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Horse tests positive for Equine Infectious Anemia, 200 others exposed in Colorado

Posted at 6:30 PM, Sep 07, 2018
and last updated 2018-09-07 20:30:16-04

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    WELD COUNTY, Colo. (KMGH) — The Colorado Department of Agriculture is looking for more than 100 horses who may have been exposed to Equine Infectious Anemia (EIA) after a horse in Weld County tested positive for the disease in late August.

CDA officials said Friday records from several different state agencies show that approximately 240 horses were on the same quarantined premises as the horse who tested positive for the disease. About 100 of those were sent to 20 other states across the country.

“We are working to locate approximately 140 horses that went to different premises across Colorado. We are asking horse owners to contact us if they purchased horses in Weld County between July 18 to August 20, 2018,” said State Veterinarian, Dr. Keith Roehr. “We will work with owners to see if their horses came from the quarantined property. This is an important step in the disease investigation.”

Officials said the investigation into the EIA case has led to a quarantine order in Weld County and to “hold orders” in several premises across Colorado including Weld, Adams, Arapahoe, Crowley, Delta, Douglas, El Paso, Mesa, and Montrose counties.

So far, 37 exposed horses have been found throughout the state.

Because there is no cure or treatment for EIA, the horse that tested positive for EIA has been euthanized, CDA officials said.

Both the quarantine and hold orders will remain in place until the exposed horses on the premises test negative for EIA at the 60-day re-test, which is the last known date of exposure to the positive horse.

The CDA continues to actively monitor compliance with quarantine and hold orders, and officials said the department has the legal authority to fine people who violate the rules.

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