After two horses tested positive for equine infectious anemia (EIA) on June 28 in Pulaski County, Va., 19 other horses within a one-mile radius were tested and confirmed negative, according to Elaine Lidholm, director of communications for the Virginia Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services (VDACS).

The two horses were diagnosed after the owner’s veterinarian submitted blood samples to the Wytheville Regional Animal Health Laboratory in Wytheville, Va., to try to identify the cause of unexplained weight loss. The two horses, age 25 and 31, had been pastured together. One horse had been last tested and confirmed negative for EIA in 1994, and the other horse had last been confirmed as negative for EIA in 1998. According to the VDACS, the horses were euthanatized immediately to eliminate them as a source of infection for others.

“Even though there is no cure or vaccine to prevent EIA, horse owners can help control the spread of this disease by getting a Coggins test annually,” says Lidholm.

The virus can be spread by biting flies or by contaminated instruments (i.e., hypodermic needles). All horses that travel in the United States. must have current negative Coggins test results with them at all times. However, even if your horse never leaves the property, Lidholm strongly urges horse owners to consult their veterinarian about routine testing for EIA