A horse in the County of Grande Prairie is under quarantine. The Canadian Food Inspection Agency has confirmed to 2day FM that the horse from an unspecific farm tested positive for Equine Infectious Anemia on September 7th.
EIA is an infection and viral disease that affects the system and can be fatal for horses, donkeys, mules, and zebras. Most infected horses don’t show any symptoms, but carry the virus for life and can spread it to others. There is no risk to human health.
The positive horse and any other animals on the property it could have come in contact with have been sequestered. The CFIA is investigating whether any other horses have been around it as well.
The horse was tested by an accredited veterinarian as part of an agreement before it was to be sold. The result was then confirmed by the CFIA’s national reference laboratory.