PAIN MANAGEMENT FORUM

AGENDA

Curious about the cutting-edge topics and expert speakers at the IVAPM Pain Management Forum? Read on to view the full agenda!


Participation in IVAPM labs will count for some of the required skills on the CVPP application.

April 18, 2026

VET TRACK

Speaker Topic Description
Douglas Stramel, DVM, CVPP Acetaminophen - No Cats Allowed Dispelling the myths on the utilization of acetaminophen for pain relief in both the canine and equine species.
Elisabeth Kraus, DVM, CVPP The Role of NGF in Osteoarthritis Pain and Updates on Monoclonal Antibody Therapies A review of the role of nerve growth factor in osteoarthritis pain, how monocloal antibody therapies can target excess NGF and share the three years of global experiences with Librela.
Lindsey Fry, DMV, DACVSMR, CCRP, CVPP, cVMA Ketamine in Context: When and How to Use It in Multimodal Pain Plans Based on Current Evidence and Experience  Evidence and clinical experience continue to expand regarding the use of ketamine in the management of complex and chronic pain in both human and veterinary medicine. Ketamine is a noncompetitive NMDA receptor antagonist with additional effects on brain and spinal cord neuroplasticity, making it particularly relevant for patients with central sensitization and refractory pain states. This lecture reviews the evolving understanding of ketamine’s role in chronic and neuropathic pain, with emphasis on recent literature and clinically relevant mechanisms. Practical considerations for patient selection, route of administration, dosing strategies (including intravenous, subcutaneous, oral, and intermittent injections), and treatment frequency will be discussed. The role of ketamine within a multimodal pain management framework is emphasized, highlighting how it can be combined thoughtfully with other pharmacologic and non-pharmacologic interventions to optimize outcomes in challenging pain cases.
Melina Zimmerman, DVM, DACVAA, CVPP, CVMA, CCRP Beyond Multimodal: Rethinking Chronic Pain as a Disease, Not a Symptom Chronic pain is not simply persistent nociception - it is a maladaptive disease of the pain system itself. This session reframes chronic pain as a neuroimmune and neurologic disorder characterized by persistent activation and dysregulation of the pain pathway.
Lauren Retallack, DVM, MBA, DACVS-SA, CVPP What Hurts and Why: Diagnostic Strategies for Uncovering Pain Pain isn’t always obvious — and neither are its sources. This case-based presentation explores how diagnostic tools can illuminate hidden pain generators and guide more effective treatment plans. From elusive forelimb lameness to visceral discomfort like biliary pain, we’ll examine how radiographs, dynamic views, ultrasound, and CT imaging contribute to clinical clarity. Attendees will learn to recognize subtle radiographic and ultrasonographic changes, understand when advanced imaging is warranted, and appreciate the diagnostic nuances of chronic pain. The session also emphasizes how to communicate findings to clients in a way that builds trust and supports multimodal pain management. Whether the pain is orthopedic, neurologic, or visceral, diagnostics are the bridge between observation and relief.
Sharon Campbell, DVM, MS, DACVIM What's New in Canine and Feline Pain Management: A Year in Review In this lecture we will review some of the newest findings in pain assessment and pain amnagent published within the last 18 months. We will discuss how this information is clinically relevant and how to incorporate and add to you pain management protocols.

TECH TRACK

Speaker Topic Description
Dan Scrivener, MEd, CVT, LVT Analgesia in Birds, Herptiles, and Small Exotic Mammals This session provides a practical, multimodal approach to pain control in birds, herptiles, and small exotic mammals, emphasizing how to recognize pain and build effective perioperative plans. We will cover systemic analgesics, CRI decision-making and monitoring, and high-impact local/regional techniques that reduce inhalant needs and smooth recovery. Attendees will leave with simple frameworks and checklists to improve analgesia consistency in ER and surgical settings.
Tammy Grubb and Gwen Francisco Don’t Let Poor Communication Leave Your Patients Hurting; Strategies That Improve Veterinary Pain Management Patient comfort and health can suffer when members of the veterinary team are ambivalent about robust pain management. How can we communicate the vital role of pain mitigation to a colleague who may be inexperienced, unaware or afraid of implementing pain protocols?
Gwen Francisco, BA, MFA, LVT, CVPP Expanding Waistlines Aren't Just a Problem in People. The Obesity Epidemic Has Come for Our patients and We Need Help to Address It Veterinary professionals are aware of obesity's devastating impact on our patients. But let's face it. Our critters love to eat and pet owners love to give them treats. Achieving a healthy weight in our small and large animal patients can feel like a Sisyphean task, but we can't give up. Their health depends on it. In this talk we'll look at weight reduction tools as well as strategies to gain pet owner cooperation and compliance with veterinary-directed weight loss plans. 
Dan Scrivener, MEd, CVT, LVT Pain Management in the ER Setting: A Nursing Perspective nursing-first workflow for rapid pain recognition, triage-based analgesia, and structured reassessment in emergency patients. Content focuses on practical medication selection, safe CRI setup and monitoring, local anesthesia “quick wins,” and how to balance comfort with perfusion, ventilation, and diagnostics. Attendees leave with a repeatable algorithm, monitoring checklist, and documentation framework that improves consistency and patient comfort in the ER.
Dan Scrivener, MEd, CVT, LVT Empowering Veterinary Technicians/Nurses to Perform Local Anesthetic Blocks Focuses on empowering veterinary technicians/nurses to confidently perform local anesthetic blocks by building a repeatable workflow, clear communication scripts, and a competency-based practice pathway under veterinarian direction and hospital policy. Attendees learn how to set up the case, calculate and advocate for safe limits, execute clean technique on high-yield blocks (line, splash, ring), and document outcomes to demonstrate value. The goal is to help nurses move from “I’ve seen it” to “I can do it safely and consistently,” with a plan for training, sign-off, and real-world adoption.

