I read a survey the other evening that said our pets are facing a massive increase in 21st century hazards - with the biggest threat coming from their owners !!

There are reports of dogs falling out of their owner’s handbags and shoppomg bags - why don’t these owners invest in a proper dog carrier to ensure their pets are safe and secure? Some dogs suffered minor injuries whilst others ended up with broken bones.

Other pets suffered the indignity and pain of being trodden on by their owners or children, with the dog being the most likely pet to be stepped on.  We all know that dogs are curious and love to be at our heels most of the time, but if you have enthusiastic children running around or guests in the house, why not either put your dog in a dog cage or maybe his favourite dog bed in a quiet room so that he is well out of harm’s way.

A small chihuahua was being cradled in the arms of an over-indulgent friend of the owner, when he was dropped from this great height and broke a leg in the fall - apparently he nearly died but was thankfully saved by having a plate and pin put in his leg.  This owner learned the lesson the hard way and has vowed not to let her little dog be picked up again.

Most dog owners will admit to accidentally falling over or treading on their dogs but luckily most dogs see the danger coming and will quickly move before you step on them.  Cats are pretty quick to move when they see you coming, but can be sat on if they are curled up in the corner of an armchair.   Again, perhaps a warm, cozy cat bed is the answer to this dilemma.

Accidental poisoning was another threat and this was mainly giving pets things that could potentially kill them eg. chocolate to dogs, avocados to parrots and various human medications to our pets thinking that it was OK to do this and not realising that what cures us can have very different results in our pets.

One in five pets are injured by running in front of cars - a dog run or cat run allows your pet the freedom of the outdoors but also ensures their safety !!

Thakfully, we owners are not entirely to blame for injuries to our beloved pets.  Dogs will continue to eat things they shouldn’t and the survey reported that one third of injuries to dogs was caused by them jumping off furniture or out of cars.  This last one is always a problem and can cause injury to a dog’s joints.  Investing in a dog ramp is a great idea and dogs can be encouraged to use one of these by placing a few treats on the ramp until your dog feels more secure using it.  Dog ramps also help us owners a great deal as they take all that weight and struggling dog out of out arms and our back !!

Other things reported were a cat who got too close to a lit candle and burnst her whiskers off one side of her head and numerous guinea pigs who were dropped by over-affectionate owners.