leo - local

Meet Leo!Leo is living proof that life doesn't have to be perfect to be wonderful.This handsome, almost 5-year-old French Bulldog was a healthy, happy boy until this past April when he suddenly became paralyzed in his back end due to IVDD (Intervertebral Disc Disease), something unfortunately not uncommon in Frenchies.He was evaluated at Tufts Veterinary School, but his former owner chose not to pursue treatment or rehabilitation. When the owner eventually mentioned surrendering him at a veterinary visit, one of the vet techs contacted Paws New England, knowing that our Co-Founder has experience with special-needs Frenchies. The answer was an easy one—we'd take him.Just a couple of weeks later, Leo is a different dog.He arrived with severely infected sores on his legs, a wheelchair that didn't fit, and in rough shape; he had also lost approx. 8 lbs - that's a huge issue in small dogs, obviously. Our opinion is that his condition teetered on animal abuse that should have been reported but was not.Today, thanks to his first amazing foster mom (that same vet tech!), her veterinary team, and our friends at Canine New England, he has a properly fitted wheelchair, has started laser therapy, and is zooming around like he's had wheels his whole life.His physical therapist is hopeful he may eventually develop what's called a spinal walk. If he does, fantastic! If he doesn't, Leo honestly doesn't seem to care. He's happy either way.Leo has since moved to a new foster who has loads of experience with these dogs that can't walk and need help with their bladders; she has taken on the task of rehabilitating Leo so he can be the best he can be. You can follow her on this page: https://www.facebook.com/SkippyinNYCAnd that's Leo in a nutshell.He's goofy, affectionate, loves people, gets along well with other dogs, enjoys car rides, walks, and being wherever his family is. His wheelchair doesn't slow him down—it just helps him get there.Because of his IVDD, Leo can't completely empty his bladder on his own, so he needs his bladder expressed a few times a day. It sounds much scarier than it is, and we'll make sure you're comfortable before he goes home. He wears a belly band indoors for occasional leaks and can move his bowels on his own.The best thing about dogs like Leo is that they don't feel sorry for themselves. They simply adapt and keep living life. Before long, expressing his bladder will just become part of your daily routine, while Leo reminds you every day that happiness isn't measured by having four working legs.Leo will continue physical therapy, and Paws New England will do our best to help financially if ongoing treatment is recommended. Whether he walks again or spends life cruising in his wheels, all we want is for him to live his best life.If you've ever thought about opening your heart to a special needs dog, Leo is ready to show you just how rewarding that can be.Fair warning—you won't get very far without people stopping to admire him. Between his adorable Frenchie face and his cool wheels, he's quite the celebrity wherever he goes!All known information about the animal is listed above. We do our best to give accurate information, but most of our dogs are rescues and do not come with a known historyName: LeoBreed: French Bulldog   Sex: MaleAge: 5 (estimated)Weight: 25 (gaining weight - he lost a lot of weight since his injury)Spayed/Neutered: YesVaccinations: Up to dateHeartworm: Negative on recent testingMicrochipped: YesBASED ON OUR OBSERVATIONS:Good with Children: YesGood with Dogs: YesGood with Cats: UnknownLocation of dog currently:    MassachusettsIMPORTANT INFORMATION - Paws New England is a foster-based rescue; our dogs reside in various locations throughout the South and New England.  Adoption fees cover pre-adoption veterinary costs (including vaccinations, spay/neuter when age-appropriate, and heartworm testing/treatment when necessary), a microchip, and transportation to New England, if necessary. The adoption fee is set at a level that enables adoption; they do not cover our costs. Thank you for your generosity and interest in our dogs!Donations for our young, healthy puppies and dogs support their fellow canines of advanced age or suffering from injuries and abuse, whose donations are reduced but whose veterinary costs are typically much higher. We appreciate your understanding that your newly adopted dog will help others in needIMPORTANT INFORMATIONPaws New England is a foster-based rescue - our dogs reside in various locations throughout the south and New England. Adoption donations cover pre-adoption vet costs (including vaccinations, spay/neuter when age appropriate, and heartworm testing/treatment when necessary), a microchip, and transportation to New England if necessary.Donations for our young, healthy puppies and dogs support their fellow canines of advanced age or suffering from injuries and abuse whose donations are reduced but whose veterinary costs are typically much higher. We appreciate your understanding that your newly adopted dog will help others in need. Paws New England abides by the dog importation regulations set forth in the states of MA, CT, NH and RI.