Equine infectious anemia is a serious blood-borne disease with significant welfare and international trade implications. Understanding testing requirements protects horses globally.
EIA creates significant welfare dilemmas when positive horses are identified. In jurisdictions where EIA-positive horses must be euthanized, horses that may be clinically healthy face death as a disease control measure. The welfare argument for lifetime quarantine (rather than euthanasia) of EIA-positive horses has been debated, as some positive horses remain healthy for years. Prevention through vector control and testing prevents both disease transmission and the distressing outcomes for horses that test positive.