VIN MULT110-0620: IVAPM Pain Management Core Review 2020

The lectures for this course will be presented in an audio format using a webinar platform.

Enrollment is closed.
Presenters: Mark Epstein, DVM, DABVP (Canine/Feline), CVA, CVPP, DAAPM
Bonnie Wright, DVM, DACVAA
Sheilah Robertson, DVM, DACVAA (Anesthesiology), DECVAA, MRCVS
Mary Ellen Goldberg, BS, LVT, CVT, SRA, CCRVN, CVPP, VTS-lab animal medicine (research anesthesia), VTS- Physical Rehabilitation
Tammy Grubb, DVM, MS, DACVAA
Janice L Huntingford DVM, DACVSMR, CVA, CVPP, CCRT CAVCA
Laurie McCauley, DVM, CCRT, CVA, CVC, ACVSMR
Jim Berry, DVM, CVA, CAC, CCR
Brian Trumpatori, DVM, DACVS

Course Open: June 19-September 4, 2020
Real Time Sessions (RTS): Sundays, June 28, July 12, 19, 26, August 2, 9, 16 and 30, 2020; 8:00-10:00 pm ET (USA)
Course RTS Times in Your Area: World Clock Converter

Level and Prerequisites: This basic course will be open to veterinarians and veterinary technicians/technologists actively interested in pain management for dogs and cats.
VIN CE Course: Open to veterinarians and veterinary technicians/technologists. This course is approved by RACE for veterinarians and veterinary technicians/technologists. (RACE 22-37154)

Course Information:
This course is a comprehensive review of the most contemporary concepts of pain management in dogs and cats, from neurobiology to neuropharmacology to physical modalities, and "pulling it all together" in applications across a broad spectrum of clinical presentations. The course may be used as a review and study tool for IVAPM's Certified Veterinary Pain Practitioner (CVPP) examination.

Week 1 (Real Time Session June 28, 2020): Neurophysiology of Pain
Presenter: Mark Epstein, DVM, DABVP (Canine/Feline), CVA, CVPP, DAAPM
Format: Audio
Objectives: Upon completion of this session, the participant should be able to
  • describe the neurophysiology of pain perception via pain receptors, pathways, and neurotransmitters.
  • list the pharmacologic targets of pain modifying drugs.
  • describe the difference in the pathophysiology of adaptive and maladaptive pain.

Week 2 (Real Time Session July 12, 2020): Neuropharmacology I
Presenter: Mark Epstein, DVM, DABVP (Canine/Feline), CVA, CVPP, DAAPM
Format: Audio
Objectives: Upon completion of this session, the participant should be able to
  • describe the neuropharmacologic aspects of ketamine as a pain-modifying agent.
  • describe the clinical applications of sub-anesthetic ketamine constant rate infusion.
  • describe the mechanism and clinical benefits of local anesthetics (LA).
  • explain the proper and safe use of LA.
  • discuss the common clinical applications of LA in the surgical setting.

Week 3 (Real Time Session July 19, 2020): Neuropharmacology II
Presenter: Bonnie Wright, DVM, DACVAA
Format: Audio
Objectives: Upon completion of this session, the participant should be able to
  • discuss the benefits and proper use of adjunct medications (i.e., tramadol, gabapentin, amantadine, SSRIs, TCAs, alpha-2 agonists etc.).
  • discuss the benefits and proper use of intrinsic/endogenous therapies (i.e., acupuncture, massage, etc.).

Week 4 (Real Time Session July 26, 2020): Neuropharmacology III
Presenter: Sheilah Robertson, DVM, DACVAA (Anesthesiology), DECVAA, MRCVS
Format: Audio
Objectives: Upon completion of this session, the participant should be able to
  • describe the mechanism and clinical benefits of opioids, alpha-2 agonists, NSAIDs, and acetaminophen.
  • describe the proper and safe use of opioids, NSAIDs, and acetaminophen.

