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Home My WebLink About1980-08-13 BOARD OF HEALTH Minutes of Meeting of August 13, 1980 o The Board of Health Meeting conmenced at 7:45 PM after a brief session as County Commissioners. All members were present. ' Minutes of the Board of Health Meeting of August 6, 1980, were accepted as typed and reading of the same was waived on motion by Mr. Young, seconded by Mr. Knott so voted 4-0. o There were no reports from the Health Officer this week. CANINE DISEASE: "PARVO" REPORT: Letter from Dog Officer Seidler read wherein she advises Board of canine disease on the mainland that has reached epidemic proportions along the Eastern Seaboard- "Parvo", a gastronintestinal virus which causes a high fever, vomiting and diarrhea which usually leads to dehydration an death especially in young dogs. Vaccine is in short supply throughout the countr and the local MSPCA is presently out of it and do not think they will be able to get it until September. Dog Officer Seidler's letter continued that it is her recommendation that Nantuc et be closed down to all in-coming dogs until we are able to get sufficient vaccine to protect our animals. So far there is no evidence of the disease on Nantucket. It is a small Island with limited access. We have the capability to protect our animals. By quarantining we can divert an unnecessary and tragic situation. That she has spoken with Mr. Soverino of the Steamship Authority who has express d a willingness to cooperate if the Board decides that a quarantine is in order but has yet to speak with officials of the Hy-Line or Nantucket Airport Commissi n. Veterinarian, Dr. Eggleston of the Nantucket Animal Clinic and Hospital, was present at this meeting. The following is a summary of his responses to questio by individual Board members. That there is presently no protection on Island. T t' vaccine will not be available until September. Boston has epidemic right now.Th problably, in future, vaccine will be given with Distemper shot. The incubation period is three to seven days. That quarantine facilities are not available her. The disease is spread through dog feces. Highly contagious. Started at Dog Show. Has now spread from Texas to East Coast to West Coast. The Island position now is that can't do a thing about it but because of unique situation, can quarantine. If a dog has been fnnocualted against this disease and injections must have bee . given- two injections, two to four weeks apart, there would be a certificate. Possibly, lessors can notify their expected tenants of quarantine. Mr. Young motioned that the recommendation of the Dog Officer be accepted, by Mr. Knott, so voted 4-0. Mr. Gardner motioned that notification be made to the Airport Manager, all airl nes Steamship Authority, Hy-Line, Sherburne Associates Boat Marina and the Harborma ter that effective immediately, no dogs will be allowed on the Island until further notice, seconded by Mr. Young, so voted 4-0. Mr. Gardner motioned that if Certification that dog has been innoculated twice for PARVO disease, injections two to four weeks apart, dog is exempt from this quarantine, seconded by Mr. Knott, so voted 4-0. . Chairman Holdgate said that signs will have to be posted, that the Health Offic r is to work this out with the DPW Superintendent. Mr. Phil Bartlett, FINCOM member, said he doesn't know hiw this to be worked ou , thinks some service should be orouided for people who are going to get there and find out they can't come. Chairman said that Dog Officer wi 11 .contact boarding kennels in Cape area and advise. . There being no further business before the Board of Health, a motion to adjourn at 8:04 PM was made by Mr. Young, seconded by Mr. Knott, so voted 4-0. ~~~ Chairman . . East Chestnut Street NANTUCKET POLICE DEPARTMENT Nantucket, Massachusetts 02554 617-228-1212 o Board of Selectmen Town Building Nantucket, Mass. August 13, 1980 ~~ f~PP ~,1.rt..v\..