How to Help Your Dogs and Cats from Slipping & Falling

How to Help Your Dogs and Cats from Slipping & Falling

Dogs and cats can slip and fall in their home environment, and this is especially concerning with senior pets who may experience decreased paw grip and vision. Changes in a pet's gait and weight bearing as a result of arthritis can also lead to slips and falls, as can slippery surfaces, which is why pet owners need to be mindful of their surroundings to create a safe environment for everyone in their home. 

The following tips will help prevent dogs and cats from slipping or falling:

1. Trim Your Pet’s Toenails Regularly

Overgrown toenails can impact a pet’s ability to move around safely because it can affect your pet's gait and decrease their grip and paw surface area in contact with the floor. Trimming your pet’s nails regularly will help them maintain a normal posture and gait. Additionally, some breeds have excessive hair in between the toe padding, and this, too, can decrease paw grip and the surface area of the paw pads that are in contact with the floor. Trim excess fur carefully on a regular basis.

2. Use Carpet Runners

These will provide stability and traction and are very useful in high-traffic areas and rooms your pet frequents. Traction will allow cats and dogs to get around comfortably and are very important for hardwood or slippery floors, which can be disastrous for pets. Creating a stable path for your pet to walk on will prevent slip and fall accidents, and your pet will be able to move around your home with ease. 

3. Block Off Unsafe Areas

Pets need to navigate stairs safely, and if you are concerned about your stairs, block them off to restrict access. A baby or pet gate is ideal for blocking off stairs, and this is especially important if your pet has poor vision, arthritis or any debilitating disease that can cause stairs to be challenging. 

4. Avoid Rearranging Your Home if Your Pet Has Decreased Vision

If your home is in need of a change, consider your pet and the difficulties they may face. This can be very stressful for senior pets and especially difficult for pets with visual or cognitive impairment. If you must rearrange your home, complete this process very slowly to give your pet time to adjust to this new arrangement.

5. Remove Obstacles from Important Areas & Keep Them Accessible

Pets must have good access to the areas in which they eat, drink, play and sleep. These areas should be free from clutter, and there should not be any obstacles in their way. 

Conclusion

Want to make your home safe for your furry friend? GripStrip products offer several solutions that will help prevent slip-and-fall accidents for every member of your family. Anti-slip tape for stairs is very effective, and our new GripStrip Padz will provide pets with traction, which can prevent injuries. 

Contact us today to learn more about the advantages of our gripstrips! Call +1 844-454-4747.