Tips for Accredited Veterinarians – Do's and Don’ts

Performing Equine Infectious Anemia (EIA) testing 

1. Do ensure you are a Category II accredited veterinarian and authorized in the state where you obtain the blood sample for testing. You can check your status on the National Veterinary Accreditation Program website.
2. Do submit the blood sample to an APHIS-approved EIA testing laboratory (254.43 KB).
3. Do use approved testing forms.
   • Consult this list of currently approved EIA testing forms.
   • Obtain paper VS 10-11 forms by contacting the NVAP Coordinator for your state. 
4. Do ensure the blood sample is obtained from the horse described on the form. 
   • Your signature on the VS 10-11 form verifies: “I certify I am a Category II, Federally Accredited, Veterinarian, authorized in the state where the sample was obtained, by me, from the animal described below.” 
5. Do FULLY complete the VS 10-11 form, except for blocks marked “For laboratory use only.”
   • Refer to these instructions:
     • Instructions for completing the VS 10-11 (version DEC 2020) 
     • Instructions for completing the VS 10-11 (version FEB 2018) 
   • Don’t leave blocks blank.  If the response is none, enter NONE, or line through box fully.
   • Do provide the physical address of the current home premises of the equine in Block 7. This should be where the animal normally lives. It may be a market location if the home premises is unknown. 
   • Don’t list a veterinary clinic, unless the equine resides there. 
   • Don’t list a Post Office Box.
   • Do use this date format: MM/DD/YYYY.
6. Do accurately identify the equine. 
   • Do provide color, breed, and sex.
   • Do enter an age, either known date of birth or approximate age in years or months. 
     • Don’t enter ADULT or FOAL. For guidance on age estimation, please see NVAP Reference Guide: Appendix G: Equine Teeth and Aging
   • Do enter tag number, tattoo number, microchip, or breed registration number or NONE/complete line through of the appropriate blocks. 
   • Do scan all equines for the presence of microchips. While not mandatory, this is best practice. Veterinarians can obtain scanners capable of reading microchips conforming to ISO/ICAR¹ 11784/11785 standards from commercial sources. If a microchip is reported by the owner, verify the number provided.
   • Do complete the narrative description of permanent white markings, brands, tattoos, scars, and whorls.
   • Please see NVAP Reference Guide: Equine Identification for additional information about equine identification.

Please see the included example of a VS 10-11 and instructions for completing the form. Please see Equine Infectious Anemia for more information about EIA.

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¹International Organization for Standardization/International Committee for Animal Recording