A Dallas nurse being treated for Ebola received some good news, as results have shown that her dog Bentley has tested negative for the virus, KRIS TV reported.

According to the news, health officials will continue to monitor Bentley for 21 days, and will test another fecal sample from him within that time period. 

In the meantime, Bentley is being confined in a crate at Hensley Field Services Center, a decommissioned naval air base in Dallas. He is receiving care and attention from several organizations including the City of Dallas Animal Services, Texas Animal Health Commission, Texas A&M University's College of Veterinary Medicine & Biomedical Sciences, the state's Department of Health Services, the American Veterinary Medical Association, and the CDC, KRIS TV reported.

Eleanor Green, DVM, DACVIM, DABVP, dean of Texas A&M's College of Veterinary Medicine & Biomedical Services, is currently managing Bentley's care, according to the Online Battalion. Using information gained from monitoring Bentley, Green and a team of qualified veterinarians will create procedures for monitoring other dogs that have been exposed to Ebola.

They will also be better able to answer the many questions that veterinary researchers still have regarding dogs and Ebola, Green told the Battalion.

“Will Bentley shed the virus in his isolation period? Or will he develop unique antibodies without transmitting the disease? Has Ebola affected him at all? These findings will be very important in the future handling of pets,” Green said.

Bentley's owner, Nina Pham, is still being treated at the National Institutes of Health in Maryland.

Resources for veterinarians

The AVMA continues to add to its resources available to help veterinarians communicate with their clients about the Ebola virus and their pets, including a Q&A podcast with AVMA President Ron DeHaven, DVM.

Visit avma.org/ebola to access these resources.