1-800-550-8242  or  www.tahc.state.tx.us

ABOUT EQUINE INFECTIOUS ANEMIA (EIA) or COGGINS'

Equine infectious anemia, or EIA, is an incurable, infectious disease caused by a virus that can affect horses, donkeys, asses and other equine.  This virus destroys red blood cells and is spread through blood-to-blood contact, not through close proximity.  Therefore, the virus can be transmitted from an infected equine to "clean" equine by biting flies, the use of unsterilized or contaminated medical instruments, or through a blood transfusion.

EIA can appear in one of three forms:  acute, chronic or inapparent.  The clinical response depends on an animal's disease resistance, the virus' ability to cause disease, and stress factors.

An equine responding  acutely may develop fever, go off feed, or die suddenly.  Acute responses generally occur seven to 30 days after initial exposure to the virus. The animal may test  EIA negative for 16 to 42 days because its immune system has not yet produced detectable antibodies.

Chronic equine test positive and develop classic symptoms, such as weight loss, weakness, anemia and swelling of the lower legs, chest and abdomen.  Symptoms subside, but may reoccur.

Inapparent infected horses have no outward symptoms, but test positive.  If these horses are stressed, symptoms can appear, and the animal may not fight off other diseases. These horses pose the greatest danger of spreading EIA, because at events or gatherings, no one suspects the animal has a health problem.

TEXAS EQUINE LAW

Since September 1, 1999, the 76th Texas Legislature's House Bill 1732 has been in effect.

What does that mean for you?

This Texas law requires that equine --including horses, donkeys, mules and asses--have a negative test for Equine Infectious Anemia (EIA) within the previous 12 months before undergoing ANY change of ownership with the exceptions listed below.  Failure to comply with the new law is a Class "C" misdemeanor.

The Texas Animal Health Commission (TAHC) regulations also have been amended to coincide with this law.

What's exempt from the testing  requirement:

* Nursing foals, if they are transferred with their dam, and the dam has tested negative for EIA within the previous 12 months.

* Equine sold only for slaughter. (The animals will be tested at the slaughter plant at state expense.)

* Zebras.  TAHC regulations, however, do require zebras entering Texas to have had a negative EIA test within the previous 12 months and a health certificate issued within the past 45 days.  All zebras, including those from Texas, must have had a negative EIA test within the previous 12 months, when entering shows, fairs,  exhibitions or other assemblies.

Q's & A's about  EIA regulations:

Q:  I need to sell my equine, but it hasn't been tested.  Can it be tested at the market?

A:  Yes.  But call the market before you haul!  The U.S. Dept. of Agriculture is setting guidelines for "off-site" EIA labs at sale facilities.  Some markets may not have an approved facility, so check first.  Thanks to advances in technology, EIA test results can be available in only a few hours.

If the market does not have a laboratory, an accredited veterinarian can draw a blood sample from the animal and send it to any of Texas' 60-plus USDA-approved laboratories.  Results generally take three to five days.

As awareness of EIA has spread, buyers and sellers are more confident when dealing with tested equine. In Texas and other states that have implemented similar regulations or laws, tested equine attract greater attention at sales and the cost of testing is usually offset by more attractive offers.

Q:  What if my equine tests positive at the market?

A:  You may opt to have the animal retested, in which case, another blood sample will be drawn and sent to the Texas Veterinary Medical Diagnostic Laboratory for confirmation testing.  While awaiting the results, you must take your equine home under quarantine and under a restricted movement permit, called a VS 1-27.   All equine on the premise of origin will be restricted.

If the confirmation test is positive, the animal will be identified with a "74-A" freeze- or fire-brand on the upper left shoulder (unless it is euthanized immediately).

Infected equine may move only to restricted destinations.  They may be:
  1. sent to an approved research facility
  2. sold directly for slaughter to one of the two equine
      slaughter plants in Texas.
  3. sold for slaughter through a market on a "slaughter-only"
      sale day or through a "slaughter-only" buying facility.

The infected equine may also be sold for slaughter only through a market on a regular sale day, but only if it meets these specific requirements:

  1. within 24 hours prior to the equine entering the market, a TAHC
     veterinarian or Texas USDA-accredited veterinarian must inspect
     the animal to ensure it has no clinical signs of EIA and has a normal
     temperature.

After inspection, the animal may move only under a VS 1-27 permit, issued by the TAHC or accredited veterinarian.

  2. At the market, the EIA-infected equine must be kept under a roof and
     isolated from other equine.  The  infected animal may remain on the
     market premise no longer than 24 hours.

Q:  Will the new law and  TAHC regulations affect shows, fairs, trail rides, rodeos or any other assemblies?

A:  No. Texas equine entering in-state assemblies will still need a negative EIA test within the past 12 months.  The EIA test document, called a "VS 10-11" is adequate proof of testing.

Q:  Our group is having an event.  Who is responsible for ensuring equine have been tested and are accompanied by their EIA documents?

A:  The person or group in charge of the event is responsible for seeing that equine are accompanied by their valid EIA test document (VS 10-11). Generally, it takes only a moment to review the VS 10-11 for the test date and animal's description and compare it to the equine being hauled.

The TAHC has a free, easy-to-use form, so that EIA test accession numbers can be recorded for equine entering an event.

Q:  What if an untested equine is presented at an event...or the VS 10-11 doesn't match the animal?

A:  TAHC regulations prohibit the entry of untested equine at events, as it could put the "clean" equine at risk!  Keep untested equine at least 200 yards from the event, or better yet, have the owner take the animal back to its premise until it is tested.

Q:  What's needed for quarantine release?

A:  All  equine that shared the premise with or were otherwise exposed to the EIA-infected animal will be placed under quarantine and must be tested for EIA.  TAHC personnel may draw the blood sample and send it to the Texas Veterinary Medical Diagnostic Laboratory, at no charge.  Or, an accredited veterinarian may draw the sample, at the owner's expense.

TAHC personnel will conduct an epidemiological review to determine the animal's movement history, when the equine commingled with other equine, insect control measures, and other information relating to disease spread.

Quarantine release then depends on two factors:

1. The last infected equine on the premise must be moved from the site
   under a TAHC-issued VS 1-27 permit to one of the restricted destinations
   discussed on the previous page.

2. At least 60 days later, the equine remaining on the premise must be
   retested.  If all tests are "clean," the TAHC releases the quarantine,
   and the animals can move without restriction.

Q:  I'd like to keep my positive equine.

A:  Because an infected equine is considered to be the only reservoir of this disease, it is best to remove the animal from the equine population. If it must be kept, the animal is to be permanently quarantined at least 200 yards from other equine. All other equine on the premise also will remain under quarantine until the infected animal is finally removed.