If his pain is managed (signs are still eating, drinking, able to go pee and poop), you take him home and be with him until he dies. If it isn't you do one of the hardest things you will ever do and have them put him down to end his suffering. My sympathies to your friend.

I'm so sorry. What an incredibly difficult situation and so, so sad. I think I'd probably go with what the vet recommends. If he/she says the dog is likely to be in a lot of pain, I think I'd tend to let him go so he wouldn't have to suffer any more. Again, I'm sorry that you're faced with such a painful situation.

Keep him comfortable and love him; what else?

Awe! I'm sorry! If he appears to be okay and not in pain; you just love him until he goes the natural way. If he's in pain and the vet says it would be best to let him go; then I would make the difficult decision of freeing him from his pain. :o(

Keeping in mind that the one thing that matters most is PAIN MANAGEMENT, if Buddy is not in pain, then he will appreciate being at home with the people he loves most of all. Eleven years is not a bad amount of time for a Large Breed, such as a Golden. Granted our dogs are often short changed by the food they are fed (Kibble and canned) and too sometimes by Vaccines we are told to give them for their supposed benefits. We learn more and can also then make better choices as we go along... Buddy, like all animals, lives in the exact moment he is in. He is not worried about death, he does not fear death. This is why it is so important to insure that any pain is properly managed. RIGHT NOW is where Buddy IS, each and every moment. It's a lot to ask of the humans, but try hard not to be bawling and upset around him...a few tears of course, you can't hardly help it...but while he is still alive, try not to loose it too much. This can upset a sensitive dog, such as I imagine Buddy is, according to the traits this wonderful breed is known for. You can tell him how much you've loved him, how much you will always love him, how much joy he has brought to your life and heart...these are true stories of your life with him...you just don't want to confuse or upset him any more than you may try not to...he won't understand that, he'll just know you are sad and upset, and he knows he can't fix that, although he would, if he could. I say all bets are off during a time like this. I already feed a raw diet to my dogs and cats, it is Species Appropriate for them, what they are designed to eat. If you want to...feed Buddy some RAW chicken breasts, if he likes that...the RAW BONES won't hurt him. (Cooked bones are dangerous, because cooking makes them become brittle and they can break into sharp shards. Raw bones, especially chicken bones are soft (for a dog) and crunch up safely. Raw Chicken breasts are nice and meaty, and their bones the softest and easiest of all to digest. If you want to feed Buddy steak or roast beef (raw or cooked, or partly cooked...DO IT. What ever you feel will bring him a bit of joy to eat...feed it...(with the exception of cooked bones). The night before I took my beloved Bossco in to have him put down (also cancer) He had mashed potatoes and cooked de-boned chicken with gravy...followed by a large bowl of Vanilla Ice Cream and some Hershey's Chocolate Syrup....(I wasn't feeding raw back then yet)... Yes, I KNOW chocolate is bad for and can even kill dogs....I didn't care under the circumstances. He was a very large dog (also a Golden and Lab mix) and he didn't have much, but he sure did enjoy it! On the way to the Vet, we drove through Mac D's where he had 4 cheese burgers and a large fry...more dietary insanity...and I didn't give a rat's ass. It made him wag his tail, it made him very happy. If Buddy lasts longer but seems at any point in time to be in discomfort...you need to support your friend in taking him in so the Vet can put him down... It is the hardest thing to do...but it is the RIGHT thing to do for the dog. No matter how much it hurts US...we need to put our Dog, Cat, Horse FIRST. WE can cry, and morn afterward...but THEY deserve to be considered first. Some Vets will come to your home to do it...Ours let us do it outside. I lay in the grass in her front yard with my arms around Bossco, holding him close, he licked me and I whispered my love to him as she stuck the needle in. Our final moment was filled with the love we had always had for each other. Bossco was good to go, wanted to go, happy to go...he made it very clear that his final week, was NOT the life he wanted to live...I waited a bit too long, being selfish, hoping he would rally once more. I was a mess...my dog...once I made the appointment...made it clear to me...that he was ready to run forward to his next existence..joyfully... I won't say poor Buddy, I KNOW God loves animals, especially dogs...heck God/Dog...it says something to me...plus animals have pure spirits...that I believe endure to greet us when we catch up to them. I will say poor owner/friend...poor you...poor everyone who has known, loved and been blessed by knowing Buddy...it is us who ache for the loss. I pray that it will be a gentle ending to the now...I KNOW, I BELIEVE with all of my heart...it is not the true end...Wind to thy wings...Buddy...you are only running ahead for now...we will catch up someday.

Give your dog whatever he wishes for his remaining time. Spend as much time with him as possible. Take plenty of photos for future good memories of your buddy. Its sad and i feel for you. I have a border collie thats 12 years old. when he dies, my wife will go ballistic.