This time when I wake in my kennel, I feel hot. Very hot. My bladder is once again pressingly full. I whine with discomfort as I manage to get to my hands and knees, and crawl over to the puppy pad. I pee while I try to get a hold of myself and get my head on straight which is surprisingly difficult. James walks through the sliding glass doors while I'm mid flow -- I don't even look at him while I finish up. He walks over, saying nothing, and wipes me clean. He immediately takes a treat from his pocket and presses it to my mouth as he says, 'Clever girl.'
I'm starting to feel faint at this point with the heat and lack of food. Just at that, a centre attendant enters the kennel with two bowls, one with food and one with fresh water. James begins, 'Now April, since you have all your procedures done, you can finally have a proper meal. This is vet recommended food -- it contains all the nutrients and vitamins you need for a balanced diet; it is at your owner's discretion as to whether you will eat this or other food. But at the centre we highly recommend that you are kept on a strict diet. Your can buy this in a number of flavours for you.' The attendant places the bowls in front of the puppy pad so I just need to shift a little to the left to reach them. I look a little disdainfully at the bowl of biscuits, which have obviously been soaked in something.
'Water -- they're soaked in water,' James answers my unspoken question. 'And again, they also have some of our arousal serum in them.' At this point I'm so hungry and weak that I barely care -- I start to work my way through the bowl, trying my best to navigate my way around the circular bowl to get all the biscuits. They taste surprisingly pleasant. I hear the shutter of a camera, and glance up to see James taking photos of me eating from my bowl. I carry on eating tentatively, not quite full enough to care yet.
By the time I finish and take a few laps of water, James has tapped away at his tablet and is now running his hand down the screen. 'Right, April just a few questions about how you're feeling before I run through the final few physical checks. Nod your head for yes, and shake it for no -- understand?' I nod once. 'Good girl.' Treat.
'Are you feeling any pain today?' Shake -- treat.
'Are you feeling better after eating and drinking?' Nod -- treat.
'Are you feeling any discomfort?' Nod. 'Ben expected this -- hold on.' James rummages around in a small box that also must have been brought in by the centre attendant. He retrieves a thermometer and continues towards me, I open my mouth expectantly.