A. It is unlikely that you will catch a cold from your dog or cat. They’re not susceptible to these viruses the way humans are.
Kissing your pet is not sanitary, though. Just think how an animal grooms itself.
Some germs could be transmitted from pet to owner. Cats carry Pasteurella multocida, which can cause sinus infections in humans. Dogs may be infected with Bordetella bronchoseptica (kennel cough) that could pose a problem, especially for immune compromised patients. Such patients might also be susceptible to strep and staph infections carried by pets.
Children should be taught to wash their hands after playing with the family pet. Hookworm and roundworm are transmissible.
Q. I have suffered with mild depression off and on for years. I have taken a variety of antidepressants including Wellbutrin, Prozac, Celexa, Lexapro, Zoloft and Effexor. I experienced side effects or the drugs lost effectiveness.
I recently started taking St. John’s wort and it is working surprisingly well. My doctor says it can be dangerous with other drugs but he wasn’t sure which ones. What can you tell me about side effects or interaction problems?
A. Some people find that St. John’s wort relieves mild depression without some of the side effects associated with prescription drugs. Drugs like Prozac, Zoloft and Lexapro may cause sexual dysfunction as well as insomnia and nausea.
St. John’s wort does interact with dozens of other medications, including birth control pills, the blood thinner Coumadin, the heart medicine digoxin (Lanoxin) and cyclosporine (a drug to suppress the immune system for organ transplant patients). This herb may also make eyes and skin vulnerable to sun damage. In the winter, this danger is reduced.
We are sending you our Guides Antidepressant Pros and Cons, Psychological Side Effects and St. John’s Wort for more information on side effects and interactions. Anyone who would like copies, please send $2 in check or money order with a long (no. 10) stamped (60 cents), self-addressed envelope:
Graedons’ People’s Pharmacy, No. MVX-227, P. O. Box 52027, Durham, NC 27717-2027.
Q. I was shocked to read that enteric-coated aspirin may damage the small intestine. Would buffered aspirin products like Ascriptin be safer?
Is buffered aspirin different from enteric-coated aspirin? My husband swears it dissolves in the stomach rather than in the intestine.
I no longer take Celebrex, Bextra or Aleve. They did not seem to work that well anyway. Ascriptin seems to help my arthritis and I believe I get extra heart protection as well.
A. Buffered aspirin is supposed to dissolve in the stomach rather than the small intestine. While it may be somewhat less irritating to the digestive tract than standard aspirin, regular use may still increase the risk for an ulcer. You should be under medical supervision.
Q. Please tell me the ingredient to look for in Preparation H that I can use to shrink the bags under my eyes.
A. For decades Preparation H contained live yeast cell derivative and shark liver oil. During the 1970s, this hemorrhoid remedy got a reputation for fighting wrinkles even though there was no research to support this use. The product was reformulated, and we don’t know if today’s Preparation H would be at all helpful against wrinkles or bags.
