A horse and a mule on the same Taylor County premises are Wisconsin’s first 2019 positive cases of equine infectious anemia (EIA). | Photo: Wikimedia Commons

The Wisconsin Department of Agriculture, Trade and Consumer Protection (DATCP) confirmed on Aug. 14 that a horse and a mule on the same Taylor County premises are Wisconsin’s first 2019 positive cases of equine infectious anemia (EIA).

These are Wisconsin’s first confirmed EIA cases in nearly 15 years. Because no treatment exists for EIA, animals infected with the disease are humanely euthanized to prevent its spread.

“EIA is a devastating disease for horses and their owners,” said Julie McGwin, DVM, DATCP Equine Program veterinarian. “Horses that are not euthanized must be isolated from other horses, which is not usually feasible due to their herd nature, and the lifelong quarantine creates animal welfare issues for the infected horse. Horses that survive the initial infection become carriers of the disease and are infectious for life. It’s important for horse owners to work with their veterinarian to have regular testing done for this disease, as an infected horse can appear healthy