Mission: Kill Barney...

I waited too long.  The mission was to have the Chili Dawg "kill Barney".  The first day, I let Chili and Finchy get a "taste" of Barney.  Then, I dressed Barney up in a PSHS Cougars t-shirt and took him to school for some "edg-u-k-shun".  See pics below (and a more detailed description here).

Then, I gave Chili the chance to "kill Barney".  Normally, the Chili Dawg would have totally chewed on him- he probably wouldn't have destroyed him, but he would have squeaked him many times and rolled on him, etc.  This was his response.



I already knew something was wrong.  He was limping badly, which for a three-legged dog already signals a bad sign.  He has been limping for about 2 weeks, but Ryan and I had hoped he had hurt himself running in the back yard or wrestling with Finchy.  He's also not eating much anymore.  I suspected that the cancer had returned.  A visit to the vet on Friday confirmed it.  The vet took x-rays of hips, and showed me a large mass in his left hip- it's basically consuming his femur and part of his pelvis.  The vet asked me if Chili has cried out or yelped in pain.  I said no, besides the limping and not eating (since his amputation he has gone from 83 pounds to 68 pounds) he has displayed no other signs of pain.  The vet was impressed with the Chili Dawg.  We were sent home with medicine to manage his pain until he lets us know that it's time to send him across the rainbow bridge.  It breaks my heart.  I knew it was inevitable, but I had hoped we would have longer than 3.5 months.  He's my best friend, my "soul dog."

Yesterday, I gave it another shot with Barney.  I wanted him to try it while he was on pain killers, before we sent Barney on to another tripawd.  He showed a little more interest, but I waited to long.  I should have let him do it the day Barney arrived, before he was consumed with pain.  "The cough" started yesterday.  "The cough" is the sign that the cancer has moved into his lungs as well.  His appointment with doggie heaven (what I am telling Noah) is getting closer, and soon I will have to say goodbye to the dog who stole my heart.

While he didn't get a chance to "kill Barney", I gave Finchy the opportunity, and he let Barney have it for him and for the Chili Dawg.  Good job, Finchy!