My name is Louise!

WANTED: Special home, for a special girl! A home with paralysis pup experience would be preferred!

Most of our followers are familiar with this sweet face, but for those of you who are not, meet Louise! Louise is a purebred German Shepherd puppy, going on seven months old now. As you can tell, Louise is a bit different from your average pup; she was born with a severely deformed spine that has caused her to have issues with mobility and incontinence. Louise has been a member of the Saving GRACE family since October, we have rescued many special needs animals, but never any with paralysis issues like Louise; needless to say we have learned a lot from each other!
Our goal from the start was simply to do everything in our power to give Louise the best chance at living a great life; which has been hard at times, as many veterinarians have not seen a dog alive with spinal deformities as severe as Louise’s. Thankfully with the help of several veterinarians/specialists we got some answers and figured out a routine of therapies/medications that we are seeing improvements with. We will say that it has been determined surgery is not an option; her neurologist strongly felt the chances of a successful surgery are extremely low, while the chances of living a happy life of a paralysis pup were great. There are some uncertainties though as far as Louise’s prognosis; basically her path in life will be solidified over these next few months while she is still growing. Right now Louise still has a decent amount of control of her rear legs/bladder/bowels, and does not need to use her wheelchair full time. However, she could have a growth spurt that could cause her spinal cord to be more damaged leading to paralysis, and potentially a poor quality of life. These uncertainties make us all the more desperate to find Louise’s forever family, sooner rather than later. We want nothing more than our sweet girl to be in a home where a regular routine can be established and she can flourish with her very own family. As a Saving GRACE foster girl she has been bouncing around between the classroom and foster homes for months now, she has handled this just fine; but we’ve seen more improvements when Louise stays in one home for a longer period of time. Plus at the end of the day, who wouldn’t want a family of their own, with a solid routine in place?
Let’s talk about Louise and her awesome personality! Now she may be very small for her size, but her brain is very much that of a German Shepherd. By that we mean Louise is very smart, loyal, absolutely adores her people, and is a goofball! Louise absolutely adores dogs, and loves to play; she completely lights up when there are dog buddies around. Her new home ideally will have a dog buddy for her, as we feel that would keep her will to keep moving going strong; not to mention she would be happiest with a puppy playmate! Louise does have a strong prey drive though, and don’t let her “condition” fool you; if she sees a bunny, she can move like greased lightning! Louise really is an amazing little lady, and deserves a happy ending; she is by all accounts a walking miracle!
Louise’s paralysis issues does mean that she requires more care than the average dog. She is worth the “work” in our eyes, and we know there is a family out there that will take her on with the intentions to do right by her, just as we have done. A home that has wheelchair/paralysis dog experience would be preferred, but isn’t necessary as long as they’re willing to learn. We have Louise on a regimen of therapies/medications/supplements to keep her going strong. Louise goes to acupuncture and hydrotherapy, so a home willing to continue these sessions is a must while she still has rear end mobility. Her other therapies/exercises can be done at home. These are all to build muscle strength and keep her rear end moving as long as we can, if she does end up fully paralyzed then we already have a wheelchair we are working on with her. Just like any dog with paralysis/incontinence problems one of the most important care requirements for Louise is her sanitary care. Her private area must always be kept clean to prevent urine scalding/diaper rash, and her urine needs to be tested every couple months to ensure she does not have an infection; as we have been told this is an issue that can turn fatal for a dog like Louise if it is not kept up on. Louise just needs a family with time and patience to give to her; the rewards will be abundant, that we can promise you!
We do not want to make this story too terribly long, so if you think you may be the right fit for our sweet girl then we can answer any and all questions, and supply you with a more detailed idea of her care. Her care may sound daunting, but it really is all about getting a routine down and everyone will be great! At this point it has become second nature to us and Louise, her new family just needs to give it time and never be afraid to ask Louise’s “Village” for help; because if you chose to adopt her, you don’t just get an amazing new dog, you get an amazing support team to help however we can! Also, if you think you would love to take on Louise, but are concerned about the monetary part of it all, don’t be, as we plan to do all we can to help with that as well. Finding Louise her very own family, and getting her settled into a real routine, is what truly matters to us! Again, please contact for care details if interested and I can send you her daily routine I have all nice and typed up!

www.savinggracestl.org