A Certificate of Veterinarian Inspection (CVI) is a document ensuring a horse has recently been evaluated by a veterinarian for signs of illness. A CVI is required for some travel and helps reduce disease spread by stopping transport of sick horses.
"Neck in Neck" by Bugeater on flicker.com Licensed under CC 2.0
A Certificate of Veterinarian Inspection (CVI) is a document that is required for interstate (between states) and some intrastate (within the state) travel. A CVI, also referred to as a health certificate, ensures your horse has been evaluated by a veterinarian recently and that, at the time of inspection, your horse had no obvious signs of illness.
Certificate of Veterinarian Inspections are required to help reduce disease spread from one area and horse to another. An inspection for illness by your veterinarian may identify obvious or even subtle signs of disease that may not have otherwise been known. Some common diseases of concern include equine infectious anemia (EIA), strangles, equine herpesvirus (EHV-1 and EHV-4, vesicular stomatitis, and piroplasmosis. Certificate of Veterinarian Inspections typically expire after thirty days, but some states may allow for extensions up to six months. Requirements and length of validity are determined by each state.
Certificates of Veterinarian Inspection may look slightly different from state to state; however, the following information is generally found on all CVI's:
Requirements for a CVI depend on the state, show or destination, and current disease conditions. Within the United States, there is a requirement that any horse crossing a state line must have a health certificate and a negative test for EIA, often identified by a Coggins test. States may vary by the timeframe in which the health certificate must have been acquired before travel. This is often affected by current disease situations and may vary drastically state to state. Some CVIs are only valid for 72 hours after inspection in areas where an infectious disease outbreak has occurred. Make sure that you speak with your veterinarian early to identify destination state and origin state requirements during the time period you intend to travel.
For Pennsylvania, it is required that a CVI be issued on any horse entering the Commonwealth within 30 days of desired entry. It must be accompanied with a negative test for EIA obtained within a year from the date of entry. Additional requirements are in place for horses who have been in states where vesicular stomatitis and/or piroplasmosis is prevalent. These requirements include additional testing, examinations, and restrictions based on proximity to the outbreak area. As of December 2020, horses traveling from Colorado, Kansas, Nebraska, New Mexico, Oklahoma, Texas, Utah, and Wyoming may be subject to these additional requirements. Consult your veterinarian and the listed requirements from the Pennsylvania Department of Agriculture to determine what you will need to re-enter Pennsylvania if you leave the state.
Some intrastate travel may also require that a CVI be obtained. Many shows, sale barns, and other equine facilities require a CVI for horses to enter the premises. Be sure to identify health paper requirements before you depart for the event. Some shows may not require CVIs, however, it is recommended that all equine events require proof of a negative EIA test. The American Association of Equine Practitioners (AAEP) encourages horse owners not to participate in events that do not require a negative EIA test.
Anytime you plan to travel with your horse, make sure you explore documentation requirements for your destination state, facility, and/or event before departing. Global Vet Link has created a website to help you identify current state travel requirements. Be sure to consult with your veterinarian as well in case the site is not up-to-date.
Certificates of Veterinarian Inspection help to reduce travel of sick horses. Horses should not travel while ill for multiple reasons. Travel increases stress on the horse and can exacerbate illness. Additionally, traveling with sick horses can spread the disease to other locations and horses. Depending on the disease, spread of infection between horses can occur through both direct and indirect contact. This includes nose-to-nose contact with other horses, use of contaminated equipment or facilities, aerosol spread, and insect vectors. Therefore, to limit the chances of transmission it is best to keep sick horses at home. While obtaining a CVI does not ensure your horse cannot get a disease, it can limit movement of sick animals to reduce likelihood of spread.
It is always recommended that biosecurity measures be implemented both at home and while traveling, even if you have obtained a CVI. Similarly, you may want to consider giving your horse certain risk-based vaccines if your horse has increased chance of exposure to a specific disease. Talk with your veterinarian to see if this is something you should consider based on your horse, where you live, where you plan to travel, and the exposure risk your horse may have.
You should regularly evaluate your horse for signs of illness while traveling. This includes, but is not limited to, regular temperature checks, evaluation of your horse's nostrils for discharge, and awareness of any digestive upset, such as diarrhea. Recognizing what behavior and vital signs are normal for your horse can help you better identify when your horse is exhibiting signs of illness.
If you suspect your horse has contracted a disease, contact a veterinarian immediately.
For more information on CVIs and transporting horses visit the following websites:
The content of this presentation, including text, graphics, and images, is educational only and not intended to be a substitute for veterinary medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. Always seek the advice of a licensed doctor of veterinary medicine or other licensed or certified veterinary medical professional with any questions you may have regarding a veterinary medical condition or symptom.
