Dallas nurse's dog tests negative for Ebola

Bentley, the dog owned by Ebola-infected Texas nurse Nina Pham, has tested negative for Ebola, Dallas officials said Wednesday.

Sana Syed, public information officer for the city of Dallas, said the year-old Cavalier King Charles spaniel will be tested again before the end of his 21-day quarantine period.

Last week, Bentley was removed from the 26-year-old nurse's Dallas apartment and placed under quarantine.

On Monday, Bentley was transitioned into a special kennel for the proper collection of his urine and feces. He was later returned to his quarantined kennel.

"This is the least invasive and safest way to conduct the testing process for Bentley," the city of Dallas said in a news release. "Bentley will be monitored for a full 21-day period, similar to people exposed to the Ebola virus."

It's not clear what would happen if Bentley were to test positive for Ebola. According to the Centers for Disease Control, there are no known cases of dogs or cats spreading the Ebola virus.

Last week, Dallas County Judge Clay Jenkins said that Bentley would not be euthanized like Excalibur, the dog belonging to a Spanish nurse with Ebola. Madrid officials put him down, despite a viral social media campaign to save his life.

"If that dog has to be 'The Boy in the Plastic Bubble,' we're going to take good care of that dog," Jenkins said.

"We are hopeful that Bentley’s journey will contribute to what we know about Ebola and dogs, since they play such an important role in so many people's lives," Dallas Animal Services manager Dr. Cate McManus said in a statement.

Pham, one of two nurses who contracted Ebola while treating Thomas Eric Duncan at Texas Health Presbyterian Hospital in Dallas, was transferred to the National Institutes of Health in Maryland, where she is listed in good condition.

Dallas animal officials say they are giving Pham regular updates on Bentley's condition. And Syed has been doing the same for the public on Twitter.

"Bentley is doing great!" Syed tweeted Tuesday. "Turns out he likes butt rubs."