The First Dog to Test Positive for COVID-19 in the U.S. Has Died

The first dog in the U.S. to test positive for the coronavirus has died.

Buddy, the 7-year-old German shepherd from Staten Island, New York was diagnosed with the virus about three months ago. The dog likely caught it from his owner, who had tested positive this spring.

Buddy was euthanized on July 11 after he started throwing up clotted blood.

"We knew there was nothing that could be done for him from there," his owner Allison Mahoney told National Graphic. "What are you going to do for a dog with this? But he had the will to live. He didn't want to go."

Blood tests also indicated that Buddy likely suffered from lymphoma cancer, so it's unknown exactly what role the coronavirus played in his death.

The family's other dog, a German Shepherd named Duke, was also tested for the coronavirus...

But his results came back negative.

USDA officials say there have only been about 25 dogs and cats with confirmed cases of coronavirus here in the United States.

There is currently no mandatory testing required for animals living in homes with people who become diagnosed with COVID-19.

Read more on the Los Angeles Times.


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