#RIPBuddy: First dog to test positive for the coronavirus in the US has died
Buddy, a 7-year-old German shepherd from Staten Island, New York, was the first dog to test positive for the coronavirus in the United States. He died on July 11 after a three-month illness, according to National Geographic.
It’s unclear whether Buddy died from complications of the coronavirus, which he most likely caught from his owner, Robert Mahoney, who tested positive this spring, or whether he died from lymphoma. Two veterinarians who were not part of his treatment, but who reviewed Buddy’s medical records for National Geographic, told the publication that the dog probably had cancer.
Buddy’s health declined steadily after he developed breathing problems and thick nasal mucus in April. He was euthanized on July 11 after he started vomiting clotted blood, the Mahoneys told National Geographic.
A spokesman for the New York City Department of Health said arrangements were made to take the dog’s body for a necropsy but when the instructions were shared with the veterinarian, the body had already been cremated.
A USDA database of confirmed cases of the coronavirus in animals in the United States includes 12 dogs, 10 cats, a tiger and a lion. The agency says there is currently no evidence that animals play a significant role in spreading the coronavirus but it appears the virus can spread from people to animals in some situations.
EXCLUSIVE: The first dog positive for SARS-CoV-2 in the U.S. was a German shepherd named Buddy. He has died.
— Natasha Daly (@natashaldaly) July 29, 2020
We knew little about US pet cases before now. No identities, scant details, few updates.
Buddy’s owners reached out to me to tell their story: https://t.co/RNhxGBUiWB
Meanwhile, the FDA and the CDC are recommending that people practise social distancing with their pets, such as keeping dogs on a leash and six feet away from dogs and people who aren’t from their household. Anyone who gets sick with the coronavirus should isolate themselves from their pets, if possible, as there is evidence that pets can catch the virus from humans.
And the U.K.’s chief veterinary officer has warned pet owners to stop kissing their pets, sharing food with them or sharing beds with them.
Full story here