Pharmacy Daily | Dispensary Corner 13 Mar 19

SOME types of dog food could pose a risk to human health - even if you don't eat it yourself.

That's the grim warning in a study published this month in the Veterinary Record journal, in which Swedish researchers looked at the increasing popularity of raw meat-based diets for canines.

"Raw meat-based diets (RMBD) are based on offal that has not undergone any type of treatment to reduce the microbial content, so there is a risk of potential pathogenic microorganisms being present," the scientists said.

After studying samples from 60 RMBD packs produced by 10 different manufacturers, they found high levels of nasty microbes in all of the products, with unsafe amounts in more than half of the items.

The researchers said dog owners could be put at particular risk of exposure if they let their pet lick them after it had eaten its lunch.

This is awkward - a US man has blamed insomnia medication zolpidem (Ambien) for a memory lapse where he accidentally proposed to his girlfriend.

The New York Post reported the curious incident, quoting the man who said he had been having trouble sleeping so took a large dose of the drug.

"I had an engagement ring in my drawer...woke up and she was wearing the ring on her finger," he told the newspaper.

"I had not planned on being engaged with my girlfriend for another year and a half and probably would've gotten her a better ring but Ambien sped up the process tenfold," he added.