Previously, tigers, lions and minks have been found with covid-19 in Sweden.
Now the first Swedish dog has tested positive.
- This dog was a possible link in an infection tracking chain, says Helena Ernlund, assistant infection control doctor in the Dalarna region, to SVT Nyheter.
Few dogs have been tested
The dog was treated at an animal hospital in Dalarna due to respiratory symptoms.
Several people who took care of the dog, as well as one of the animal hospital's staff, received covid-19 - and samples concerning the dog were therefore analyzed at the Swedish Veterinary Institute (SVA).
- It would be very interesting if it had passed on the infection because it would be the first known case in the world.
But we can not establish that, there may have been other routes of infection, says Karl Ståhl, state epizootologist at SVA.
There are already confirmed cases of infected dogs in other countries.
So far during the pandemic, a few Swedish dogs and a few more cats have been tested.
Karl Ståhl is not surprised that a confirmed dog infection has appeared in Sweden.
- Considering how many cases of people we have had in Sweden, it is not unexpected.
Examining virus strain
It will be difficult to determine if the dog passed on the virus to the staff at the animal hospital.
- What you can do to get closer is to see if it is the same virus strain for the dog and the person at the animal hospital.
But it is not certain that it is possible to do that analysis, says assistant infection control doctor Helena Ernlund.
The dog did not become very ill and feels well under the circumstances.
- There is no reason for pet owners to be worried if the dog has respiratory symptoms.
This is an odd case, you will always find it, says Helena Ernlund.