Buddy the German Shepherd is dead. He was the first pet dog in the United States to test positive for COVID-19, the disease caused by the coronavirus.
© Kholood Eid / National Geographic
Allison Mahoney holds a photograph of her seven-year-old German Shepherd, Buddy, at her home in Staten Island, New York. In June, Buddy was the first dog in the United States to test positive for the coronavirus. He died on July 11.
After months of being sick, his owners and his vet made the difficult decision to slaughter him, according to an exclusive National Geographic report. The beloved dog died on July 11 on Staten Island, New York.
Buddy first exhibited the symptoms of the virus in mid-April, just before his seventh birthday. He was struggling to breathe, lost weight, and became increasingly lethargic. After multiple visits to three different vets, heart medications, steroids, and other medical interventions, Buddy was tested for COVID-19 on May 15.
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But it wasn’t until June 2 that the New York City Health Department called the Mahoney family to tell them that their dog had contracted the virus.
“You tell people that your dog was positive and they look at you (like you have) 10 heads,” Allison Mahoney told National Geographic.
On the morning of his death, Buddy was vomiting coagulated blood in the kitchen. Veterinarians discovered through blood tests that he almost certainly had lymphoma and the family knew that nothing could be done, according to the magazine.
Buddy’s family and doctors were unable to confirm whether it was the lymphoma or the virus that ultimately killed him.
The guidance of veterinary groups, including the American Association for Veterinary Medicine, has remained largely the same since early June: Pets do not appear to be easily infected with the coronavirus, and no evidence has been found to suggest that animals can transmit the disease. to the humans.
Exclusive: Buddy, the first dog in the US diagnosed with the coronavirus has died. His family shared his frustrations and heartbreak with @natashadaly @NatGeo https://t.co/g51I2XwuEl pic.twitter.com/AtMthkn9R7
– Rachael Bale (@Rachael_Bale) July 29, 2020
The United States Department of Agriculture has compiled a list of confirmed SARS-CoV-2 in animals whenever it is found in a new species. So far, more than two dozen animals have made the list.
“My pet was like my son,” Allison Mahoney told National Geographic. “When she passed away in front of me, she had blood from all the legs. I cleaned it up before I went to the vet and stayed with him in the back seat. I said, ‘I’ll make your voice heard, for all of our furry friends. Your voice will be heard, friend.
The surviving family dog, Duke, tested positive for antibodies, but was never ill. The Mahoneys told National Geographic that they hope to collect Buddy’s ashes this week. For more information on this story, visit natgeo.com.
Follow Adrianna Rodriguez on Twitter: @AdriannaUSAT.
This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Buddy, the first dog to test positive for COVID-19 in the U.S., died.
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