EIA and the “Coggins” Test
Image courtesy of AAEP
From AAEP:
Hitting the road with your horse, either for pleasure or for business/competition?
Most horse owners know that a negative Coggins test is a must-have for crossing state lines or entering competitions (or even boarding at someone’s barn). But let’s not forget that even homebodies need it!
A “Coggins” is a blood test that checks for Equine Infectious Anemia (EIA), a serious blood-borne disease. EIA is transmitted by biting flies, particularly horseflies, so your horse is at risk even if it never leaves the property or lives in a closed herd.
The clinical signs of the disease can vary dramatically, from an acute infection to an inapparent form that presents mild to no symptoms. No treatment or vaccine exist for EIA at the moment, and infected horses become lifelong carriers. Therefore, to ensure that large outbreaks of the disease don’t take place, horses that test positive for EIA must be quarantined and isolated for the rest of their life or humanely euthanized.
Get your horse tested annually, regardless of travel plans.
For more information on signs and prevention, we’ve included a well-organized, clickable article from the USDA:
https://www.aphis.usda.gov/livestock-poultry-disease/equine/infectious-anemia
