#North Carolina dog dies after contracting COVID-19, officials say

A dog in North Carolina died after contracting the coronavirus —  one of at least 13 cases nationwide of a canine catching the illness, health officials said Wednesday.

The 8-year-old Newfoundland had been having trouble breathing when owners brought him to a state-run animal hospital in Raleigh on Aug. 3, according to the Charlotte Observer.

The pooch later died, then tested positive for COVID-19 after owners told a vet that a family member had recently been infected, the North Carolina Department of Health and Human Services said in a press release.

Officials are awaiting the results of an animal autopsy in order to determine the dog’s official cause of death.

“A necropsy was performed to try to determine the animal’s state of health at the time of death and the cause of death, and the complete investigation is ongoing,” NCDHHS said.

As of last week, federal officials had reported a total confirmed 13 cases of dogs testing positive for the coronavirus in eight states, according to the United States Department of Agriculture. It’s the first confirmed case in North Carolina.

At least two other dogs in the US have died from coronavirus-related complications, including a 9-year-old mixed breed from South Carolina and 7-year-old German shepherd from Staten Island.