Final answer:
The diagnosis of equine infectious anemia is typically done using a serology test, which detects antibodies in the patient's serum through hemaglutination. Other methods like IFA and PCR can also be used for confirmation.
Step-by-step explanation:
The test used to diagnose equine infectious anemia is serology, a blood test that detects the presence of antibodies against the causal virus of the disease. To perform the test, a sample of the patient's serum is placed on a test card along with a reagent, which is a suspension of horse erythrocytes. If the serum contains antibodies against the equine infectious anemia virus, hemagglutination will occur, which means the red blood cells will agglutinate and form visible clumps. This reaction indicates a positive result for the presence of the virus.
Other methods of diagnosis, such as IFA (Indirect Fluorescent Antibody) and PCR (Polymerase Chain Reaction), are also used for detecting antibodies or the genetic material of the virus, providing additional confirmation of the disease. It is important to note that while serology is a commonly used test, in the case of indeterminate results, additional testing with alternative methods like immunoblot, or Western blot, may be recommended to confirm the diagnosis.