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.
|Videos|January 18, 2022
Educating clients on correcting nuisance behaviors
In a dvm360® interview, Chris Pachel, DVM, DACVB, CABC, stressed the importance of veterinary professionals advising their clients to redirect problem behaviors in their companion animals rather than responding with punishment.
Advertisement
During an interview at the Fetch dvm360® conference in San Diego, California, Chris Pachel, DVM, DACVB, CABC, explained that if pets are partaking in nuisance behavior, veterinary professionals should ensure that clients are providing their pet an appropriate outlet instead of punishment.
View the video below for the entire discussion. The following is a partial transcript:
Chris Pachel, DVM, DACVB, CABC: Our brains tend to jump immediately to punishment, we tend to jump to, well, stopping that behavior. So we tend to think about things like squirt bottles, or verbal reprimands, or things of that nature. And what I want for us to think about before we go down that pathway is really thinking, well, first and foremost, have we given that particular animal in that environment, an appropriate outlet for that particular behavior? Again, these are normal species, typical behaviors, so if we haven't provided an appropriate outlet, it's not exactly fair to the cat to assume they're just going to stop that [behavior].
Advertisement
Related to this article
Alyssa Mages, BS, CVT, FVTE, outlines key considerations for veterinary technicians during triage, from rapid patient assessment and prioritization to client communication and team coordination, in this interview from the 2026 Fetch National Harbor Veterinary Conference.
In a session at the 2026 Fetch National Harbor Veterinary 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.
Caroline Cox, LSW, MSW, and Erika Krick, VMD, DACVIM (Oncology), discuss the role of veterinary social workers in supporting clients, communicating with veterinary teams, and helping practices address the human side of veterinary care in this Q&A from an interview at the 2026 Fetch National Harbor Veterinary Conference.
In a keynote address at the 2026 Fetch National Harbor Veterinary Conference, Jessica Pritchard, VMD, MS, DACVIM (SAIM), shared research showing that many owners decline vaccines because they do not think their pet needs them, and discussed ways veterinary teams can address those concerns.
In a slideshow drawn from an on-site dvm360 interview at the 2026 Fetch National Harbor Veterinary Conference, a veterinary oncologist and a veterinary social worker walk through how the role supports owners and staff across a pet's cancer diagnosis, treatment, and end-of-life care.
Advertisement
Advertisement
Trending on dvm360
1
A catastrophic miscarriage of justice: The truth about Toxoplasma gondii risk from household cats
2
Clinic center: Boehringer Ingelheim opens new US animal health headquarters in Georgia, Purina unveils $550 million pet food manufacturing facility in Ohio, and more
3
Natural Bridge Wildlife Ranch welcomes third southern white rhino calf in 3 years
4
Q&A: Caregiver burden can begin early in pet illness. Are veterinary teams equipped to support clients, and how can veterinary social workers help both parties?
5