Nine southwest Kansas horses have tested positive for equine infectious anemia that requires euthanasia.
As The Garden City Telegram reports, equine infectious anemia or EIA is described by the Kansas Department of Agriculture Division of Animal Health as a an incurable, infectious viral disease that can be transmitted by blood-contaminated syringes, needles and surgical equipment, or by transfusion of infected blood, biting flies and mosquitoes. Symptoms include fever, anemia and edema.
According to the KDA, all positive horses have been humanely euthanized.
In total, the cases include seven horses in Finney County and two in Kearny County.
Two other horses have been diagnosed with equine piroplasmosis, or EP, a tick-borne protozoal infection, which can be difficult to diagnose. Symptoms can include acute fever, inappetence and malaise, anemia, jaundice, sudden death, chronic weight loss and poor exercise tolerance.