Good Dog/Bad Dog: Geriatrician Notes Dangers Of Pet-Related Falls

According to the CDC, more than 21,000 elderly Americans are treated in hospital emergency rooms each year for falls associated with their pet dogs and cats, and their injuries account for nearly one-fourth of all the fractures, contusions, sprains, and lacerations caused by falls associated with dogs and cats.

“Pets, particularly dogs and cats, can be wonderful companions that provide many health benefits for older adults,” said Dr. Thomas A. Cavalieri, a geriatrician and the dean of the UMDNJ-School of Osteopathic Medicine. “At the same time, falls are a particularly serious health hazard for the elderly. When an older person falls, there’s a one-in-three chance that the result will be a fracture, which could mean an extended period of convalescence or even permanent disability or premature death.”

Cavalieri noted that several studies have shown potential health benefits when older adults interact with pets. Walking a dog provides good cardiovascular exercise and having a pet in the house also appears to have a positive effect on blood pressure and stress. Pets can also ease the sense of loneliness that some elderly individuals experience, which helps to stave off bouts of depression. Some other studies have reported that individuals with Alzheimer’s disease were less agitated and more socially interactive when therapy dogs visited.

“Some pets, though, will present a hazard just because they are so attached to their owners,” Dr. Cavalieri warned. “A dog or cat that likes to nap at its owner’s feet can present a tripping hazard, especially for older individuals who have less of the strength and flexibility needed to ‘catch’ themselves when they begin to fall.”

Dr. Cavalieri offered these tips for helping to safeguard older friends and family members from pet-related falls:

• Make sure pets – especially dogs – are obedience trained to walk calmly on a leash and to not jump on visitors.
• Discourage pets from lying next to beds at night or at the foot of chairs.
• Don’t leave pet toys in the middle of the floor.
• If you have an older friend or relative with a dog, offer to go along on walks so that you can handle the leash.

The entire CDC report on pet-related falls is available at http://www.cdc.gov/mmwr/.