Saint Roch, the Patron Saint of Dogs was born in France in 1295. As a young man he walked to Rome to help the victems of the Plague. While there, he too became ill and went into the forest at the edge of the city and prepared for his death. While praying, a dog came to him, brought him bread and healed his wounds by licking them. Both Saint Roch and his dog returned to Rome, where they worked together to heal others and comfort the dying.
It's interesting that just recently scientists discovered that certain types of cancer can be cured by dog saliva. I've always let my dog lick my hands when I scrape them while working, which happens quite frequently, and they seem to heal very quickly. God bless the dogs, mankind's best friend.