Lentil, short for Lentil Bean, is a French Bulldog puppy with a hard road ahead of him. Lentil and his sister, Edamame, were born with cleft palates and deformed snouts. Though they were both taken into the care of a devoted fosterer, Edamame did not pull through, passing away shortly after her birth.

Lentil, however, is still around. The tiny puppy is the subject of a blog and Facebook fan page — with lots of photos — and every day his number of supporters grows.

Lentil still had his eyes shut when he was taken in by his fosterer via the French Bulldog Rescue Network, and he must be fed through a tube every three hours. Despite the challenges Lentil faces, he continues to gain about an ounce per day, which will make him a better candidate for corrective surgery.

At a mere seven weeks old, Lentil has already seen a string of specialists. He has a consultation scheduled with a doctor at the University of Pennsylvania who has experience correcting similar deformities in other animals.

Despite his unique palate, Lentil’s large support group demonstrates how looks don’t matter when it comes to winning hearts. Lentil is adorable in his own way, and we’re so happy his fosterer is going to whatever lengths it takes to keep him alive — even sacrificing precious sleep!

If you’ve now fallen under the spell of Lentil, visit his Facebook page and blog, where his fosterer posts updates on his progress — and also a bunch of adorable photos. If you’re interested, you can also find opportunities to help Lentil.

So here’s wishing the best for little Lentil Bean. He may have come from harrowing beginnings, but it looks like the little dog is well on his way. Not bad for someone only seven weeks old who needs to eat through a tube!

Photos via Lentil’s Facebook page