Hero Dog Arrives Back in Asia After Facial Surgery in US

Thronged by news photographers and well-wishers, Kabang the hero dog arrived back home in the Philippines yesterday after 8 months in the U.S. enduring intensive surgeries and treatment for cancer and heartworm.

Kabang became a national hero in 2011 after she lost her snout and upper jaw running in front of a motorcycle in what her owner said was "a deliberate act to save two girls who were crossing the street," according to GMA Online.

Thousands of dollars were raised for her treatment through an online campaign at CareForKabang.com.

Finally, the small 2 year-old shepherd-mix left her homeland in October, 2012still with a gaping wound in her face and carrying the hopes for recovery from thousands of fans.

It took four months for the team at the University of California Davis Veterinary Medical Teaching Hospital to even ready the dog for facial and dental surgery.

A team of UC Davis veterinarians specializing in oncology; infectious diseases; dental, oral and soft-tissue surgery and internal medicine coordinated Kabang’s multitreatment care -- and provided constant updates to Filipinos who longed to hear about her daily life and condition.

In the end it was not possible to reconstruct Kabang’s snout and a functional upper jaw, but because the facial wound has been closed using skin flaps brought forward from her head, and her cancer cured, she will be better protected against infection and prepared for an active life with her family in the Philippines.