The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) released a report today showing that more than 86,000 people are injured each year in falls caused by their cats and dogs, for an average annual injury rate of 29.7 per 100,000 people. Most of the injuries caused by pets were minor, but nearly 10 percent were serious enough to require hospitalization.

CDC researchers examined records from the emergency departments at 66 U.S. hospitals for the years 2001 through 2006 looking for mentions of dogs and cats involved in nonfatal injuries. According to the report, injuries related to falls caused by pets have never really been examined.

The results of the study show that nearly 88% of injuries caused by pet-related falls were associated with dogs, and females were 2.1 times more likely to be injured than males. Senior citizens were also disproportionately affected, with the rate of pet-related injuries nearly twice as high for people 75 and older. Overall, falls caused by pets account for only about one percent of all injuries from falls.

Nearly 62 percent of dog-related injuries occurred inside or immediately outside the home. Thirty-one percent of those cases involved falling or tripping over a dog. Other common dog-related falls occurred when someone was startled, pushed or pulled off balance during a walk, or fell down while chasing after a runaway dog.

Most falls involving cats occurred at home, with 66 percent due to the person falling or tripping over the cat. This will come as no surprise to cat owners, who may feel like their cat it is always underfoot.

The CDC released the report to educate the public on the dangers of such injuries and to suggest strategies for prevention. According to the report, such strategies should focus on increasing public awareness of pets and pet items as fall hazards and reinforcing American Veterinary Medical Association recommendations emphasizing obedience training for dogs.

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_{Photo: Mr. T in DC, Flickr, Creative Commons}