Oh Where Oh Where Has My Little Dog Gone?
Pets can cause fall-related injuries in older people, according to research results published in the current issue of the Medical Journal of Australia.
Co-author of the report, Dr Susan Kurrle, Director of the Rehabilitation and Aged Care Service at the Hornsby Ku-ring-gai Health Service in Sydney, said dogs and cats are most likely to be involved and women appear more likely than men to be injured.
The study examined the type of fracture and circumstances of injury in 16 patients aged 75 years and over who presented to the emergency department of a metropolitan hospital in northern Sydney over 18 months with a fracture directly related to their pet.
An Australian Bureau of Statistics (ABS) survey of pet ownership in 1994 indicated that 16 per cent of people aged over 60 years owned a dog, 15 per cent owned a cat, and 9 per cent owned a bird.
"Further research is necessary to understand the risk that pets pose, and to consider possible interventions to decrease this risk (such as ensuring pets are confined at the time of activity, and being aware of the pet's favourite sleeping position).
"It is important that any risks posed by pets be reduced as much as possible to allow the benefits of pet ownership to be properly appreciated," Dr Kurrle said.
CONTACT Dr Susan Kurrle, 02 9477 9514 (w) 02 9476 6530 (H)
Judith TOKLEY, AMA Public Affairs, 0408 824 306 / 02 6270 5471