Week 5 (Real Time Session August 2, 2020): Clinical Applications I - Chronic Pain
Presenters: Mark Epstein, DVM, DABVP (Canine/Feline), CVA, CVPP, DAAPM;
Mary Ellen Goldberg, BS, LVT, CVT, SRA, CCRVN, CVPP, VTS-lab animal medicine (research anesthesia), VTS- Physical Rehabilitation
Format: Audio
Objectives: Upon completion of this session, the participant should be able to
  • describe how chronic pain develops.
  • recognize chronic pain in their patients.
  • describe appropriate treatment for the chronic pain conditions discussed previously - pancreatitis, gastroenteritis, and ocular disease.
  • recognize adverse effects of certain medications that are used for chronic pain.
  • discuss the non-pharmacological modalities available for chronic pain patients.
  • discuss the various modalities available for addressing pain resulting from cancer.

Week 6 (Real Time Session August 9, 2020): Clinical Applications II - Acute Pain Management
Presenter: Tammy Grubb, DVM, PhD, MS, DACVAA
Format: Audio
Objectives: Upon completion of this session, the participant should be able to
  • discuss the proper treatment for peri-operative acute pain (integrated approach with opioids, NSAIDs, alpha-2 agonists, gabapentin, CRIs, and loco-regional).
  • discuss the proper treatment for visceral medical pain resulting from conditions such as pancreatitis, gastroenteritis, and ocular disease.
  • discuss the proper treatment for pain resulting from trauma.

Week 7 (Real Time Session August 16, 2020): Clinical Applications III - Pain Assessment and Emerging Modalities
Presenter: Sheilah Robertson, DVM, DACVA (Anesthesiology)
Jim Berry, DVM, CVA, CAC, CCR
Format: Audio
Objectives: Upon completion of this session, the participant should be able to
  • discuss how pain presents in dogs and cats.
  • describe the different scales available for assessing pain.
  • discuss what is new and what is on the horizon for pain management.

**** BREAK - August 23, 2020 ****

Week 8 (Real Time Session August 30, 2020): Clinical Applications IV - Non-Pharmacologic Pain
Presenters: Janice L Huntingford DVM, DACVSMR, CVA, CVPP, CCRT CAVCA;
Laurie McCauley, DVM, CCRT, CVA, CVC, ACVSMR
Format: Audio
Objectives: Upon completion of this session, the participant should be able to
  • describe the goals and objectives of veterinary rehabilitation as it relates to painful patients.
  • discuss the use of adjunct modalities (therapeutics, U/S, laser, TENS, shock wave, etc.) in veterinary rehabilitation.
  • recognize how and when the basic modalities and therapeutics for pain relief should be applied.
  • discuss the basics of how acupuncture works to relieve pain.
  • describe when acupuncture would be beneficial for pain relief.
  • discuss the importance of body weight and its role in recovery and rehabilitation.
  • describe how obesity affects pain.
  • setup a successful weight loss program for obese patients.

Successful completion (scoring 80% or better) on the end-of-course test is required to earn a certificate of completion for the course. To learn more about the requirements for earning a CE certificate, please refer to Receiving Your CE Credit and Course Completion Certificate.

Course Materials: Course materials will be available in the course library prior to each Real Time Session.
Required Textbook(s): There is no required textbook for this course.

About the Presenters:
The instructors for this course reflect a topic-specific expertise and were assembled for their ability to teach discipline-specific content in relationship to clinical cases.

Mark Epstein is originally from Atlanta, GA, graduated with honors in microbiology from N.C. State University in 1981, and received his DVM from the University of Georgia in 1985. He came to Gastonia that year to work at Forestbook, and has called it home ever since. He continued his training and became Board-certified as a Diplomate of the American Board of Veterinary Practitioners (ABVP, specialist in Canine and Feline Practice, still the only veterinarian so credentialed in Gaston County) in 1993, and re-certified in 2003 and 2013. He is Medical Director at Total Bond Veterinary Hospital’s. He counts several interests in veterinary medicine and in addition to the sheer joy of working with pets, their owners, and his team every day, chief among them would be the field of pain management in animals. This has been a focus of continued learning, so much so that he has been additionally Certified by one human and one veterinary organization (American Academy of Pain Management, and as a Certified Veterinary Pain Practitioner, CVPP, by the International Veterinary Academy of Pain Management, respectively). Having developed a high level of expertise in this area, he has been called upon to author book chapters and peer-reviewed veterinary journal articles, is a widely sought-after national and international speaker on the recognition, prevention, and treatment of pain in dogs and cats. He has participated in national and international veterinary professional leadership roles, including serving as president of ABVP and IVAPM, and served as a Chairman of the American Animal Hospital Association (AAHA) Senior Care Guidelines and Pain Management Guidelines Task Forces.

