Sample script: Getting to the heart of the conversation

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.

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.

New CDC and climate data show tick exposure and pollen seasons are both stretching well beyond their traditional windows, a trend animal health company Elanco says is also increasing demand for veterinary care.

A survey of more than 27,000 canine fecal samples found the zoonotic tapeworm only in coyotes and gray foxes, pointing to a diagnostic gap that routine fecal flotation is unlikely to close.