A shepherd mix is the first dog in South Carolina to test positive for the coronavirus
A Charleston County dog is the first in the state to test positive for the coronavirus, according to Clemson University.
The dog, an 8- or 9-year-old shepherd mix, tested positive for the virus after it had to be euthanized for chronic health conditions, state veterinarian Boyd Parr said. The dog’s owner had tested positive for the virus earlier, Parr said in a July 16 news release from the university.
Pets have been known to contract the virus. There have been at least five other confirmed cases of the coronavirus in dogs and another five in cats in the United States since the pandemic began, according to the U.S. Department of Agriculture. Several lions and tigers at the Bronx Zoo tested positive for the virus in April, according to the zoo.
“Based on current knowledge, there continues to be no evidence that pets play a significant role in spreading SARS-CoV-2 to people,” Parr said, referring to the coronavirus by its official World Health Organization name.
Vets at Clemson are working with state public health officials, the USDA and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention to investigate the case, Parr said.
“It remains a good idea to restrict contact with your pets and other animals, just like you do with other people, if you are infected with COVID-19 in order to protect them from exposure to the virus as recommended by the CDC,” he said.
“Based on the limited information available to date, the risk of animals spreading COVID-19 to people is considered to be low,” according to the CDC. But, the center said, “It appears that the virus that causes COVID-19 can spread from people to animals in some situations.”
The CDC said people who may have the coronavirus should avoid their pets much like they would stay away from other people to not spread the virus.
Correction: The dog tested positive for the virus after it was euthanized, not before as originally indicated in this story.
This story was originally published July 16, 2020 at 1:31 PM with the headline "A shepherd mix is the first dog in South Carolina to test positive for the coronavirus."
