We did have a dog with lung cancer. It is not easy to watch. He was himself, up to a certain point. When he became unhappy, and no longer wanted to play (and this dog LIVED to play), we decided it was time to take him to the vet. He had been diagnosed before this, and there was nothing we could do. By the time we found it, it had covered his lungs with little tumors. When my parents took him in to the vet to put him to sleep, he was almost gone when the tumors burst. My vet said if we hadn't taken him in when we did, and he had done that at home, it would have been very painful, and taken him some time to drown in the blood. It would be better for the dog, and for you, to release him from the pain before it becomes unbearable. I know how hard this decision is to make. I also had to put my dog down, because of lymphoma. It was in her neck, you see. When she got to the point where she couldn't walk from my room to the front of the house without losing her breath, and was breathing hard most of the time, I took her in. She never did get to the point where she acted like she wanted to go. She was older, and I had rescued her, and I think in her mind, any time she got to spend with me was time well spent. I don't think it mattered to her that she was sick. Bandit did know, if only there at the end. I think you need to think about the things your dog loves doing, whether it's eating, or playing. When these things no longer interest him, it is probably time. Don't go alone, and make sure you have time to say goodbye at the vet's. My prayers will be with you at this painful time. I know Bandit and Sasha will be waiting to meet your friend across the Rainbow Bridge when it is time for him to go there.
