posted October 17, 2012 04:24 PM            

The hospital staff said in a press conference that they can’t remember ever seeing a case like that of Kabang – a mutt from the Philippines who jumped in front of a speeding motorcycle to save her owner’s daughter and niece.

In the accident, Kabang lost her snout and upper jaw. Veterinarians in the Philippines were unable to treat the injury, but after Kabang’s story went viral, an online campaign spearheaded by Karen Kenngott, a critical care nurse from Buffalo, N.Y., raised the money to send the dog to Northern California and UC Davis. The veterinary school has the most comprehensive dental and oral surgery services in the world.

At UC Davis, veterinarians discovered Kabang also suffers from heartworm disease and a potentially aggressive tumor, which must be addressed first. Treatment of those conditions could take up to six months, according to Dr. Jane Sykes, director of the institution's small-animal clinic.

If successful, the veterinarians will then perform major dental surgery on Kabang and another operation to close the wound on her face. Left open, the wound puts Kabang at risk of infection and forces her to put excess effort into eating and drinking.

There are no plans to fit Kabang with a prosthetic snout or replace her jaw.

Sykes declined to estimate the total cost of the various procedures but said it would be covered by the dog’s supporters.

"It's an interesting phenomenon that has occurred with this dog," Sykes said. "The story has touched so many people. It's fascinating that it has attracted so much attention when, yes, there are lots of dogs in shelters, and that is a huge issue."

She added: "I believe that Kabang is a great ambassador for dogs and what they can do for people. I think we owe her a service in return

Read more: http://www.foxnews.com/health/2012/10/17/dog-that-lost-snout-saving-girls-arrives-in-california/#ixzz29aczXXBQ

posted December 25, 2012 11:01 PM            

The "hero dog" that lost her snout while protecting two children in the Philippines, has beaten cancer.

Kabang was given a clean bill of health by University of California, Davis veterinarians who are caring for the dog after it was brought from the Philippines for treatment.

There is no evidence of any remaining tumor," said Gina Davis, a veterinarian at Davis, reported the San Francisco Chronicle.

"As far as we know she has been cured of the transmissible venereal tumor."

The dog gained worldwide celebrity last year when it was reported that she had thrown herself in front of an oncoming motorcycle to protect two kids.

The children were unharmed but the dog had her snout and upper jaw torn off by the spokes.

More from GlobalPost: Kazakh plane crash leaves all 27 passengers dead

ABC News reported that a grassroots campaign raised money for the dog to be sent to the US for cosmetic surgery.

While in care in California, doctors found the dog had cancer and heart worms.

Both of those illnesses had to treated before her face could be operated on.

Now that Kabang has defeated cancer, she will undergo difficult treatment for the heart worms using arsenic, which threaten to block major arteries.

The treatments will be given throughout January and the dog will need one to two months to recover.

"She's a great, happy little dog, very friendly," Davis told the Chronicle.