Nordic Naturals is kicking off a fall initiative to benefit a very special cause. The campaign—“Buy One Bottle. Help Two Heroes.”—will raise awareness and support for Paws for Veterans, a nonprofit organization that helps rebuild the lives of combat-wounded veterans, while also rescuing shelter dogs that would otherwise face euthanasia. From October through December 2014, purchases of featured products will support monthly donations of Nordic Naturals omega-3s to veterans and their adopted service dogs, as well as a donation of funds toward a new training facility, for a total contribution of up to $30,000. Nordic Naturals has produced a short video that tells the story of Paws for Veterans and the people whose lives have been changed as a result of their transformative work. The video can be viewed online at nordicnaturals.com/pawsforveterans. Qualifying products include all bottle sizes of Baby’s DHA, Children’s DHA, Nordic Berries, Omega-3, Complete Omega, Ultimate Omega, Pet Cod...

Even during the last weeks of summer, it's important to remember children and pets are at greater risk of being infected with Lyme disease and other tick-borne diseases such as anaplasmosis, ehrlichiosis, or Rocky Mountain Spotted Fever. Because people and their pets often spend time in the same environments where Lyme and other disease-transmitting ticks are found, the American Veterinary Medical Association (AVMA) and the American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) are working together to offer advice to households with children and pets. According to the AVMA and the AAP, people whose animals have been diagnosed with Lyme disease should consult their physician about their own risk. Likewise, people who have been diagnosed with Lyme disease should consult their veterinarian to assess their pet's risk based on the animal's lifestyle and possible environmental exposures. Lyme disease is an infection caused by a bacterium known as Borrelia burgdorfori. It is spread by the bite...

A visual inspection won't cut it: Regular oral care for small dogs is critical to prevent dental disease and to know when it strikes. A new study looking at oral care for small breed dogs may have dog owners thinking twice about their current oral care regimen. The study, conducted by the WALTHAM Centre for Pet Nutrition and published in BMC Vet Research, examined the progression of periodontal disease in miniature schnauzers and found that without effective and frequent oral care, dental disease developed rapidly and advanced even more quickly with age. "We all want to do the very best for our pets' health, and the study showed us that there's more than meets the eye when it comes to small dogs' oral health," said Dr. Stephen Harris, leader of the oral care team at WALTHAM, part of Mars Petcare. "The study findings help us better understand the way dental disease appears and...

 The results are in: Peanut Wigglebutt and Snuggles Butt Le Lee head the list of unforgettable monikers chosen as the Wackiest Pet Names of 2014. Each year, Veterinary Pet Insurance Co (VPI), the nation's first and largest provider of pet health insurance, celebrates the most clever, creative, and quirky pet names nationwide. After a thorough selection process, 50 priceless pup names and 50 comical kitty names were chosen from VPI's database of more than 500,000 insured pets. The top 10 dog and cat monikers were put to a public vote, where Peanut Wigglebutt and Snuggles Butt Le Lee proved wackiest. Following are the top 10 Wackiest Dog and Cat Names of 2014: Dogs   Cats 1. Peanut Wigglebutt 2. Sir Hog Knucklehead 3. Sasha Biggiepotamus Fierce 4. Otto Von Longdog 5. Zippity Do Dawg 6. Airbubble McMuffin 7. Hamburger Patty 8. Angus T Brackencrack 9. Mister Buddy Pickles 10. Waffle Dots  ...