April 19, 2026

VET TRACK

Speaker Topic Description
Aaron Shaw Key Note
Melina Zimmerman, , DVM, DCVAA, CVPP, CCRP Joint Injections: Techniques, Tips, and Best Practices Joint injections are an increasingly valuable tool in the multimodal management of osteoarthritis and other joint-based pain conditions in veterinary patients. This lecture will provide a practical, clinically focused overview of joint injections, including patient selection, product choice, analgesia and anesthesia considerations, and step-by-step injection techniques. Emphasis will be placed on technique and individualized treatment planning.
Lauren Retallack, DVM, MBA, DACVS-SA, CVPP Joint Injections: When and What — Practical Strategies for Managing Chronic OA Pain Intra-articular therapies remain a cornerstone of multimodal osteoarthritis management — but knowing when to inject and what to inject can be nuanced. This session explores both established and emerging joint injection options for chronic OA. Through real-world case examples, dosing guidance, and decision-making frameworks, attendees will gain practical tools to tailor joint injection strategies to individual patients. Emphasis will be placed on patient selection, timing, multimodal integration, and communicating expectations with clients.
Tammy Grubb, DVM, PhD, CVPP, DACVAA How to STOP Pain: Local/Regional Blocks Local anesthetics are very powerful analgesics that can have both an immediate and potentially long-term effect on pain. The drugs are easy to use and most local blocks can be done in any practice. The attributes of local anesthetic drugs will be described and detailed block instructions will be provided.
Tammy Grubb, DVM, PhD, CVPP, DACVAA Horses Have Feelings Too: Equine Pain Management
Jean Jaquine, DMV, MS, PhD, LAC Integrative Non-Pharmacological Pain Management in Equine Practice This lecture explores integrative, non-pharmacological strategies for pain management in equine patients, focusing on evidence-based clinical applications. It covers acupuncture, laser therapy, ozone therapy, regenerative approaches, and physical modalities within a multimodal framework. Emphasis is placed on practical protocols and clinical case examples. The goal is to optimize welfare, rehabilitation, and athletic outcomes while reducing reliance on pharmaceuticals.
Jean Jaquine, DMV, MS, PhD, LAC Visualizing Pain: The Role of Thermography lecture focused on the use of infrared thermography as a non-invasive tool for pain assessment and clinical decision-making. The session covers the physiological basis of thermal changes related to inflammation, neural dysfunction, and altered blood flow, and how these patterns correlate with pain. Practical applications include early detection of musculoskeletal and neurological pain, treatment planning, and monitoring therapeutic response. Clinical cases will illustrate how thermography integrates into multimodal and integrative pain management to improve accuracy, outcomes, and patient welfare.
Jean Jaquine, DMV, MS, PhD, LAC Ozone Therapy: A Non-Pharmacological Approach to Pain Management A Non-Pharmacological Approach to Pain Management is a lecture focused on the biological mechanisms and clinical applications of medical ozone in pain control. The session addresses anti-inflammatory, analgesic, and neuromodulatory effects of ozone, including its role in improving oxygen metabolism, redox balance, and tissue healing. Practical protocols for musculoskeletal, neuropathic, and inflammatory pain are discussed, supported by clinical case examples. Emphasis is placed on safe application, dosage principles, and integration into multimodal pain management strategies to reduce reliance on pharmacological therapies and improve patient outcomes.

April 20, 2026
Wet Labs

Speaker Topic Description
Tamara Grubb, DVM, DACVAA, PhD; Douglas Stramel, DVM, CVPP; Melina Zimmerman, DVM, DCVAA, CVPP, CCRP Learning Local/Regional Blocks for EVERY Practice Local anesthetics provide and inexpensive adjunctive component to multimodal pain management. In this lab we will review the mechanism of action of the various local anesthetics commonly used in veterinary medicine and provide hands on instruction to identifying landmarks and correctly performing common local/regional blocks. Techniques learned in this lab qualify for inclusion in the skills component of the CVPP application. CVPP certification. 
Melina Zimmerman, DVM, DCVAA, CVPP, CCRP Joint Injections Lab This hands-on laboratory session will provide participants with guided, practical experience performing joint injections in veterinary patients. Under direct instruction, attendees will practice patient positioning, landmark identification, aseptic technique, joint fluid aspiration, and intra-articular product administration for commonly injected joints. Emphasis will be placed on safe handling, needle selection, troubleshooting challenging joints, and integrating appropriate analgesia and anesthesia protocols. This lab is designed to build confidence and technical proficiency while reinforcing the role of joint injections within a comprehensive, multimodal pain management plan.
Kara Amstutz Clay Modeling
Lindsey Fry, DMV, DACVSMR, CCRP, CVPP, cVMA Musculoskeletal Anatomy for the Rehabilitation Practitioner This cadaver lab will provided familiarity of important anatomy for those interested in rehabilitation. We want to focus on how exam findings translate to anatomy and vice versa. We will have the unique opportunity to dissect and view previously dissected specimens to get a detailed and closer look at the anatomy we are commonly assessing on the clinic floor. We will touch and examine commonly assessed structures in the shoulder, stifle and additional sites as time allows (carpus/antibrachium, common calcaneal tendon, etc.). Short lectures will cover common assessment techniques, special tests, and pathology in these areas followed by specimen dissection and assessment. Getting to see and handle the anatomy in small focused groups in this way will truly enhance your physical exam skills in these areas and provide a deeper understanding of use of these special tests and how anatomy feels and looks.
Kara Amstutz Gait Analysis

AARV details to come.

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