Meeting Kabang, the Hero Dog

-- Hooman Momma

It was such an honor to meet a real hero, and a great dog at that. Her name is Kabang, the canine who saved two little girls from being run over by a motorcycle in December 2011, and in the process, lost her snout. She saved the lives of those two girls, and she was in turn saved by the world so the vet experts in the US can repair the damage to her face.

I was following her story ever since the local media picked it up. She ran away after the accident, and came back to her family two weeks later without a snout and a big wound on her face. She is being taken care of by a poor family in Zamboanga, and as the story about her heroic deed got circulated worldwide, Karen Kenngott, a critical care nurse in the US, took notice and decided to take action. They raised funds needed for Kabang's surgery, and finally in October 2012, she was brought to UC Davis and was able to raise $27,000 from 47 countries. (See Kabang's TIMELINE here.)

This was how his face looked like before the surgery, as illustrated by Marnie Burgoyne, UC Davis 4th year veterinary student:

Kabang’s appearance before the surgery. Drawing by Marnie Burgoyne, UC Davis School of Veterinary Medicine 4th-year student. Photo SOURCE

If you want to see how it looks like in a photo, click the link HERE (warning: graphic content). And this was the procedure done to close the wound on her face:

Skin flaps from the sides and top of Kabang’s head were advanced to cover the wound. Drawing by Marnie Burgoyne, UC Davis School of Veterinary Medicine 4th-year student. Photo SOURCE

Kabang’s appearance immediately following surgery, with sutures and temporary nasal stents put in place to create new, permanent nasal passages. Drawing by Marnie Burgoyne, UC Davis School of Veterinary Medicine 4th-year student. Photo SOURCE

He stayed in the ICU for a few weeks following surgery, and finally, in June 2013, she was received back in the Philippines with a hero's welcome.

I met her in Capitol Commons, and this is how pretty she is now! 

Happy lil dawgie!

Look at her tongue! So cute!

She loves belly rubs :)

I am so glad she was saved to remind us that dogs are indeed man's bestfriend, and not man's meal. She now lives with Dr. Anton in Zamboanga, so they can properly monitor her health. She actually lives like a queen now, the life that a true hero deserves!