Chesterfield horse tests positive for infectious, untreatable disease
VENN
CHESTERFIELD COUNTY, Va. (WRIC) -- A Chesterfield County horse recently tested positive for an infectious, untreatable and potentially deadly disease.
On Friday, May 2, the Virginia Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services (VDACS) confirmed that a horse stabled at a private residence in Chesterfield recently tested positive for Equine Infectious Anemia (EIA). The horse has since been quarantined and poses no risk to any other area animals, VDACS said.
This positive result was discovered during routine "Coggins testing," or laboratory blood testing designed to detect EIA in species susceptible to it, like horses, ponies, mules and donkeys.
Per VDACS, EIA is an infectious disease that can be fatal. It also has no known vaccine or treatment. As a result, infected horses must be euthanized or kept in lifetime quarantine.
Symptoms include fever, severe anemia, an irregular heartbeat, swollen limbs, jaundice, depression and rapid breathing -- symptoms that can be confused with other diseases, making EIA hard to diagnose.
To prevent the spread of EIA, VDACS recommends the following:
- Control any biting flies on your property, which will reduce your animals' chance of exposure.
- Never reuse needles, syringes or IV sets.
- Only use licensed and approved blood products, and only allow your animals to receive blood transfusions from licensed veterinarians using said licensed and approved blood products.
- Annually perform Coggins tests on your animals.
All horses or equine species brought to shows, fairs or race meets -- or any other kinds of functions or activities where these animals could interact -- must have an official negative Coggins test certificate, VDACS said. Said certificates are good for 12 months from the date the animal's blood was drawn.
