A new report from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention showed that many Americans, especially the elderly, trip over their dogs and cats annually, injuring themselves.

 

More exactly, nearly 87,000 people are injured in dog- and cat-related falls and get to the emergency room for special treatment. That means 240 people per day, according to the analysis published in the DCD’s Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report.

 

For the study, CDC researchers collected data on falls from 66 emergency departments across the country from 2001 to 2006. 88 percent of the injuries were caused by dogs, while cats were blamed for nearly all of the rest.

 

“Many of them occurred while people were walking their dog or chasing either their dog or cat. Over half the injuries with dogs were either falls or tripping over the pet or they were pushed or pulled by the pet,” said Judy Stevens, an epidemiologist with the CDC’s National Center for Injury Prevention and Control.

 

Children 14 and younger recorded the most injuries, but the highest rate of injury was in people 75 and older. Women suffered the most injuries, 68 percent of the falls involving dogs and 72 percent involving cats.

 

About 80 percent of people hospitalized for injuries related to pets suffered fractures.

 

Stevens said that pets have many health benefits for people taking care of them, but these people have to be aware that “pets and pet items can be a full hazard and can lead to injuries.”

 

The full report can be read here.