2026 Fetch Veterinary Conference Highlights Pet Care

The 2026 Fetch National Harbor Veterinary Conference begins on September 17 for a three-day run at the Gaylord National Resort in Maryland. According to a guide by dvm360 editors, the event features numerous continuing-education sessions aimed at general practitioners, technicians, and specialists.

Editors reviewed the conference program to pinpoint sessions addressing current challenges in veterinary practice. The highlighted topics range from common canine cardiac disease and vaccine hesitancy to feline-specific issues and practical skill-building workshops.

Feline Health Focus

One session provides an update on managing chronic kidney disease in cats. It covers diagnosis, methods to slow disease progression, managing complications, and supporting the pet's caregivers. Another session, led by Nathanael Oster, VMD, MBA, walks through the biology, diagnosis, and treatment of the flea tapeworm in dogs and cats. Oster's presentation reportedly explains why cats are affected by this parasite more often than dogs.

Avian and Exotic Pet Care

Behavioral health in pet parrots is addressed in sessions by Valli Parthasarathy, DVM, PhD, DACVB. She discusses how veterinarians can evaluate problems like feather loss, self-mutilation, and excessive vocalization. Parthasarathy offers guidance on identifying when medical and behavioral factors overlap, and on treatment, behavior modification, and meeting the needs of these intelligent birds.

Supporting Owners and Diets

A slideshow from an onsite interview features a veterinary oncologist and a veterinary social worker. They detail how the social worker's role supports both pet owners and clinic staff through a pet's cancer diagnosis, treatment, and end-of-life care. In a related podcast episode, Brandon Stapleton, DVM, explains differences between fresh and raw diets for pets. He discusses how factors like digestibility, hydration, and portioned meals can support weight management and patients that are difficult to feed.

Parasite Management

Christopher Lee, DVM, MPH, DACVPM, DACVM (Parasitology), leads a session on Toxoplasma gondii. He covers the parasite's clinical significance, when veterinary professionals should consider testing, and strategies for communicating the risks of exposure to clients. The conference guide notes that some sessions may be easy to overlook within the packed schedule, but these selected topics represent key practical areas for pet care professionals.