~ C"" f .;. .t.'?""'A..i~ ~fi,A~ R'~ Dear Board Members: There is a canine disease on the mainland that has reached epidemic proportions along the entire eastern seaboard. It is called Parvo. It is a gastrointestinal virus that causes a high fever, vomiting, and diarrhea which usually leads to dehydration and death, especially in young dogs. So far there is no evidence of the disease on Nantucket, however vaccine is in short supply throughout the couhtry. The local M.S.P.C.A. is presently out of it and does not think that they will be able to get it until September. It is my recommendation to this board that Nantucket be closed down to all in-coming dogs until we are able to get sufficient vaccine to protect our animals. It is a small island with limited access. I have already spoken with Malcolm Soverino, of the Steamship Authority. He expressed a \villingness to cooperate if The Board of Selecvmen decides that a quarantine is in order. I have yet to speak with Hy-Line officials and the Nantucket Airport Commission. We, on Nantucket, have the capability to protect our animals that is almost unique. By quarantining we can divert an unneccessary and tragie situation. z:;es ctfu~lS.. /i ~/:// ~ Honera Seidler 228-1212 . BOARD OF SELEcrMEN County Commission~rs Board of Health NANTUCKET, MASSACHUSETrS 617.228.0790 o PRESS RELEASE DATE: August 14, 1980 RE: PARVO DISEASE The Board of Health acted on the request of Dr. Eggleston and the Dog Officer in an effort to protect the dogs on Nantucket from Parvo Disease. Due to the fact that there is no vaccine on Nantucket and there is none readily available. The Board of Health checked early this morning (August 14, 1980) with Town Counsel regarding its motion to quarantine the Island. Town Counsel advised that because the disease does not affect humans the quarantine cannot be put into effect. The Board of Health tried to act for the benefit of the Island. I: ...r \'s.::,,~' "".~~'~;:$i'.j:-;; _".'::#:01'- ~ :it.;~-iI'i-t.;,'~';'j ._"'i-:~~~. / -';r~'':-A:i<:' ,..0~ '." J JTfi' MEOICI~E,. .....': '", ;' >'; '<'" ' ,..'~,; :': r:., ",:':>',.::':_, '_ '_:,'~ " ,," '-..':'_'_,:,_::' ',~:', _,."::~, -g~tis .pl~.oti';~t#Tl:Jde4h tb~;ye~~~.,"'.~' 'the heau's ~vej~,jtlsf aboyerth~'t\~rt.}: . .Theysti~~ th~.~,'cu~a~ eIFCi[9de,; r' \~ ~l: tne.q1Pt~.'Q9veri~i.th~1~!f.~tt ~'''f thehClilU1 ';',r"'i< -.' -,; ..' .') -.' On~in pl~;"~b!tt~ry.POW~d~., ; yice,motlltotS'~he,1teart'snatutlltetectri~Ir; ,r:' "disc~rg~ m~fJ-:~.anel~~~~~,;A t. ;does..- ASj,~~.:':.lt)!S~!S .~.tl~o~Y;' ;'(.':. J:.f7s~~.t~.,.....jB.~.'~l..~, ~tcft.fi.~....~..OCe.;...b ',>".' . ed threet~'until{h~tbtn disturb- :!'J ,~ces stop,(~~ers, which~anyh~ . , '.' patjel1~'~' .;~vfr,a,. n:x\JCb.,;:smalIer "".~.' . .o.u....nt'..pf. s. t.i1P.'~...'.". ......,..n)...~. ~orr.."..'~.-.'..;l.bthr.OJ'IlC....'...'" j)i le#,e~~~iri"";' .'m.) ,",~l't'~~,' " ldbe.usedwith .... people,~W~' . .' ..... rnit~.~es: .of ventricullit:.': . ...i<t.