first dog to test positive for COVID-19 in the U.S has died

The first dog to be diagnosed with the coronavirus "Covid-19" died in the United States, in the first death of its kind, the dog "Buddy," a 7-year-old German Shepherd, began suffering from breathing problems in mid-April. Shortly after its owner Robert Mahoney was infected with the virus, according to "National Geographic" magazine.

The magazine said in a report published that during the period from April 21 to May 15, the dog continued to lose weight, became increasingly lethargic, and indicated that its owners took him to the veterinarians who gave him medicine. Still, they suspected he was infected with the virus.

They conducted a dog test on May 15, a month after its symptoms appeared, at Bay Street Animal Hospital in Rosebank area on Staten Island in New York State, and the test was positive. The results were confirmed later by the Ministry of Health in New York City, according to the magazine.

Robert Mahoney said that "Buddy" had been suffering from breathing problems, since mid-April, for weeks, and veterinarians initially ruled out his infection with the virus until tests confirmed this. Over time, the situation got worse, and problems arose. On July 11, Robert and his wife found that the dog was expelling blood clotting from its nose and mouth, knowing that the end was inevitable, they made a decision to "euthanize."


The wife, Alison Mahoney, told the magazine: "When you  tell people that your dog was positive with the virus, they look at you as if you had 10 heads." She added: "(Buddy) was the love of our lives ... brought joy to everyone's hearts ... I cannot believe he is dead".

The magazine stated that the medical records it checked indicate that the dog may also have lymphoma. Still, the family called on scientists to study its condition to learn more about the disease, the magazine added: "It is not clear whether the cancer  Increased susceptibility to be infected with coronavirus and made his condition worse, or if it was just a coincidence. "

"Buddy" was one of 25 pets in the country who were infected with the "Covid-19" virus. The United States recorded about 4.6 million infections, more than 153,848 deaths, while 2.3 million people recovered as of Thursday, June 30.