Pet Falls Injure 240 People a Day

It can be frustrating when pets break things. It's particularly frustrating when those things happen to be your bones.

According to a recent report from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, more than 86,000 people trip over their pets each year, with about 240 people a day visiting the emergency room as a result.

Dogs are the biggest culprits, causing 88 percent of the injuries -- one third are broken bones, about one quarter bruises, and one fifth sprains. About 62 percent of the dog-related falls and 86 percent of the cat-caused tumbles occurred at home. Not surprisingly, the highest rate of injury was among those 75 and older, while women were more likely than men to be injured.

The report is based on 8,000 ER visits at 66 U.S. hospitals between 2001 and 2006. It's the first government study of pet-related trips and falls.

Source

Tags: Center-for-Disease-Control, injuries, report