Bonnie Wright has been an emergency veterinarian since 2001. She graduated from Colorado State University(CSU) with a Doctor of Veterinary Medicine in 1995. She completed her post-doctorate work in anesthesia in 1996, also at CSU, and her anesthesia residency in 2000 at UC Davis. Dr. Wright also became credentialed in medical acupuncture in 2007, became a certified Veterinary Pain Practitioner in 2011 and certified in canine rehabilitation in 2013. She was on the faculty at CSU for many years before moving full time to FCVERH, where she is an emergency doctor, anesthesiologist and pain medicine doctor. Dr. Wright teaches extensively nationally and internationally. Dr. Wright is president-elect for the International Veterinary Academy of Pain Management (IVAPM), a board member of the local rotary club, and a member of the WSAVA’s global pain council.

Sheilah Robertson graduated from the University of Glasgow with a BVMS degree in 1980, she worked for a time in a mixed animal practice in northern England before joining Bristol University as a fellow in large and small animal surgery. The university awarded her a doctorate in 1985 for her research on the stress response to anesthesia and surgery in horses. At Bristol, Dr. Robertson developed a passion for anesthesia and pain management, and she would go on to achieve diplomate status in both the American College of Veterinary Anesthesiologists and the European College of Veterinary Anaesthesia and Analgesia. She was a professor in the Section of Anesthesia and Pain Management in the College of Veterinary Medicine. She has also held teaching and research positions at the University of Saskatoon and Michigan State University. Her research interests include developing nociceptive testing equipment for several animal species; assessing analgesic agents in cats, horses, and iguanas; and creating clinical tools to assess acute pain in cats. She has worked to improve anesthesia and analgesic protocols in a variety of settings and across species.

Tammy Grubb earned Doctor Veterinary Medicine in 1989 from A & M University, Texas. MS University of Illionios in 1996 and Diplomate ACVAA 1996. PhD from Sweedish Agricultural University in 2013. Dr. Grubb’s research interests include cardiovascular and respiratory physiology and the effects on anesthetic drugs on the cardiovascular and respiratory systems. Dr. Grubb is also very active in the relief of animal pain through the development of new analgesic drugs and through the education of colleagues, students and pet owners regarding treatment options for animals.

Laurie McCauley is a 1992 graduate of the Colorado State University School of Veterinary Medicine. After spending six years in general private practice, she began to study and conduct research in the field of veterinary rehabilitation. Laurie was the Medical Director of TOPS Veterinary Rehabilitation in Illinois, the first rehabilitation-only practice for 18 years. Dr. McCauley helped design the first underwater treadmill and carpal brace for dogs, and continues to work with companies to create innovative rehabilitative equipment. She is a contributing author to Canine Rehabilitation and Physical Therapy, Clinical Textbook for Veterinary Technicians, and Canine Sports Medicine and Rehabilitation. In 2007, Dr. McCauley and Dr. Chris Zink released Building the Canine Athlete, a therapeutic exercise DVD for canine rehabilitation therapists. She received the 2011 Iams AARV Award for Excellence in the Field of Rehabilitation and the 2015 AHVMA COE Holistic Practitioner of the Year Award. Dr. McCauley teaches Introduction to Canine Rehabilitation and The Canine Rehabilitation Assistant.

