Falls due to dogs and cats send more than 86,000 Americans to the emergency room each year
Dogs and cats cause more than 86,000 falls each year—about 240 day—serious enough to send someone to the emergency department, according to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).
Dogs caused more than seven times as many injuries as cats (88% vs. 11.7%), and girls and women were more than twice as likely to be injured than males, according to a study appearing in the current issue of the CDC’s Mortality & Morbidity Weekly Report (MMWR).
The most common injuries were scrapes, bruises and broken bones. People age 75 and older were at the highest risk for fractures.
An editorial accompanying the study notes that cat and dog ownership is rising in the U.S. as is the population of older persons, who are at the greatest risk for serious fall injuries.
While pet ownership has health benefits, pet owners can reduce their risk of injury by being aware that pets— as well as pet toys and other items—can cause falls and that dog obedience training can reduce pulling and jumping that can lead to injury, the CDC said.
To learn more:
- Read the CDC report: Nonfatal Fall-Related Injuries Associated with Dogs and Cats — United States, 2001–2006
- Visit the Seattle Humane Society’s Web site that has information about pets, pet adoption, and pet training classes.
- Visit the CDC’s Web page with information on the health benefits of pets and links to additional information.
Category: Emergency Medicine, Injuries & Wounds, Senior Health
Subscribe
If you enjoyed this article, subscribe to receive more just like it.
LocalHealthGuide is a health news and information web service for Seattle and the Puget Sound Region. We are independent and unaffiliated with any hospital, medical association or insurer. If you have questions or if your group has an upcoming event that you would like us to cover, please let us know by going to our "
Add to Google
[...] Read the CDC report: Nonfatal Fall-Related Injuries Associated with Dogs and Cats — United States, 2001–2006; Visit the Seattle Humane Society’s Web site that has information about pets, pet adoption , and pet training classes. … Read more: Falls due to dogs and cats send more than 86000 Americans to the … [...]
[...] Falls due to dogs and cats send more than 86,000 Americans to the emergency room each year | localhealthguideonline.com/falls-due-to-dogs-and-cats-send-more-than-86000-americans-to-the-emergency-room-each-year – view page – cached Dogs and cats cause more than 86,000 falls each year serious enough to send someone to the emergency department, according to the CDC — From the page [...]