A Raleigh woman is being recognized for her work to rescue an injured dog and the medical breakthrough that came with it.

The PEDIGREE company is honoring Peyton Gaudiosi with the "Best Rescue Story." Gaudiosi is one of eight people in the country to win an award from PEDIGREE this year. She received her award for her work to help save injured animals through her rescue group , "Sound Pet" run out of a pet store in Cary.

Little did she know, that one dog's journey could help man.

Pez, a terrier/beagle mix, has a severe but cute under bite and as told by Gaudiosi, an incredible journey.

"He's almost ready for adoption which we're thrilled for," Gaudiosi said.

But four years ago Pez had no roof over his head or in his mouth.

"The best guess is as a puppy maybe he was bitten on the face," Gaudiosi said.

Pez had a widening hole in the roof of his mouth making it difficult to simply live, but then two things happened. Gaudiosi, who runs a rescue out of a store in Cary, wasn't ready to give up on the pup and the injury caught the attention of the N orth Carolina State University College of Veterinary Medicine.

Dr. Denis Marcellin-Little and a team of N.C. State engineers created new technology using computers to make Pez a custom plate for his injury.

"It has the exact shape of the defect that it's supposed to fit," Marcellin-Little said. "We thought the defect was so large we could not treat it with the conventional methods with having a basic flap of tissue."

The technology used to create the plate on the roof of Pez's mouth isn't just for dogs. It can also be applied to humans, specifically injured soldiers.

"Soldiers are benefiting because unfortunately they are among the people who have large skull defects," Marcellin-Little explained.

The technology is still being developed but Marcellin-Little said he and his group visit and work with the Walter Reed Army Medical Center. Gaudiosi is thankful the leaps in technology are in part thanks to the smallest of patients.

"It's just one of those amazing things that you're proud that right here in North Carolina we're taking giant steps that the world is watching," Gaudiosi said.