Idea Exchange: Behavior modification can begin in the exam room

In a session at the 2026 Fetch National Harbor conference, Nathanael Oster, VMD, MBA, walked attendees through the biology, diagnosis, and treatment of the flea tapeworm in dogs and cats, including why cats are affected more often than dogs.

A plethora of continuing-education sessions run across 3 days, September 17–19, at the Gaylord National Resort in National Harbor, MD. Here are the ones to circle first, sorted by practice area, plus a handful that are easy to scroll past and worth catching.

Christopher Lee, DVM, MPH, DACVPM, DACVM (Parasitology), discusses the clinical significance of Toxoplasma gondii, when veterinary professionals should consider testing, and how to communicate the risks of exposure to clients.

Valli Parthasarathy, DVM, PhD, DACVB, breaks down the "3 Ms"—management, modification, and medication—for treating behavior problems in parrots, and explains why sparse species-level drug research makes the first 2 her starting point for these birds.

Valli Parthasarathy, DVM, PhD, DACVB, discusses how veterinarians can evaluate feather loss, self-mutilation, and vocalization in pet parrots and identify when medical and behavioral factors may overlap.

The update covers diagnosis, slowing progression, managing complications, and supporting caregivers of cats with chronic kidney disease.

Valli Parthasarathy, DVM, PhD, DACVB, discusses how veterinarians can recognize and manage common behavior problems in pet parrots, from excessive vocalization to feather-destructive behavior. She also offers guidance on treatment, behavior modification, referral, and meeting the behavioral needs of these intelligent birds.