Coggins Test for Horses

If you have ever taken your horse across state lines, to a boarding facility, or to a competition or event, you’ve had to have a negative Coggins test with you.

The Coggins test for horses has been used in the U.S. since the early 1970s to detect if a horse is a carrier of equine infectious anemia. This federally regulated monitoring program was established to prevent potentially fatal viral outbreaks among horse populations. True positives have been significantly minimized over the past several decades to less than 0.01% annually.

Here's what to know about Coggins testing.

What Is a Coggins Test for Horses?

A Coggins test checks to ensure your horse isn’t a carrier of equine infectious anemia (EIA), a severely infectious viral infection that can cause fever, anemia, weight loss, and other symptoms. There is no treatment or cure for EIA.

EIA spreads quickly to nearby horses through fly bites or unclean equipment (such as needles). The infection is potentially fatal and has no known treatment. Horses can also be latent carriers of the virus, meaning they don’t show any outward signs of being ill but still carry the infection and can be dangerous to other horses.

While EIA is not as common as it once was, due to diligent monitoring, it’s recommended that all horses be tested yearly for the disease.  Horses that test positive for EIA must be quarantined at least 200 yards from other equines for the rest of their lives to minimize chances of outbreaks, or they may be humanely euthanized.

Why Does a Horse Need a Coggins Test?

Think of a Coggins test for horses like your driver’s license—you need it to go just about anywhere.

Horses require a valid negative Coggins test and health certificate to travel between state lines. Most boarding facilities, shows, state parks, and events also require a negative Coggins to have your horse on the premises.

How Do Horse Coggins Tests Work?

Your veterinarian will remove a small amount of blood from your horse and send it to a laboratory accredited by the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA), Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS), or Veterinary Services (VS).

Coggins testing paperwork is either handwritten or digital. If handwritten, a physical description and rough drawing of your horse is included; digital Coggins paperwork includes pictures of your horse.

There are two major analysis methods used for Coggins testing on blood samples:

1. AGID (agar gel immunodiffusion): The blood will be used to check for antibodies that correspond to the EIA virus particles. A horse will not have these antibodies unless they have the virus. This test takes about 24 hours to run.

2. ELISA (enzyme-linked immunosorbent analysis): This test takes less than an hour, but this method can be less specific and more sensitive, so there is a potential for a false positive test result. If a horse has a positive ELISA, a second test run by AGID will be used to confirm if a horse truly has EIA.

Cost of a Coggins Test for Horses

Client fees for a horse Coggins test can range from $20–$70, but the cost varies geographically and by laboratory. There is also often an added charge by the lab per sample/batch of tests, called an accession fee.

Fees, shipping, and your veterinarian’s time and skill all go into a client’s cost for this regulatory test.

Preparation for a Coggins Test for Horses

Ensure your horse has good ground manners in preparation for their vet visit. Because a Coggins test requires a blood draw, your horse should be comfortable with people handling them and touching their neck.

If your horse is needle-shy, you can practice at home with positive reinforcement, using cookies and praise as you lightly poke, scratch, or pinch with your fingers over the jugular groove of the horse’s neck. This is the very large groove that runs from underneath the jaw down toward the shoulder.

Clicker training can also be a useful method for positive reinforcement training for blood-draw preparation.

It's also important that your horse is clean so pictures can be accurate.

How Long Do Results for Horse Coggins Tests Take?

If your vet’s office is an accredited laboratory, you may get results the same day for ELISA Coggins testing. When blood is shipped out, owners can typically expect to receive test results in three to seven days (depending on shipping, day of the week, laboratory hours, etc.).

It’s important to plan well ahead of any events you have with your horse to ensure they have the proper documentation in time. Each Coggins test is good for one year, so keep this date in mind when creating your show or travel schedule for the season.