Coronavirus Traced To Connecticut Dog That Died Unexpectedly

STORRS, CT — A 3-month-old puppy from Connecticut that died unexpectedly tested positive for the coronavirus, according to researchers from the University of Connecticut.

The announcement was made Tuesday and the puppy was the first domestic animal in the state to test positive for the coronavirus, researchers said.

The puppy was brought to the university's Connecticut Veterinary Medical Diagnostic Laboratory for a postmortem examination. For the past year, the organization has teamed with other labs around the United States to perform surveillance testing of all the dogs and cats brought into the lab, regardless of suspected cause of death — and so far, the lab has tested about 200 samples, UConn officials said.

Since the start of the pandemic 13 months ago, more than 100 domestic dogs and cats have tested positive for the coronavirus in the U.S.

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UConn officials said guidelines regarding the coronavirus and animals have been developed by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

The virus can be transmitted from people to animals in some circumstances. Surveillance and research continue to determine which animals are susceptible to infection and the risks of animals transmitting the virus to people, which is considered low given the current understanding of the virus.

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The Connecticut lab is one of 38 across the country belonging to the National Animal Health Laboratory Network and serve as part of a national surveillance program for the coronavirus in animals, said lab director and UConn professor Salvatore Frasca.

The dog did not have signs compatible with COVID-19 prior to death, according to the research.