I had originally intended to blog about this WSJ article on animal pheromone products , but I just couldn’t get jazzed about it.

Like everyone else, the economy has hit our family hard. We live in a small mountain town outside Boulder, CO and both my future-hubby and I have a 40-minute commute to work (which we carpool). We are fortunate that Oliver is the best dog ever (I’m biased, I know) and we can leave him home alone without fear of garbage buffets, chewed shoes, or accidents on the rug. I don’t know what he does all day (Oprah? Anna Karenina?), whatever it is, he is always his happy, playful self when we get home.

We have been sending him to dog daycare twice a week so that he can play with other dogs and get a ton of exercise. This has been the only way I have been able to assuage my guilt over leaving him at home 2 days a week for 10 hours. Now we are at a point where we have to consider cutting-out the day care. We don’t live close enough to be able to go and run him during the day, our small mountain town doesn’t have a reliable pet sitter/dog walker, and Oliver at 70 pounds has become too big to bring to work. We also cannot leave him to wander outside (via a dog door) as we live in mountain lion country.

What do you do with your dog when you are at work? How do you handle the guilt? Am I being ridiculous? Am I over-thinking and creating a dilemma where there is none?

H1N1 is top-of-mind for all of us these days. But did you know that you if you have H1N1 you not only risk infecting your fellow humans, you risk infecting your pet?

A recent article in the New York Times addresses the concern that came to light following a cat catching H1N1 following his owner’s flu-symptoms. Although there has yet to be a dog diagnosed with H1N1, there have been confirmed cases of feline and swine H1n1 (Swine swine flu?).

What to do? Same thing you’d do to avoid inflicting your flu on your fellow humans – get rest, cover when you cough, wash your hands frequently, and avoid hugs and kisses until you are on-the-mend.

You eat organic food, take supplements, exercise regularly, maintain a healthy diet — at least you try, right? Despite your inclination to do all these things, sometimes you just have to suck it up and go to a doctor, and sometimes you need some conventional medical information for your pet. For those times, you might try, WebMD Healthy Pets.

The website addresses common pet ailments, as well as timely issues – including this one on dogs and the flu. You’ll also find articles about training, vaccination, and even pet-friendly hotels. While you won’t find a lot of information on natural alternatives (hey, that’s what you have us for), you will get some good information that you can use the next time you have to bring your beloved fur ball to the vet.

Have you ever considered the environmental impact of your pet? A new book by Robert and Brenda Vale may change that. In, Time to Eat the Dog: The real guide to sustainable living, the authors explore the environmental impact of – among other pets – cats and dogs.

That furry creature lying on the floor by your feet makes a pretty big dent in the landscape. According to the authors a Toyota Land Cruiser’s eco-footprint is less than half that of a medium-sized dog. The majority of our pets’ impact comes from the production of pet food and the toll our pets take by spreading disease and…. uhm…. Poop.

So what’s an eco-conscious pet owner to do?

• Change their diet so that they eat less meat-based food

• Don’t walk your dogs in natural habitats of wild animals

• Keep cats in at night (they are more predatory at night)

While I am not about to give-up my dog, I will start considering how both of us can be more eco-conscious.

Want to know what it means when your dog turns his back on you? Wondering if you should give your cat supplements? Thinking about adopting a cat or dog? Then these are indispensible reference guides for everything your dog/cat wants you to know: The Dog Bible, The Cat Bible.

Oliver is lying on the floor of my office right now, waiting for me to finish this so we can go for a walk. I haven’t been bringing him to work with me that often, because he –well- is stinky. In his evolution from cute-fur-ball puppy, to one-year-old “adult” dog, he can be downright smelly.

I was thrilled to find these pre-moistened pet wipes from Earth Friendly Products! Using the same principle as a baby wipe (our pets are our babies, right?), 70 pre-moistened towels come in a canister ready for your dog or cat’s next – smelly – move. The towels have a combination of aloe vera, vitamin E, jojoba oil and natural cleaners.

Muddy paws? Wipe ‘em down. Stinky coat? Wipe ‘it down. “Dander? Wipe it away. Messy posterior? A simple swipe does the trick. I have to admit, I am impressed. A quick wipe down of his coat and scruff, brought my dog back to his sweet-smelling-furry self.

We use Earth Friendly Products regularly, in particular their natural house cleaners and their laundry detergent. I like that these products clean without the annoying toxicity of conventional chemical cleaners. They are also a family-owned and operated company that creates products with replenishable ingredients and manufactures them in a way that mitigates their impact on our environment.

Want to try their products? You can sign-up on their website for special offers and coupons: http://www.ecos.com/index.html.

Last month we went on vacation and left Oliver with friends. Much to my dismay, we came home to a dog that was out of sorts and suffering from unbelievable “gastric upset”. A trip to the vet and a few stool samples yielded the result – our furry one had Giardia.

Giardia is an infection caused by parasites often found in lakes, ponds and streams (Oliver had been enjoying a vacation of his own, swimming in mountain lakes). It is transmitted when your pet drinks the water. It can interfere with the absorption of nutrients. And your dog (like ours) may lose a bunch of weight.

Symptoms include diarrhea (sometimes uncontrollable) and watery stool that may look light-colored and oily/greasy. It can smell really bad, too. Your pup may seem lethargic.

If your dog is showing these symptoms – get thee to your vet immediately! The treatment is a prescription drug - metronidazole (Flagyl). You may also be advised to give your pup bananas and rice to help with the loose stool. You should also be prepared that many dogs will need two rounds of this drug, as Giardia can be aggressive.

It’s not easy to prevent Giardia. In fact, most dogs get it in their lifetime. However, you can mitigate the source of infection by removing places where water collects, cleaning concrete surfaces, and keeping your dog from drinking out of mountain lakes and streams.

Oliver is doing fine. He’s back to his goofy, active, 65-lb self. Me? Let’s just say, I’ll be looking into more dog-friendly vacations for our family.

Giardia Resources:

http://www.dog-health-guide.org/causesofgiardiaindogs.html

http://www.giardiaindogs.com/

http://www.thepetcenter.com/article.aspx?id=3424

Did you know that yesterday, August 30th, was National Holistic Pet Day? In looking for information about the event I came across a great reading list for raising pets naturally on Dr. Messonier’s Pet Care Naturally website. There are some great books here for your pet care library. I’d also add Marion Nestle’s Pet Food Politics. Any other suggestions?

If you’re curious as to how your pet’s food stacks-up, here are a few online resources to help you assess your pet’s next meal.

Dog Food Analysis.com: Online since 2005, looks at the contents of more than 1500 dry dog foods. Includes ratings and reviews.

Consumer Search.com (dog food) , and Consumer Search.com (cat food): A service of About.com. Provides Best Reviews, product analysis, and ranking of pet foods.

Dog Food Chat.com and Cat Food Chat.com: ratings and recommendations of dog/cat food, product recalls, and information on dog/cat health.

The Kibble.com: Snarky site devoted to pet food, for that base their pet food selection on more than price.

Consumer Reports: Specific reports on pet food - from food safety to value for price.

Pet Food Institute: Everything you always wanted to know about pet food but were afraid to ask.

The FDA has issued an easy-to-read document on the Safe Use of Flea & Tick Products for Pets.