First Aid:
fall from heights Joanne Bibby – Fursafe® The term fall from heights conjures up a dog falling from a multi-storey building and so you probably think it has no relevance to you. However, did you know that a fall from a lounge suite can be classified as a fall from heights. A fall from height is where a dog falls from one level to another without control and in turn, sustains an injury. An injury which may be minor or so severe that it could be life-threatening. A fall can be as a consequence of something as simple as a
• • • • • • •
stumble when walking; or being dropped accidentally or deliberately; or trips off an edge like a gutter falls or slips down stairs; or slips down a hill; or falls off furniture or falls off a ledge; or
34
DOG WORLD January 2021
• • • • • •
falling out of a window; or falls in a ditch; or off the back of a car; or out of the car when moving; or from falling off agility equipment; or falls from a height after a collision with a moving vehicle; to name but a few.
impact of a fall Only the other day Isabeau, my Silky Terrier, stood like a meercat on the edge of the bed trying to look out the window; lost her balance and toppled to the floor. Fortunately, the only thing she hurt was her pride! A fall may not impact your dog at all – some dogs are quite able to hop up and down off furniture or vehicles, some dogs are champions on the agility course but what if they fall the wrong way, slip or trip; or maybe they were unwell and you didn’t know it at the time. And then there are dogs who may immediately hurt themselves – they could be small, elderly, overweight and unfit or just at the awkward stage of being a puppy.
DON’T FORGET TO VOTE!
