Regular testing to determine disease status and limiting contact with infected or untested horses remain the cornerstones of defending horses against EIA. | Photo: Erica Larson/The Horse

Regular testing to determine disease status and limiting contact with infected or untested horses remain the cornerstones of defending horses against equine infectious anemia (EIA). But how often are owners having horses tested to ensure they’re not harboring a disease? Results from a recent Canadian study suggest it depends on several factors, including geographic location.

Last year, veterinary officials reported 37 EIA cases on 19 premises across Canada. As of Jan. 31, 2018, there were two positive test results in Alberta. Based on Canadian Food Inspection Agency (CFIA) data, the number of reported cases continues to fluctuate.

It’s important to remember that most EIA testing is done on a voluntary basis, making it very difficult to know the disease’s true prevalence, said Katharina Lohmann, DVM, PhD, Dipl. ACVIM, a professor at the University of Saskatchewan’s Western College of Veterinary Medicine, in Saskatoon