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Do I Need to Have My Horse Tested for Equine Infectious Anemia?

EIA Masthead

Equine Infectious Anemia (EIA for short, and also known as Coggins Disease) is a disease caused by a virus that produces anemia, intermittent fever, and severe weight loss. Equidae (e.g., horses, ponies, mules, and donkeys) are the only animals known to be affected by the virus. Once an animal is infected with the virus it is infected for life, regardless of the severity of the symptoms.  No treatment is effective against the EIA virus.

  • If you own a horse (or other equidae) born before April 30th, 2002 you are required to have had a one-time mandatory EIA test on or before this date. Equidae born after  this date are exempt from the one-time mandatory test, but must comply with the remaining test requirements of the law. 

  • Persons transporting equidae within Michigan using public streets, roads and highways DO NOT need proof of annual EIA testing simply to be on the road.

  • Persons transporting equidae into Michigan from other states or nationalities MUST HAVE proof of current negative EIA test as defined below (see last bulleted item).

  • Persons showing horses and other equidae at publicly held exhibitions in Michigan MUST HAVE proof of EIA testing within the last calendar year.  Publicly held exhibitions include  horse shows, races, pulls, parades, team penning events, and similar activities.

  • Such exhibitions DO NOT include trail-riding events, though it is recommended that persons sponsoring such events add an EIA testing stipulation to event entry.

  • Foals 6 months of age or younger and still nursing their mother are exempt from testing requirements, providing the mother has a current negative EIA test.

  • By Michigan law, a current EIA test is a test that was done within the current calendar year or December of the previous year.


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