What Is a Coggins Test?

Many horse owners have heard of a Coggins test but some do not know what the test evaluates and why it is so important for the horse industry. A Coggins test is a blood test used to identify the presence of antibodies for equine infectious anemia a potentially fatal disease with no current treatment available. There are multiple tests to detect if a horse has EIA antibodies but the Coggins test is the most popular and well known among horse industry professionals.
Performing a Coggins Test
To perform a Coggins test a licensed veterinarian must draw blood from the horse and send it to an accredited lab for analysis. The lab will conduct a test to detect the EIA antibody a protein that allows the body to recognize the EIA virus this will only be present if the horse has had the EIA virus. They will then provide either a positive antibody is present or a negative antibody is not present test result back to the veterinarian who will share it with the horse owner. These results often referred to as Coggins papers will then be available as either a paper or an electronic certificate and should be kept with the horses health records. The test results expire one year from the testing date.

The following information is generally found on all Coggins tests see an example on the following page
Owner information Owner name address phone number
Stable information Point of contact address phone number
Veterinarian Information Name clinic accreditation number address
Horses identifiable information Name barn name breed registration number breed sex color age permanent identification microchip tattoo pictures or drawings of all markings accompanied with a narrative description of markings
Equine infectious anemia EIA test information Type lab that preformed the test reason for testing date received date reported and result
Obtaining a negative Coggins test

is important to ensure that EIA is not spread to other horses. Lack of a vaccine or treatment for EIA makes testing crucial for preventing spread by ensuring carriers are not moved or allowed in close proximity with other horses.
What is Equine Infectious Anemia?
Equine infectious anemia is a bloodborne viral disease that can affect all equids. This virus is of great concern for the horse industry and there is currently no treatment or vaccine for it. Horses with EIA have varying symptoms and prognoses. Acute symptoms often include a fever disorientation and weight loss. Rapid death has also been reported