A Coggins test screens horses’ blood for antibodies that are indicative of the presence of EIA. | Photo: Erica Larson/The Horse

On June 4 the Idaho State Department of Agriculture (ISDA) announced that it received confirmation of equine infectious anemia (EIA) diagnosed in a horse that was transported from Washington back to its home in Canyon County in May 2019.

“Horse owners are strongly encouraged to incorporate an annual Coggins test into their animal health regimen regardless of whether they travel interstate,” said ISDA State Veterinarian Bill Barton, DVM. “Horses that acquire EIA are infected throughout their lives and will remain a source of infection to other horses in close proximity, so Coggins tests are incredibly important to managing the spread of EIA.”

EIA 101

Equine infectious anemia is a viral disease that attacks horses’ immune systems. The virus is transmitted through the exchange of body fluids from an infected to a uninfected animal, often by blood-feeding insects such as horseflies. It can also be transmitted through the use of blood-contaminated instruments or needles