WHAT DISEASE IS ASSOCIATED WITH COGGINS TEST?
A Coggins test is a blood test for Equine infectious anemia or equine infectious anaemia (EIA). This disease is also known as swamp fever. This disease is transmitted by bloodsucking insects and is caused by a retrovirus. Equine infectious anemia is endemic in the Americas, Europe, the Middle East, the Far East, Russia and South Africa. The virus has some similarities to HIV in that it is a lentivirus. Moreover it can be transmitted through blood, milk, body secretions and saliva. Most times it is transmitted through horse flies and deer flies, both of which are biting flies. Of course contaminated needles and syringes can also transmit the disease and unfortunately mares can transmit it to their foals via the placenta. When a horse is already ill, the risk of transmission is even higher as the blood levels of the virus increase. Equine infectious anemia is a very serious disease; an outbreak would be catastrophic. This is why it is very important to test any traveling and showing horses.
Click here to download the U.S Department of Agriculture information sheet on Equine infectious anemia.
EMAI Vet Officer Rod Hoare takes blood sample from show jump horse
http://www.landlearnnsw.org.au
THE COGGINS TEST
A licensed veterinarian performs the Coggins test by drawing blood and then testing it at a state-approved laboratory. If the horse tests negative (does not have the disease | negative coggins test) all is good. Remember the disease is quite rare but very serious. If the horse tests positive you are suddenly faced with terrible options
Send the horse to slaughter, or euthanize the horse immediately
Have the horse branded (required) and keep it in permanent quarantine. The conditions of quarantine are fiercely regulated and much more than just putting a padlock on your pasture gate
Find an EIA-positive horse sanctuary and hope they have an opening
Click to download a list of USDA approved labs for EIA
HOW LONG FOR COGGINS TEST RESULTS?
Coggins tests are performed by licensed veterinarians. Once done, they are generally good for 6 months to a year depending on the state. Typically they are performed before a horse can travel from one state to another. Coggins test can take from anywhere from 2 to 7 days to get the results back, but many times you can rush the results in 24 hours if you pay an extra fee to the lab analyzing the blood test.
PRICING FOR COGGINS TEST?
The cost of a Coggins test of course can vary but we have seen them in the range of $20 on the low side to $100 on the high side depending on how much work the vet has to do, the location of the horse and distance to the lab. In some cases a vet may have his own state-approved lab and can run the test results there, in other cases the blood needs to be sent in for analysis. So the following are the variables that can affect the total price for a Coggins test:
Farm Call
Other vaccines needed at the time of the Coggins test
Health Certificate – needed when horse will be traveling
Location of the horse
Veterinarian rate
PENALTY FOR NOT HAVING A COGGINS TEST
You can face criminal charges if you transport horses without a valid Coggins test.
In 2013 there was an outbreak of EIA in Nebraska see http://www.fultonsun.com/news/2013/jun/16/eia-breakout-nebraska-prompts-concern-missouri-hor/
If you are getting your Coggins test and your horse needs to travel by air | if you need shipping horses by air, please contact Horse Jets
Here is an informative video from a Veterinarian discussing the Coggins test:
