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Pinoy Abroad

PHL's hero dog Kabang soon to undergo $20,000 facial surgery in US


Kabang, the Philippine “hero dog” who lost her snout to save two children, left for the United States on Monday to undergo a $20,000 (roughly P800,000) surgery. Veterinarian Anton Mari Lim accompanied her during the trip, a report of Dano Tingcungco with Lim for GMA Network's “24 Oras” newscast on Monday said.  Team Kabang spokesperson Mona Consunji of the Animal Welfare Coalition (AWC) said Kabang will be brought to the University of California Davis and to the Veterinary Medical Teaching Hospital in California. Despite her difficulty in eating and a gaping sinus, Kabang is ready for surgery, Consunji said.   Kabang's open wound requires maxilla facial specialty surgery to restore function and properly close the wounds. The cost of Kabang's surgery was covered by donations from 18 countries, Lim said. Kabang, a mixed breed street dog from Zamboanga City, lost her snout after being hit by a motorcycle in December last year. Kabang suffered extensive injuries to her nose, face, and upper jaw. Team Kabang veterinarians have been giving Kabang antibiotics to slow down the infection from her wounds and vitamins to boost her immune system. Lim explained that Kabang urgently needed the operation as she was already taking medication for 10 months. “Everytime were on antibiotics for extended periods of time you’re risking a lot of harm to the dog,” Lim said. “Yung liver niya, yung kidney niya may not be able to take the [effect of the] medicines.”  “Pinaka important thing that we can do for her is really for her survival. Yung aesthetic is way down in our list,” Lim explained.   Like an aircon without filter Lim compared Kabang's situation to an airconditioner without a filter. “When you take out the whole snout you’re taking out the filter. So whatever dust, whatever germs is in the environment it goes straight into the lungs,” Lim said.   “Parang aircon yan. Hindi ba yung aircon may filter?” he asked.   “We’re lucky to get her “healthy” up to this point in time. She should have long been gone,” he said. He noted that Kabang has a strong will to live.   Yun na nga yung will to live niya is very strong that’s why we’re trying our best also to do what is medically possible for her,” he added. - with Benjie Vergara, Andrei Medina, VVP, GMA News  

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