Pet-Related Falls Injure Thousands

Dogs and cats cause 86,000 household falls each year: CDC

(NEWSER) - Tens of thousands of people wind up in the emergency room every year after running afoul of a surprisingly common household hazard: pets. Cats are underfoot almost as much, but dogs are more than seven times more likely to cause a "pet fall" because "dogs are bigger and stronger, and we do see children and women are most likely to be involved in a fall with a dog," a CDC expert tells LiveScience . More»

From common slips to exploding lights and eyelids stuck in zippers

(NEWSER) - Work enough Christmases in the ER, and you’ll see every manner of bizarre holiday accident—some of them more than once. One UK doctor shares with the Telegraph the injuries his hospital sees "without fail" every year:

• Exploding tree lights burn eyelids and eyeballs, so keep a safe distance of, oh, more than 6 inches from your tree.
• Beware errant tree branches, which poke people in the eye with surprising regularity—generally as they eagerly try to grab gifts from underneath.

Tough times make care harder to justify; few have animal insurance

(NEWSER) - The recession is having some tragic consequences for family pets. Experts say owners are delaying care, opting out of pricey treatments, and putting down pets they’d otherwise save, MSNBC reports. One shelter has seen a 20% jump in admittances. “They come straight from the vet and say, ‘I can’t afford to treat my animal,’” its president says. “‘The vet said he should be euthanized, and I can’t even afford that.’” More»

Drivers would have to steer clear of distracting pals

(NEWSER) - California legislators are pushing a bill banning pets from drivers' laps after a national study ranked pets, along with cell phones, among the leading causes of road distractions and a cause of thousands of accidents. A bill before the state legislature will impose a fine for driving while holding dogs, cats, or other live animals, reports the San Jose Mercury News. More»