In many instances, the weather was so cold that the vaccine would freeze before it could be injected into the animal. The Bristol Bay Area Health Corporation is the sole provider of comprehensive health care services to the 29 villages in this region of Alaska comprising about 6,500 people. The veterinary team mission was well received by the villagers, as sled dogs provide viable transportation in this part of the state. Many mushers own 20 or more dogs. Specialist Joe Dobeck and Major Carter boarding a CH-47 helicopter.
Zoonotic diseases are a real concern for the Bristol Bay.
Rabies is endemic in the arctic and in brown foxes. The domestic animal populations are, therefore, at risk and can pose a hazard to the people in the area. Hydatid disease is also found in the local populace. Raw caribou viscera are often eaten by domestic dogs that go on to develop the adult stage of the tapeworm Echinococcus granulosus . Eggs from these worms are shed via animal feces in the environment, and, when ingested by people, can develop into hydatid cysts, which are life threatening.