A research from Johns Hopkins College reveals the extent of canine strolling accidents which might be dangerous sufficient to ship folks to the ER. (This story first aired on Weekend Version on Might 13, 2023.)
SCOTT SIMON, HOST:
Now one in every of our favourite tales from earlier this yr. These of us who share our lives with canine have been on a stroll at the very least as soon as when – squirrel. Off they go, pulling you behind like a tin can. That occurred on a winter’s day in Washington, D.C., to Gina Eppolito when Pemba, her Lab-shepherd combine, started to run.
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GINA EPPOLITO: She went to cross the road at a quicker tempo than I might deal with on the ice.
SIMON: Gina was 5 months pregnant with twins.
EPPOLITO: I fell, slid on the sidewalk, landed on the ice, broke my wrist and in addition then hit my stomach.
SIMON: Gina Eppolito went to the ER. Her infants have been high-quality, however she spent the remainder of her being pregnant along with her arm in a forged. In reality, a brand new research from Johns Hopkins College says strolling your canine is a quite common technique to get injured.
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UNIDENTIFIED PERSON #1: Go say hello.
UNIDENTIFIED PERSON #2: Oh, hello.
SIMON: We went to a canine park in Alexandria, Va., to analyze and throw some balls. Of the 24 folks watching their canine race round like jolly maniacs, two knew others who’d had their arms pulled out of socket strolling their canine. One knew of any person who’d damaged a collarbone. Three had taken tumbles themselves.
JOCELYN COLEMAN: This little scratch right here on my knee (laughter) was simply from this little man right here.
SIMON: That is Jocelyn Coleman rolling up her pants leg to disclose a 3-inch scab. Her little man is the majestic chow combine Blaze. Ms. Coleman says she was texting when he noticed squirrel.
COLEMAN: He pulls me again, in fact. I fall down. I obtained up, dusted myself off. I used to be high-quality.
SIMON: Ms. Coleman says she’s the one at fault. Blaze was simply doing what canine do. She’s glad her tumble did not land her within the ER.
RIDGE MAXSON: We discovered that canine walking-related accidents despatched roughly 420,000 adults to United States emergency departments between 2001 and 2020 with an annual common of over 20,000 visits.
SIMON: Ridge Maxson of Johns Hopkins is the lead creator of that research canine strolling accidents. It reveals that adults over 65 and ladies have been significantly susceptible to getting critically harm. However Mr. Maxson says the advantages of canine strolling for the homeowners, like train and emotional well-being – who’s a superb boy? – outweigh the dangers. He says simply train extra warning.
MAXSON: We advocate avoiding retractable leashes, in addition to utilizing shorter leashes and, most significantly, remaining conscious of your environment and avoiding distractions for your self, equivalent to texting whereas strolling, in addition to your canine. So that may seem like avoiding busy schoolyards or different areas the place you recognize your canine is extra more likely to get distracted.
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MARK VOSS: Be careful. Do not wish to blow out your ACL. That is one other technique to get injured – simply have a canine slam into you when you’re standing within the canine park.
SIMON: Again in Alexandria – squirrel – Mark Voss says that his two huge searching canine pulled him to the bottom just a few weeks in the past within the rain.
VOSS: Truly, I’ve a little bit little bit of tenderness nonetheless in my hip.
SIMON: Mark Voss is aware of that fall might have been lots worse, simply as he is aware of Memphis and Maybelline can not resist a superb chase.
VOSS: You recognize, there could also be occasions the place I might need been a little bit lazy previously and mentioned, ah…
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VOSS: That’s an superior hound bark. However I will be extra diligent and vigilant once I’m strolling them to make it possible for I’m in search of any distraction which may make them wish to pull, whether or not it is a canine or a squirrel or a chicken, you recognize, a sasquatch, no matter it’s that they are going after. I simply should be very proactive and cautious.
SIMON: Our different canine homeowners say leash coaching helps hold them on their toes. And their good boys and good ladies?
Effectively, they are saying, so do these treats.
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VOSS: Acquired it. Thanks, babes.
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