(t'lrs~ suSC8l1~<" t.te. to tm at~ h;PMienfs ~vebeen treated With drijJs; , ,Dit!dication doesn't, : always work.;~rtiriat~ir res~Ita ~ the . NewEnglandl()Ur$llKMedi<.ine, Mira",. ;.skr~nd his con~gqesd~be$ix 'cases .' ,since February 19 . which' they" lUlve used .. Jh~,implan~..1'belWtimoredOctm:s sug. Intravenousfeeding in New York: Quick killer ":^'$~* thfltthe iD}pllthtable 9~ijbnih;to, niay, ~.""lt'J~gWith.dtug tr~tmeJ1t,. d~ticaJIy. r~-, 'duce the nurn1lt;rof sudq<:n deaths JrQm c:ardiac arrest. "C " ' . shoes or auto tires. Some llealth ,!,-uthorities speculate that -the cur; rent o\ltbreak is,related to.esea- . SOD. Summer vacations mean that ,more pets are traveJini to or from epideinicareas, whilenthers stay in kennels in close contact with other dogs. . ,'. PubJicAwarenessfBeeause the virus is so new, mO$tiiogs carry ,'no immU11itytQ it$t~g ef. fects.'Puppies uooet ~~ are especi;llly vulnerabte;'often suc. cumbing to tardiac failure. Before vetennarians and pet owners be. came famiIiarwith parvovirus; the mortality 'rate reached 40 per cent imlong dogs with seri6tJS ~ of tliedisease.P\iblic awareness of the need for sWift medical care has reduce(i that toll to less than JOper (lent: . " ' . Thernpyis basically palliative: .' drugs to c0Ji40lvomiting and ~. atrheaand fluids to prevent de. hydra.tiOn. Without'.. treatment, dogs often die of parvovirus within 48 hours. "Parvovirus is '. the quickest kilter of any animal I've ever seen, except poison," says Dr. Steven A. Melman, director .ofWashitigton's Ber- liner Animal Hospital, The best protection against parvovirus is anew vaecinecaIled Parvocine; ';fhe only U.S. company licensed to manufacture tbe vaccine, Dellen Laboratories of. Omaha, Neb., is operating almost around the clock, turning out 1.5 million doses a month. "But we bave 3 million doses on back order and weare at full capacity," say" ]jeUeD'S Dr, Harold Voederfecbt. "I don't know when wen catch up." Because of the shortage pf Parvocine, some vets are iIloculating dogs with a vaccine that prevents distemper in cats; Washington's Melman has even re- sorted toa vaccine designed to treat a viral disease of minks. . JEAN SELIGMANN with fRANK MAIER in Chicago and bureau reports ). , I J 1 ...,-_..'" --"~"'.--'----~~:----~ . ;;;'.A.V1r.fl!pia~JJJ.i~;.., >WithoQt"a:Cure . I." ',: '..:"":'.:'," _'. '~,;,:, ,',.' :..." l1te';-di~e~~~es:suddenIY, _ and its l'tpQ1$;,at~~n frigh~fug: seve!edi- "', "b.~Y-~~I~ ;llnd,delty~lrtlO~-= ,;SOU1et~,.~Qiin. .uti'death.; '~w~pmg ;"po~~~r~theUn~tedStates i:ftoml'''xa", ~.~. illness .haS/claimed ,'~ ()f liV($i~tl the pastfaixmontbs. l4~l'$i.Catl ~eap~ly thesymptOQl$, then .'tl,tI'S'the ~, And'a vaccine to. fight , :~'i&in ',~llhortliuPpl, that it ost)~etl) ob~..:Nd~ioJ,1al eaJtb':~~~~~,;~;~Cfltired, but " "":IC,.,'" .' ..;. .'~'" .::';'t. u__":_; man1'~merican families grieve. All the vie. tims,pfthis cruel killer are dogs. "The- sudden rampage of canine parvo- virus puzzles veterinarians. First identified ataLOuisville, Ky., dog show in the spring of'.l978, the disease" gradually spread to .~h~f'$how dogs thro,ughout the country. About six months ago an epidemic of par. vovirusstruek the general canine popu. ,lation'in Texas. Since then the baffling ~ disease 'bas. destroyed scores of pets in Ne. br~ka;'Iowa,Indiana, Ohio and Wiscon~ 'sin and Atlantic coastal states from Flor. ida to New York. · The highly contagious disease is trans. mitted from animal'toanimalthrough ca- nitlefeces, Human beings ate riot affected by the illness, aIthouglt they can unwit. tingly contribute t<l the epidemic by tranS'. porting infected dog excrement on their fenll, 'traveled widely. in the Soviet Union andpubIished two books about life in Russia, Morris .1I~Rubin, 69,. ..retired ..editor . and '~li~ (Jf)lle.m()ntbJ~'rn~ine ~e