The coggins test is a blood test taken to identify positive horses with Equine Infectious Anemia. Equine infectious anemia is a viral disease that affects the horse's immune system.  The virus reproduces in blood cells and circulates throughout the body.  This is an immune - compromised systemic disease that can be fatal and is quite contagious. Transporting horses from state to state or out of this country requires a negative coggins test.  If you are not planning on transporting your horses it is still a good idea to have them tested yearly for EIA.  EIA is very contagious and a deadly disease. 

      EIA is transmitted by blood.  Transmission can occur through blood-sucking insects or it can be passes from mare to foal in utero.

     Symptoms of EIA include:  fever, depression, decreased appetite, fatigue or reduced stamina, rapid breathing, sweating, rapid weight loss, bloodshot eyes with watery discharge, swelling of legs, lower chest, and abdomen, weakness characterized by wobbly or rolling gait, pale or yellowish mucous membranes, irregular heartbeat and/or weak pulse, colic, abortion in mares.

      We generally run the AGID test which takes 24 hours to read after set-up. We prefer to have at least one week notice to return the results but we can perform the test on a “stat” basis.   We are also able to perform an Elisa test which takes one hour to run the test and read the results.  Most states will accept negative results from 6 months to one year before you need to retest.  Our office has a list of different state regulations if you need any information on a particular state.  It is a federally regulated test and there are only a handful of labs in South Dakota that perform this test.