Pet-related falls part 1

My father's current dog, Seamus, is still learning
good on-leash manners, but my dad knows what to
look out for now and hasn't had any bones broken
by this pup.

The last descendent of the famous side of the Bonaparte family, Jerome Napoleon Bonaparte, died in 1945 of injuries sustained from tripping over his dog's leash. When you consider risks and dangers of pet ownership, you’re most likely going to consider the subtle threat from allergies or the obvious “attack” injuries of dog bite, cat scratch and so on (often accidental rather than intentional). However, a report issued by the Center for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) in Atlanta GA this past March suggests that fall-related injuries constitute a significant risk as well.

CDC researchers analyzed data for the period 2001-2006 found in the National Electronic Injury Surveillance System All Injury Program (NEISS-AIP). By analyzing reports of fall injuries caused by dogs and cats (or pet-related equipment such as toys or food dishes) that got treated in emergency departments, the CDC report estimates an average annual injury rate of 29.7 per 100,000 population, or an average of slightly over 86,600 fall injuries in the US each year associated with cat and dog ownership.

The CDC's report only covers the owner’s side. Pets also suffer from broken bones and other injuries when people trip over them or step on their tails and paws. However, both the CDC report and the nation's leading veterinarians and emergency room doctors all agree that the benefits of responsible pet ownership far outweigh the possibilities of pet related falls and injuries! The CDC has documented such benefits as lower blood pressure, lower triglyceride levels, lower stress levels and a greater opportunity for exercise and socialization for pet owners compared to similar individuals who do not have pets. "We know that pets have many benefits," said Dr. Judy A. Stevens, an epidemiologist at the CDC's injury center. "We just want people to be aware that pets and pet items can be a fall hazard and can lead to injuries."

Puppies and older dogs with Alzheimer's caused most tripping injuries by falling asleep quickly somewhere where their owners did not notice them. Of all fall-related reasons for injury to dog owners, 33% came from an owner tripping over a sleeping dog or puppy inside their home. I have good friends who actually named one of the dogs they owned Tripper. In his case, sleeping in unexpected places was the least of the problem. Tripper specialized in standing behind you so you’d trip over him when you turned around or backed up.

My father ended up having multiple surgeries on his ankle because of a puppy-related injury. I guess the CDC report would have classified it as part of the 25% occurring during dog walks. My parents’ relatively newly-acquired and very young Nova Scotia duck-tolling retriever, not yet used to the constraints of movement on leash, managed to dash between my father’s legs, wrapping the leash around one leg and pulling him over.

And yet, the emotional benefit of pets is clear from the reactions of my friends and my dad. My friends accepted Tripper’s nature—even making a mild joke of it with his name—and missed having to avoid him after he died. My dad suffered for months with surgery to implant metal hardware into his multiply fractured ankle and again to have it removed when infection set in. But when my mother suggested that maybe this dog was too much for them, my dad insisted that he’d now earned this dog with pain and of course they were keeping her.

Tomorrow: Part 2, featuring another dog tale, the stats for cats and some safety precaution advice.