I was really worried about Tricki this time. I had pulled up my car
when I saw him in the street with his mistress and I was shocked at
his appearance. He had become hugely fat, like a bloated sausage with
a leg at each corner. His eyes, bloodshot and rheumy, stared straight
ahead and his tongue lolled from his jaws.
Mrs Pumphrey hastened to explain, "He was so listless, Mr Herriot.
He seemed to have no energy. I thought he must be suffering from
malnutrition, so I have been giving him some little extras between
meals to build him up, some malt and cod-liver oil and a bowl of
Horlicks at night to make him sleep – nothing much really."
"And did you cut down on the sweet things as I told you?"
“Oh, I did for a bit, but he seemed to be so weak I had to relent. He
does love cream cakes and chocolates so. I can't bear to refuse him."
I looked down again at the little dog. That was the trouble. Tricki's
only fault was greed. He had never been known to refuse food; he
would tackle a meal at any hour of the day or night. And I wondered
about all the things Mrs Pumphrey hadn't mentioned.
“Are you giving him plenty of exercise?"
"Well, he has his little walks with me as you can see, but Hodgkin,
the gardener, has been down with lumbago, so there has been no
ring-throwing lately.". (explain it)
Answers
The above scene is the time when Doctor James Harriot, Mrs. Pumpherey and her dog Tricky met in the streets. Dr. Harriet was shocked to see Tricki as it has become very fat and ugly. Because of the obesity, it was not able to walk properly. When asked by Mrs. Pumpherey, she told that she was very much worried about Tricki. She said that according to her, Tricky might be suffering from malnutrition because of which he had no energy to walk. Also, she said that because of this reason she has been overfeeding him, but nothing has resulted in positive terms. Mrs. Pumpherey would pamper Tricki with lots of food and chocolates and Tricki would never refuse to any of them. This was the reason which Dr. Herriot concluded for Tricki's situation. When the doctor asked about any exercises been given to Tricki, Mrs. Pumpherey said that she took Tricki with her for small walks every day.
Answer:
In this paragraph, Mrs. Humphrey explains the physical conditions of her lost dog after she found him on the streets. She tells about his condition that made him look listless. She tells him that she started giving him more food because she though he was suffering from malnutrition. She further tells how she pampered the dog and all this while there is an ignorance about her not looking after the health factor of the dog.