Heroic dog who had nose ripped off saving two young girls from bike crash has treatment postponed after vets find tumour

A courageous dog who became an international hero after losing her nose saving two young girls, has had her muzzle-surgery postponed after it was discovered she needs chemo.

Kabang the dog won celebrity status when she jumped in front of a speeding motorcycle to save her owner's young daughter and niece, but lost her upper jaw in the process.

After local veterinarians failed to help her, the dog was flown to the U.S. where her doctors now say she needs treatment for heart worm and chemotherapy before she can undergo facial reconstruction.

Helping a hero: Kabang's facial surgery was been postponed after veterinarians at University of California at Davis discovered a tumour and heartworm

After the accident her owner was told by Filipino veterinarians he should put her down, but he refused.

Kabang’s plight reached Karen Kenngott, a critical care nurse from Buffalo, New York, who set up a charity campaign to help.

Care For Kabang raised over $20,000 from 22 countries to cover the costs of surgeries, visas and airfare.

She was flown to the University of California at Davis for specialist treatment to the wound on her face, where doctors discovered a tumour and the heartworm.

Treatment: Dr. Anton Lim plays with Kabang after her arrival at the William R. Pritchard Veterinary Medical Teaching Hospital at University of California Davis

Good girl: Kabang was hailed as a hero in the Philippines after saving two girls by jumping in front of a speeding bike, which left her severely disfigured

Global effort: A New York nurse helped raise more than $20,000 from 22 countries to pay for Kabang's medical care in the U.S.



The veterinarians are ‘cautiously optimistic’ that Kabang will make a full recovery and return to the Philippines, Dr. Jane Sykes of the University hospital said.

High-profile patient: Veterinarians at UC Davis will perform at least two surgeries on Kabang to fix her teeth and close the wound on her face

‘She's a very sweet dog and everyone here became attached to her quite quickly,’ the director of the facility's small animal clinic said.

‘We're eager to help her get better.’

The horrific accident occurred in December 2011 when the daughter of Kabang’s owner, nine-year-old Dina Bunggal, and her cousin three-year old Princess Diansing, were playing with the dog in Zamboanga City, Philippines.

The girls were crossing a busy street when a motorcycle came speeding right towards them.

Eyewitnesses said that Kabang appeared out of nowhere and threw herself in front the vehicle just before it hit the two children.

Kabang’s face became tangled in the spokes of the bike’s wheel, and her entire upper jaw was torn off.

Kabang, who became a mother to six little puppies in April this year, had a rough start in life when Dina’s father Rudy found her abandoned in a rice paddy.

He brought the dog home to fatten her up and feed her to the family, but his daughter and niece convinced him to spare Kabang and keep her as a pet - a lucky move for both dog and family.



Once recovered from the chemotherapy and heartworm treatment, Kabang will undergo dental surgery and facial reconstruction.



Her veterinarians at U.C. at Davis have said there are no plans to give her a prosthetic nose to replace the one she lost.



Close call: Doctors in the Philippines suggested that Kabang's owner put her down, but he would hear none of it