> 00:40:00,147 DR. OAKLEY (off-screen): When you have any horse that's in her late 20s or early 948 00:40:00,231 --> 00:40:03,317 30s, you know, things are gonna start breaking down. 949 00:40:03,401 --> 00:40:04,902 CARRIE: What could I do? 950 00:40:04,985 --> 00:40:06,153 Is there anything? 951 00:40:06,237 --> 00:40:07,530 DR. OAKLEY: You know what, this is not going to change in 952 00:40:07,613 --> 00:40:08,531 an old horse like this. 953 00:40:08,614 --> 00:40:09,615 CARRIE (off-screen): No. 954 00:40:09,698 --> 00:40:10,741 DR. OAKLEY (off-screen): There's really nothing that we can do. 955 00:40:10,825 --> 00:40:13,160 But the good news is it's, it doesn't seem bothering her at all. 956 00:40:13,244 --> 00:40:16,288 She can walk and move just fine so, it's, 957 00:40:16,372 --> 00:40:17,706 it's really impressive. 958 00:40:17,790 --> 00:40:19,583 NARRATOR: As long as they're not in pain, 959 00:40:19,667 --> 00:40:23,921 swayed back horses can work, train, and even be ridden. 960 00:40:24,004 --> 00:40:26,590 CARRIE: We'll let her go and she can go where she wants. 961 00:40:26,674 --> 00:40:27,675 DR. OAKLEY: Okay. 962 00:40:27,758 --> 00:40:29,635 CARRIE: And I'll bet you, she goes right into her barn. 963 00:40:32,012 --> 00:40:33,514 DR. OAKLEY: See you, Socks. See you, Carrie. 964 00:40:33,597 --> 00:40:34,723 CARRIE: See you next time. 965 00:40:34,807 --> 00:40:36,434 DR. OAKLEY: All right, thanks, bye-bye. 966 00:40:40,479 --> 00:40:42,565 NARRATOR: As the sun shines over the Yukon, 967 00:40:42,648 --> 00:40:45,025 Honey's big day has arrived. 968 00:40:45,109 --> 00:40:46,402 DR. OAKLEY (off-screen): Okay, Honey. 969 00:40:46,485 --> 00:40:49,280 We can put your collar on and get all your stuff ready. 970 00:40:49,363 --> 00:40:54,034 NARRATOR: The puppy is waking up to her first morning as an amputee. 971 00:40:54,118 --> 00:40:57,413 DR. OAKLEY: Are you ready to go see your mama? 972 00:40:57,496 --> 00:41:00,124 NARRATOR: Brittany is back at the clinic too, 973 00:41:00,207 --> 00:41:02,751 anxious to see how her friend is faring. 974 00:41:02,835 --> 00:41:04,044 DR. OAKLEY (off-screen): Are you excited? 975 00:41:04,128 --> 00:41:06,338 NARRATOR: And to hopefully, bring her home. 976 00:41:08,215 --> 00:41:10,301 Honey's first steps are crucial. 977 00:41:10,384 --> 00:41:13,429 They tell Michelle how she'll get along on three legs. 978 00:41:15,556 --> 00:41:17,099 DR. OAKLEY (off-screen): Are you excited? 979 00:41:17,183 --> 00:41:18,601 BRITTANY: Hi, Honey. 980 00:41:18,684 --> 00:41:20,060 DR. OAKLEY: There is mommy! 981 00:41:20,144 --> 00:41:21,228 BRITTANY: Hi, sweetheart. 982 00:41:21,312 --> 00:41:22,521 DR. OAKLEY: There she is! 983 00:41:22,605 --> 00:41:25,774 BRITTANY: Hi. Oh, look at you, girl. 984 00:41:25,858 --> 00:41:27,610 DR. OAKLEY: She's so happy to see you. 985 00:41:27,693 --> 00:41:29,570 Honey, just wants to run around and play with everybody. 986 00:41:29,653 --> 00:41:31,030 DR. OAKLEY (off-screen): That's what I was hoping to see. 987 00:41:31,113 --> 00:41:33,699 I don't think she'll miss a step, literally. 988 00:41:33,782 --> 00:41:38,037 If this was a mastiff or a, or a really big bulldog, 989 00:41:38,120 --> 00:41:40,456 they have a harder time with that front leg because so much 990 00:41:40,539 --> 00:41:41,874 of their weight is up front. 991 00:41:41,957 --> 00:41:45,586 But she's pretty light-boned, she'll do just fine with that. 992 00:41:45,669 --> 00:41:46,629 Yeah. Wait. Wait, Honey. 993 00:41:46,712 --> 00:41:47,922 You can't go down the stairs. 994 00:41:48,005 --> 00:41:50,424 BRITTANY: She looks just the same as a regular dog. 995 00:41:50,508 --> 00:41:52,635 BRITTANY (off-screen): Except for she's not dragging her paw around. 996 00:41:52,718 --> 00:41:54,345 DR. OAKLEY (off-screen): She sees the cat down there. 997 00:41:54,428 --> 00:41:57,139 BRITTANY: I'm really happy to see Honey doing that well already. 998 00:41:57,223 --> 00:41:59,808 DR. OAKLEY: It's amazing how fast they figure it out, hey. 999 00:41:59,892 --> 00:42:01,101 BRITTANY: Yeah. 1000 00:42:01,185 --> 00:42:02,853 NARRATOR: Honey has the all-clear to go home, 1001 00:42:02,937 --> 00:42:05,189 but doctor's orders call for rest. 1002 00:42:05,272 --> 00:42:07,358 DR. OAKLEY: This still has to heal and hold together right 1003 00:42:07,441 --> 00:42:10,486 so she's gonna need to be on a leash and not able to run 1004 00:42:10,569 --> 00:42:12,821 around too much for about 14 days, okay? 1005 00:42:12,905 --> 00:42:16,408 She's getting around even better than she was with the leg there, hey. 1006 00:42:16,492 --> 00:42:17,493 BRITTANY: Yeah. 1007 00:42:17,576 --> 00:42:18,577 DR. OAKLEY: She's doing awesome. 1008 00:42:18,661 --> 00:42:19,703 BRITTANY: Thank you. Thank you. 1009 00:42:19,787 --> 00:42:20,996 DR. OAKLEY: No problem. 1010 00:42:21,080 --> 00:42:23,624 It really warmed my heart to see all that effort that, 1011 00:42:23,707 --> 00:42:26,835 you know, Brittany was willing to go through to try and get this done. 1012 00:42:26,919 --> 00:42:29,129 BRITTANY: I'm nervous to pick her up. 1013 00:42:29,213 --> 00:42:30,506 KARI: Put your hand around the bottom of her neck and then 1014 00:42:30,589 --> 00:42:31,799 scoop up under her bum there, 1015 00:42:31,882 --> 00:42:33,133 there you go. 1016 00:42:33,217 --> 00:42:34,134 DR. OAKLEY (off-screen): Honey is still perfect. 1017 00:42:34,218 --> 00:42:36,762 She's still an awesome dog, she's still gonna be her best friend. 1018 00:42:36,845 --> 00:42:39,598 I predict a very fast recovery. 1019 00:42:40,057 --> 00:42:41,100 DR. OAKLEY (off-screen): All right I'll see you guys later. 1020 00:42:41,183 --> 00:42:42,643 BRITTANY: Okay. Let's not do that. Yeah? 1021 00:42:42,726 --> 00:42:44,770 DR. OAKLEY (off-screen): Oh, my god. Awesome. 1022 00:42:47,064 --> 00:42:48,857 Captioned by Cotter Captioning Services.