S.C. dog tests positive for COVID-19
A Charleston County dog has been confirmed positive for SARS-CoV-2, the virus that causes COVID-19 in humans, according to a press release from Clemson University.
Dr. Boyd Parr, state veterinarian and director of Clemson Livestock Poultry Health (LPH), said a private veterinarian decided to test the dog – an 8- or 9-year-old shepherd mix – for SARS-CoV-2 after one of its owners was confirmed to have COVID-19.
Veterinary findings indicated the dog had a chronic health condition.
The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) National Veterinary Services Laboratories confirmed the virus in the dog July 9. Clemson LPH and the S.C. Department of Health and Environmental Control (DHEC) continue to investigate this case with USDA and the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) to assure any information relevant to COVID-19 is documented.