With spring comes responsibility

Ahhhhhh, finally – SPRING!!

Sure the weather here in Kentucky isn't ideal right now, but at least it isn't snowing!!

With the arrival of spring comes the reminder of associated responsibilities. As a horse owner, and veterinary technician, spring screams “equine wellness and maintenance” to me!! And, if you share this horse crazy gene, it should scream that to you as well.

One of the common basic spring responsibilities for horse owners is to ensure each horse's Coggins test is up to date. Many of you already know that in order to legally attend a trail ride, horse show or clinic a “copy of a current negative coggins” is required. A Coggins test must be performed annually and accompany horses in their travels. Equine Infectious Anemia is the reason for this test (Developed by Dr. Coggins). EIA is a potentially fatal and incurable anemia spread from horse to horse via biting insects. Should a positive horse participate in a community event, the likelihood of an insect transmitting infected blood from that horse to an unsuspecting pony is extremely high. Hence, the scrutiny of the Coggins test. While a positive result isvery rare, it hold a horrible outcome for the poor infected pony. Since EIA is incurable they are capable of infecting other horses (via insect bites) for the duration of their lifetime. Therefore, two options are usually offered. Total and complete quarantine, such that a biting insect would be unable to move from the infected horse to another equid, or euthanasia. Most horse owners consider 'quality of life' when making this decision and opt for euthanasia.



The Culprit



Kinda scary huh?? The lesson here....be sure to get a Coggins test done on your horses!



A Common Coggins Test Form





In order to obtain a Coggins test, the horse owner must contact a State/USDA certified veterinarian who will examine the horse, draw blood for testing and complete the appropriate test form.  This for will properly identify the horse and state the result of the test.  The test is quick and painless for your horse and usually takes less than a week to get the results back for a Coggins test.  Cost will vary from vet to vet...but an owner can expect to pay anywhere from $20-$50 for this very important aspect of horse ownership.  It is a small price for the well being of your horses and the horses around you...