SHOUT-OUT #1: Healing Paws Center – A True Blessing for Our Frenchie Family

Fountainbleau Floridian Schuerger

Clinic: Healing Paws Center – Holistic Veterinary Care, Fort Lauderdale, FL (https://www.healingpawsfl.com) Specialty: Holistic Veterinary Medicine

Our very first “SHOUT-OUT” goes to a place that’s truly become a lifeline in our journey, Healing Paws Center in Fort Lauderdale, Florida. If you’ve ever had a beloved pet experience a sudden health crisis, you know how terrifying and helpless those moments can feel. For us, that moment came with our boy, Bleau.

A Night We’ll Never Forget: It was a Friday evening, because of course, these emergencies never happen during regular vet hours. Without warning, Bleau yelped in pain and suddenly stopped moving. He was panting, trembling, and crying, all at once. I spent the entire night by his side, desperate for him to find some comfort.

By morning, I called our primary vet. She suspected what might be going on without even seeing him and prescribed some medication to manage the pain until we could come in. The x-rays revealed a dramatic change from just six months prior. She referred us to a neurology specialist, but the consultation alone came with a hefty price tag. The surgery they recommended felt invasive and the recovery process daunting, especially with two other dogs at home.

A Second Opinion That Changed Everything: Not ready to commit to a surgical route, we started doing more research. That’s when a colleague told me about her own dog, who happened to be a relative of Bleau’s, suffering from IVDD (Intervertebral Disc Disease). After searching far and wide for solutions, she found success at Healing Paws Center.

I didn’t hesitate. I called, and within two days, Bleau had his first appointment with Dr. Jessie.

A Holistic Approach That Works: Dr. Jessie took her time to assess Bleau and created a holistic treatment plan that included acupuncture, laser therapy, Chinese herbal tea pills, a muscle relaxer, and pain medications as needed. After just three consecutive days of treatment, we saw a remarkable change—Bleau was starting to act like himself again.

Over the next few months, he continued to improve, moving from weekly visits to biweekly, then monthly. Fast forward to today, four years later, and he’s thriving. This past year, he began receiving sonic shockwave therapy, and the results have been nothing short of amazing. After treatments, he wants to go for walks, play, and enjoy life again. While we still avoid letting him jump on or off furniture, he behaves like nothing was ever wrong.

A Life-Changing Impact: We genuinely believe that Dr. Jessie and her team gave Bleau his life back. Without their expert care and compassionate approach, we’re not sure he’d still be with us today. Their dedication inspires not only hope but also purpose.

In fact, watching Bleau go through his journey was one of the driving forces behind our mission at FrenchieKings: to breed healthier, genetically-sound French Bulldogs. Far too many breeders skip proper health testing, driven only by profit. This often leads to heartbreaking situations where families end up with sick pets and overwhelming medical bills, or worse, dogs surrendered or euthanized because of preventable issues.

Do Your Research – For the Sake of the Dogs: If you or someone you know is thinking about bringing a French Bulldog into their family, please do your homework. Ask questions. Learn about the breed. Be diligent about where your dog is coming from.

We'll be sharing a guide soon on what questions to ask before buying a Frenchie; but today, we simply want to say: Thank you, Dr. Jessie and the Healing Paws team. We love you to the moon and back!