overview

Ocean’s Story

Ocean came into SNAFU Rescue via a private party surrender.  Her owners could no longer properly care for her special needs and wanted her to receive much-needed attention and find a family best suited to take care of her needs. 

Ocean is an active, sweet, loving, fun-loving, laidback, and outgoing Frenchie girl.  She loves nothing more than to play, take naps, chase her foster siblings all around the yard, and take more naps; she really is the pawfect balance of playful and chill!   Ocean fancies the outdoors especially when the sun is out so she can soak up the rays and sun her cute little buns.  This social butterfly has never met a stranger and offers her instant best friends some sloppy Frenchie kisses.  Ocean is a handicapable French Bulldog.  She has IVDD (Intervertebral Disc Disease) which is a condition where the cushioning discs between the vertebrae of the spinal column bulge or burst into the spinal cord space and in Ocean’s case causing some weakness in her back end, some incontinence and extra care.  However, this condition absolutely does not stop Ocean!!!  She can run/walk/jaunt all around the house finding any bone in sight to nibble on.  Ocean has full use of her legs and has made many great strides with therapy!  Ocean has a strong will to be the best Frenchie she can be and has overcome many of the struggles IVDD has thrown her way.  Ocean was paralyzed initially, but with exercises, and an ongoing therapy regime she IS able to fully walk again.  Her determination is admirable!  Ocean is a strong-willed girl and has about the softest soul you can find.  Everyone who meets her immediately falls head over paws for her overall extraordinary disposition.  She loves to be around her humans at all times and engages her furry friends in some playtime.  Ocean loves attention, all attention especially when it comes from her human friends. She currently lives with several furry foster siblings.  She does extremely well with her foster siblings and enjoys their company; her temperament allows her to get along famously with her furry friends.  Ocean loves all people; big or small!  She really takes to middle-school aged humans and is extremely gentle and kind, accepting their love, and pets.  Ocean reciprocates their love and affection with her big slobbery kisses!  She would most certainly do well in a house with a fur buddy that is her size or smaller (no large dogs) or equally as well as an only dog.  Ocean has displayed some resource guarding behavior around high-valued items and human attention.  Because of this easily corrected behavior, it is best Ocean is not around small children; ages 12 or older is best for her.  Ocean truly enjoys being around all people and really soaks up all of the attention the people dish out.  As with all of our dogs, slow introductions to other dogs and children in the household is a must and she should always be supervised to make sure she and they are kept safe. 

Ocean is considered incontinent.  She is not always aware when she needs to urinate and when excited she is prone to dribbles, therefore Ocean wears a diaper when she is exploring the indoors.  She rarely has any fecal accidents while diapered.  Ocean is crate trained and sleeps quietly in her crate at night and when her family happens to be away from the home.  While in her crate, Ocean is NOT diapered and is able to stay pretty dry all night as long as she is taken out immediately in the morning.  This will greatly assist so she does not develop a diaper rash or a UTI.  Due to her condition, Ocean is prone to UTIs and needs to be taken outside a little more frequently than normal to allow her to completely empty her bladder.  She is on a cranberry supplement to help avoid further UTI issues (she will need to remain on this supplement in perpetuity).  Her diapers are checked and changed often to ensure she remains sanitary and clean; this diligent approach is required for her ongoing health.  Because of Ocean’s disc disease, she must not be walk with a collar; she is to always use a harness and leash!

Medically, Ocean is in good health.  She has been spayed, updated on vaccinations/dewormings, heartworm tested, microchipped and has been given an okay to adopt by our veterinarian!   As mentioned Ocean was paralyzed in her hind legs and is incontinent due to her spinal injury.   She had IVDD surgery in the Fall of 2022, receives ongoing  acupuncture, chiropractic treatments, and cold laser therapy treatments to improve her mobility, to improve the incontinence and to maximize her mobility (every 4-6wks).  She MUST continue therapy treatments so please research facilities in the area prior to applying.  Ocean receives her care in Omaha at Five Elements Veterinary Alternatives. The time between appointments may decrease over time as Ocean continues to builds strength (currently she attends therapy 1x per month).  Ocean has regained full mobility and can walk with confidence nearly 100% (she was using her legs about 50% of the time upon her arrival in rescue).  Her gate remains a bit wobbly but she moves with purpose and confidence!  She does best when on rough/carpeted surfaces.  She has difficulty with slipping on wood floors/wooden stairs. Her stair use should be limited however and never allowed more than one or two stairs; a pair of loving arms would do the trick to avoid stair use at all cost.  Ocean does not have pain and is a very happy girl! We feel she would greatly benefit from ongoing at home exercises so she is able to keep up the strength she has gained from therapy.  Again, Ocean must be carried up and down stairs (especially if they are wooden and more than just a few), and must NOT be allowed to jump on/off of furniture EVER. She is to remain on a daily joint supplement (Trixsyn) for the rest of her life.  This can be found on Amazon.com or Chewy.com.  

Ocean would do best in a ranch style house with the least amount of stairs.  She gets around amazingly well on her back legs and would benefit from a fenced in yard due to her love for the outdoors and her desire to run all around strengthening her back legs.  Ocean will require a VERY patient and understanding family who understands that she will require extra daily care, will need to wear diapers and have them changed often.  It’s an adjustment and quickly becomes a routine. We also think she’d love a family willing to offer tons of attention, and one with the commitment and patience to properly care for a pup with IVDD.  Ocean would LOVE a home with teenage children as she thrives in an environment with lots of family members to dote on her!  We also think Ocean would love to go work with her new family if they wanted to take her with them to the office! She would very much enjoy it once she is able to acclimate (she does bark at unfamiliar noises so she will need time to acclimate). If her people are not able to take her to work with them, she would be much happier with a full-time or part-time work-from-home or stay-at-home parent!  She must be offered a few potty breaks during the work day. Ocean  is such a delightful pup and she makes it so easy to care for her special needs.  She is such a special, incredibly resilient pup that is an overall sweetheart!!

If you feel like your family might be the perfect forever home for Ocean, please submit an adoption application for her today!!