Tyson the dog undergoes successful snout reconstruction surgery

Tyson the dog is expected to make a full recovery after undergoing surgery on Tuesday to repair his badly damaged snout.

"His maxilla and palate were re-attached with plates and screws. Soft tissue reconstruction was performed. He is stable and should make a full recovery," wrote Dr. Graham Thatcher, who performed the surgery at the Alta Vista Animal Hospital, in an email update.

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The mixed beagle from Nicaragua was cut with a machete so badly that people could see into his mouth and nasal passage when he chewed.

Thatcher and his partner Andrea White were first made aware of the dog's injuries when someone tagged him in a photo on Instagram, a social media smartphone application.

They booked plane tickets to and from Managua, but United Airlines initially said it wasn't comfortable transporting the dog due to fears it may hurt him further.

The airline later reversed its decision and offered to pay for the flight from Nicaragua to Houston.

Tyson evaluated over past month

Tyson and White arrived in Ottawa in early November. The surgery took place Tuesday.

An update was posted on the "Tyson the Wonder Dog" Facebook page.

"So very happy to be sharing this news with you all: Tyson's surgery went well and he is recovering nicely! Thank you so much to the talented staff at Alta Vista Animal Hospital, especially Dr. Thatcher and Dr. Bruce who led on the surgery.

"We'll let you know how the healing process goes, so stay tuned."