Herc Shines Through

Hercule was discovered wandering all starved, hairless from a serious case of mange, and very sick. He was found on the side of a road in the way back prairie lands of the nation's middle West. Very likely a victim of a dumping. We suspect he has hydrocephaly, which would account for the dome-shaped head and very wide set eyes and persistently wobbling, weaving gait. When winter fell in his neighborhood, we learned that poor Herc is sensitive to cold--he feels it in his bones and joints, and it causes him real pain, poor baby.
And yet he is the happiest frog on the face of the earth! His attitude is upbeat, his energy unflagging, and his enthusiasm for his family and for playtime is unbounded. Here's the latest note from his foster mom.

"You may recall Herc was in pain and lost some ground a month or two back, but he responded well to pain meds and has been feeling better since the weather warmed up a bit.

"He's doubled his weight (20.4 from 10.3) and is now where he should be. He has hair everywhere but on his belly, the inside of his legs and the folds of his face. His equilibrium has not improved, nor do we expect it will. Herc today may be as good as Herc is going to get, but that seems to be just fine with him--he's not a whiner or complainer.

"He's reached a plateau with the demodex, but hasn't lost his boyish sense of humor and love of life. He wobbles around surveying his kingdom and pestering his subjects until they get off their pretty little butts and play with him. There are two things you seldom see him without these days ... his snug as a bug little red coat sent to him by a female friend, and girls, girls, girls! (See attached pictures.)"

Hercule's red coat and his offbeat good looks will ensure him the attention and admiration of lots of girls, and the envy of many boys!

We feel so grateful that Herc was found and brought to us. Every time we see his ridiculous face, we feel better. Our grandmother might say, "He's just a tonic!"

The Frog Princess