Thursdays with Reily...(and Sheeba and Buzzy)

I spend a half hour with each of my shelter seniors every Thursday, and see that they've become more relaxed with me (and I with them). Buzzy appears lion like, with a mass of fur surrounding his head and face, and very little on the rest of his body. Sheeba is too, too sweet and silently nudges me to take her out first, but Reilly, my bony boy, just wants to put his head on my thigh and have me stroke him as soon as I walk into the pen. He's 14 years old and pathetically thin, with a whitened muzzle and a sweetly tender gaze.  He's had diarrhea every time I took him out for the past three weeks, so when I questioned the vet last week (the shelter has one on staff I'm happy to say), I was told that his food was changed and they would be keeping an eye on him. Well today I learned that he has a tumor on his stomach and although he's not in any pain, they will have to decide what steps to take in the next week or so.  I haven't done this long enough to get truly attached to these dogs, but I feel compelled to return daily to check on Reilly, just sit with him and let him have my lap for as long as he wants.  If he gets better, we'll go for walks again, if not I don't want him to die alone and hope the shelter will allow me to stay beside him if they have to put him down.  Sweet old boy.  Then I return home and hug my sassy Lacy as she kvetches at my inattentiveness.