Pug Tests Positive For Coronavirus, May Be First For Dog in U.S.

[appalachiablue]

Source: NBC News

Pug in North Carolina has tested positive for the coronavirus, which may the first such case for a dog in the U.S. The dog, Winston, was part of a Duke University study in which a whole family in Chapel Hill, the McCleans, were tested for the virus.

The mother, father, son, and pug tested positive, while the daughter, another dog and a cat tested negative, according to NBC affiliate WRAL in Raleigh.

Dr. Chris Woods, the principal investigator for the Duke study, said Winston may be the first dog in the country to have a confirmed case of the virus.

Heather McLean, the mother and a professor of pediatrics at Duke University School of Medicine, told WRAL that Winston has had mild symptoms...

Read more: https://www.msn.com/en-us/health/health-news/pug-tests-positive-for-coronavirus-may-be-first-for-dog-in-us/ar-BB13jyTz?ocid=HPCOMMDHP15

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While Winston may be the first dog in the U.S. known to test positive for the virus, a dog in Hong Kong with coronavirus died in March, although the cause of death is unclear as the 17-year-old pet owner refused an autopsy.

CDC guidelines on pets say "there is no evidence that animals play a significant role in spreading the virus that causes COVID-19," but recommends you treat them "as you would other human family members."

"Do not let pets interact with people or animals outside the household," the center says. "If a person inside the household becomes sick, isolate that person from everyone else, including pets."

[Jamastiene]

1. That's the last thing we need.

We need a war on this virus now. Enough is enough. Now it's trying to attack our pets. Can't we come up with something to stop THAT at least? Fucking hell.

[appalachiablue]

4. This I'm not familiar with pet dogs infected by viruses but

the crossover of many diseases results from our age old interaction with animals.

Cats have been reported recently with having coronavirus.

[trusty elf]

2. He may have interacted with this dog fish.

[appalachiablue]

9. fail

[5X]

3. Do pugs count as dogs?

[Jamastiene]

5. You're just asking for it.

[Harker]

6. How did they get him to hold still

while shoving a long swab up his pug nose?

[dewsgirl]

7. I know right...poor lil fella.

[Miguelito Loveless]

11. You glue a bunch of swabs on the wall

then throw a ball at it.

[Harker]

16. Thank you.

I needed that.

[Miguelito Loveless]

19. We've had pugs, now a pug mix

of a pug and Jack Russel, which we call a "Pugjack"


Pretty much what pugs would look like with real noses.

[Harker]

21. Haven't known a pug, yet

but every Jack Russell I've met has been a real treat!

[luvtheGWN]

15. Short swab, I think......

[Harker]

17. I had pictured the skin on the back of his head

being pushed outward. I like your idea much better.

[George II]

8. With people in NY waiting days to be tested because of a shortage, why are test kits being wasted...

...on dogs?

[totodeinhere]

10. I would not call it a waste. It is in the interest of humans to know whether pets can contract the

virus. If we find out that they can then we need to take that into account when developing ways to deal with it.

[DBoon]

20. Veterinary medicine is useful to humans

on a biological level, humans and dogs are very similar.

Treatment on dogs may indicate possible human therapies.

[Miguelito Loveless]

12. If dogs/cats can get the virus,

then we have to consider the possibility that they can also transmit it. Such a possibility is scary in its implications.

[DBoon]

18. completely different kit

Not used on humans, can't be used on humans

[Coventina]

22. oh geez

[hamsterjill]

25. It's a completely different test.

Animal tests are not in competition with tests available for humans.

[area51]

26. iirc,

the tests used on animals are different from the ones used on humans, and use different chemicals.

[RandiFan1290]

29. Another swing and a miss, George

[treestar]

13. So pets won't spread it to humans

but do the pets get sick?

[appalachiablue]

14. The pug Winston got sick and his mother noticed:

"Pugs are a little unusual in that they cough and sneeze in a very strange way," she said. "So it almost seems like he was gagging, and there was one day when he didn't want to eat his breakfast, and if you know pugs, you know they love to eat, so that seemed very unusual."

[treestar]

24. Poor doggie.

[LPBBEAR]

23. If it can jump to dogs and cats.......

its likely that it can jump to cows, pigs, chickens, lamb, goats etc. That will cause real problems for food supplies.

[Skittles]

27. I think it should say necropsy, not autopsy

just an observation

[MustLoveBeagles]

28. Poor Winston

I hope he feels better soon.