Rebel

Just so that everyone knows what happened and why I am posting about my Mom's heart break tonight.  Rebel is Mom's 150 lbs St. Bernard.  Mom rescued him in 2006 and he was just over 2 years old.  Mom loved that dog to peices.  Everywhere Mom went Rebel went.  She even bought a truck with a split back seat so that he would have a place in the cab to ride with her.  They did everything together from fix fence to go to town.  The Ladies at the bank always brought Mom's money out to her, even though she went through the drive thru, just to see Rebel and give him treats.  To tell the truth Rebel is actually mixed with a new foundland and that is a big problem for him.  St. Bernards and New Foundlands have different body types and for Rebel that led to Health issues.  At 18 months old he was diagnosed with Hip Dysplasia and when Mom rescued him she was told she would be lucky to have him live a normal life for about 2 or 3 more years.  Mom didn't care she was in love with that dog.  Even at 18 months his hips were so bad that He had to squat to pee where as most male dogs raise one leg.  When Mom got him home the vet had alot of rules for him so that there would be less stress on his hips.  He wasn't allowed to get up on the couch or beds because it messed them up.  He was even put on Medications to help keep his joints in working order.  Mom made sure Rebel had the best of everything and a good life and to the Vet's amazement Rebel lived to be almost 8 years old.  The sad part is that there is a surgery that can be done to fix Rebel's hips but now he is to old for them to do it.  For the last 4 days Mom has hand fed Rebel and Carried him outside everytime he needed to use the rest room.  Today Dad took him to the Vet because Mom couldn't face the truth and was told that it was time for Rebel to move on and that he was in alot of pain.  So Dad did the only thing that he could do.  He had Rebel put to Rest and then Brought him home to be buried by Statler.  Mom is very Broken hearted.  In her adult life she has owned 2 dogs.  On lived 15 yrs and won a fight with cancer and the other was Rebel.  She will be lost without him but Dad and I are hoping that maybe that is why God sent Mom Penny.  Although Penny belongs to the Shelter she lives with us and she goes with Mom to work all the time.  Maybe Penny is meant to help Mom heal her broken heart.