Janice Huntingford received her Doctor of Veterinary Medicine from the Ontario Veterinary College, University of Guelph in 1984. She has studied extensively in both conventional and holistic modalities (Certified in CAVCA, CVA, CVPP, CCRT, Certified Veterinary Chinese Herbalist, Certified Veterinary Tui-na Practitioner, Certified Traditional Chinese Veterinary Medical Practitioner. In January 2015 she became a Diplomate of the American College of Veterinary Sports Medicine and Rehabilitation (DACVSMR). She has lectured nationally and internationally on herbal therapy, nutraceuticals, acupuncture, rehabilitation and pain management to veterinarians and veterinary technicians. She has co-authored 2 textbook chapters—one on neurological rehabilitation and one on therapeutic exercises for veterinary technicians. She has published 3 peer-reviewed manuscripts on sporting dog nutrition and exercise physiology. She continues to be involved in clinical research projects and further her training in herbs and natural therapies. Medicine and Rehabilitation.

Brian Trumpatori is the Chief of Surgery, Veterinary Specialty Hospital of the Carolinas located in Cary, NC. A native of New York, Dr. Trumpatori received a BS in animal science from Cornell University and Doctor of Veterinary Medicine degree from North Carolina State University. After completing his general veterinary training, he completed a one year rotating medicine/surgery internship at Colorado State University and then returned to NC State to complete a three year surgical residency, during which time he conducted research related to local anesthesia, which was awarded top resident honors by the American College of Veterinary Surgeons in 2009. Following residency, Dr. Trumpatori completed a one year fellowship with the Comparative Pain Research Laboratory at NC State, during which time he also served as a clinical instructor for the general and orthopedic surgery services. Dr. Trumpatori became a member of the American College of Veterinary Surgeons in 2010. Dr. Trumpatori is an adjunct faculty at NC State’s College of Veterinary Medicine, a former member of the board of directors of the International Academy of Veterinary Pain Management. Dr. Trumpatori’s primary clinical interests include chronic and perioperative pain management (including regenerative therapies for osteoarthritis), orthopedics and sports medicine (fracture repair, arthroscopy and management of joint diseases), minimally invasive surgery, oncologic and reconstructive surgery. He has authored book chapters and lectured on various topics related to pain management, wound management, orthopedics and oncologic surgery.

Total CE Credit: 16

Tuition: Member $368 ($331 early bird special if enrolled by June 8, 2020))
Non-Member $519 ($467 early bird special if enrolled by June 8, 2020)
Prices are listed in US dollars.

*To ensure participants are ready and prepared for classes, enrollment will close on June 28, 2020 at 5 pm ET (USA) or when the maximum number of participants is reached.

*For more information on how online CE works, see the Participant Resource Center.

To Enroll:
  1. Enrollment qualifications: VIN CE courses are open to VIN member and non-member veterinarians. Veterinarians enrolling in a VSPN CE course must be a VIN member. Veterinary support staff must be a VSPN member to enroll in a VSPN CE or a VIN CE course open to VSPN member enrollment.
  2. Each enrollee must be able to receive emails from @vspn.org and @vin.com addresses. Email is our major form of communication with participants; personal emails are highly recommended rather than clinic/hospital email addresses.
  3. Each person is individually responsible for his/her own registration. To ensure that all information received is secure and correct, please do not enroll for a course on behalf of another individual.
  4. For further assistance call 800-846-0028 ext. 797 or email . Please include the course title, your full name, and contact information in your correspondence.
Enrollment is closed.

"This program (22-37154) is approved by the AAVSB RACE to offer a total of 16 CE Credits, with a maximum of 16 CE Credits being available to any individual veterinarian or veterinary technician/technologist. This RACE approval is for the subject matter categories of: Medical, using the delivery method of Interactive-Distance: (Web-based, Teleconference or Audio-Conference). This approval is valid in jurisdictions which recognize AAVSB RACE; however, participants are responsible for ascertaining each board's CE requirements."

Course withdrawal and refund policy: A complete refund of the paid course price will be issued when your withdrawal request is received prior to the listed start date of the course. If you wish to withdraw after the start date please contact the VIN office 800-846-0028 ext. 797 to discuss eligibility for a pro-rated refund.

*For more information on VIN's upcoming CE courses, check the VIN Course Catalog.

Katherine James, DVM, PhD, DACVIM (SAIM)
VIN Education Director

VIN CE Services:
800-846-0028 or 530-756-4881; ext. 797
or direct line to VIN/VSPN from the United Kingdom: 01 45 222 6154
or direct line to VIN/VSPN from Australia: 02 6145 2357