Seven years ago, the 2015 American Animal Hospital Association (AAHA) Pain Management Guidelines for Dogs and Cats put forth pioneering recommendations that included medical acupuncture. The authors painted a brighter future by seriously considering and advancing their role in veterinary medicine.

In contrast, the authors of the 2022 Guidelines seemed to backpedal on this progress, ignoring the even greater evidential support that had expanded dramatically over the intervening seven years.

Dr. Narda Robinson provides her perspective and opinion on the 2022 AAHA guidelines, targeting specifically 1) the issue on acupuncture, 2) undisclosed potential conflicts of interest, and 3) pharmaceutical recommendations that she considers questionable.

Feel free to download Dr. Robinson's written summary, with recent references that support acupuncture, from the CuraCore.org with this direct link: https://curacore.org/vet/2022/04/01/improve-the-2022-aaha-pain-management-guidelines/

Questions? Email us at [email protected], or call us at 970-818-0851.

The topic of banning feline distal digital amputations, otherwise known as a "declaw" procedure, elicits a variety of views from veterinarians. This supplemental CuraCore Academy Talk (CAT Supp), highlights some of the considerations made by Michael Petty, DVM, CVPP, cVMA, CCRT, CAAPM, and Narda G. Robinson, DO, DVM, MS, FAAMA, founder and CEO of CuraCore MED and CuraCore VET. Contact CuraCore at [email protected] if you'd like to learn more about nonsurgical pain medicine interventions.

We are making this presentation from MOVE, our Integrative Rehabilitation and Physical Medicine program, available to our veterinarian colleagues who also struggle with the traumatic nature of the TPLO and are seeking viable non-surgical solutions. So, for all veterinarians, the next time you see a dog (or cat) with presumptive cranial cruciate ligament disease, you might consider reviewing the pros and cons of integrative rehabilitation to those of the tibial plateau-leveling osteotomy (TPLO), as described in this video. Download the handout here: https://curacore.org/vet/irpm-march-handout/. If you would like more information about the science-based integrative medicine programs from CuraCore, visit CuraCore.org. Or, send an email to [email protected]. We love to meet new students!

Veterinarians! What do you know about the home environment of your patients? Specifically, what types of mobility impediments do they experience from slippery, low-traction flooring? If you perform home visits, you've seen how animal residents move from point A to point B. Are there problems? Here's the good news -- we can suggest relatively inexpensive modifications that can greatly improve our patients' quality of life within and around the home.

Advocate for your patients. Help your clients see the world from their animals' perspectives.

For more information, visit Canine Arthritis Management at https://caninearthritis.co.uk.

Follow CuraCore VET on Facebook (https://www.facebook.com/CuraCore) and Instagram (curacorevet).

Questions? Contact us at [email protected].

Together, we can change medicine.™ For good.

In this bonus recording of CuraCore Academy Talks, Dr. Narda Robinson speaks with Dr. Hannah Capon, a well known advocate for expanding awareness of pain and its treatment in small animal practice. Dr. Capon founded and heads the U.K.-based Canine Arthritis Management group (caninearthritis.co.uk) which is teaching veterinarians and dog lovers around the globe how to recognize, manage, and address pain problems in their beloved canine companions. What a treat this was to host Dr. Capon.

Are you a veterinarian seeking to add science-based, medical acupuncture to your practice? If so, does your patient population include chickens, rabbits, snakes, or maybe even koalas? This short introduction to avian acupuncture point transposition covers some of the most significant differences between birds and mammals that we need to consider as we extrapolate acupuncture points and treatment rationales to non-domestic species. For more information about courses and certification programs, visit CuraCore.org/vet or email us at [email protected]. To download the handout mentioned in this podcast, visit https://curacore.org/vet/top-10-avian... . Enjoy!

In "Save the Stifle," Dr. Narda Robinson reviews the myofascial anatomy and referred pain patterns associated with perceived stifle pain. Download the accompanying handout here: https://curacore.org/vet/save-the-stifle. Reduce unnecessary surgery by first establishing a solid insight in the multiple causes of a patient's problem, such as cranial cruciate ligament disease. Myofascial pain syndromes have received little attention in human medicine and even less in veterinary medicine. It's time to turn this around. Learn more about CuraCore VET's scientific and evidence-informed continuing education programs by visiting CuraCore.org or send an email to [email protected].

The best medical care begins with a comprehensive recognition of the problems our veterinary patients have; this helps us establish an accurate diagnosis and consider a range of scientific, integrative medical approach and less invasive treatment options. At CuraCore VET, we teach how and why to perform a thorough, gentle, myofascial palpation exam that shows us where and why our patients are having pain or other issues. Visit our website at CuraCore.org to learn more about courses we offer in integrative rehabilitation, physical medicine, medical acupuncture, and more. Contact us at [email protected] for the handout that accompanies this mini lecture.

CONTACT [email protected] FOR THE PALPATION ANATOMY HANDOUT MENTIONED. The diagnosis of “medial shoulder syndrome” (MSS) constitutes an overly broad and inexact assessment. Successful treatment of shoulder pain, lameness, and dysfunction in dogs requires knowledge of the myofascial anatomy and proper palpation techniques to identify areas of restriction, laxity, disrupted sensorimotor communication. "Shoulder stability results from the activity of more structures than those that reside on the medial glenohumeral surface. “If even one muscle of a joint is dysfunctional, that muscle will affect the function of the whole joint by limiting motion, utilization of energy, resistance, and strength. Consequently, voluntarily or involuntarily, that joint could become underutilized (“splinted”) and the contralateral joint will exhibit protective guarding and become overutilized. If there is a larger imbalance, the joint that is overutilized may eventually become dysfunctional and develop fatigue, trigger points, and pain.” (Sella GE. Agonism and antagonism of the muscles of the shoulder joint: An SMEG (surface electromyography) approach. Practical Pain Management. 19(5): 41-44.). For more information about our Integrative Rehabilitation and Physical Medicine Certification Program, visit https://curacore.org/vet/courses/integrative-rehabilitation/

[Watch the Video on our CuraCore VET YouTube Channel] Veterinarians: What makes elbow pain so difficult to treat successfully and long-term in our quadruped patients? Why do we only consider a handful of problems instead of the full gamut of potential differentials that actually exist? And, could we improve clinical outcomes by incorporating diagnostic and treatment strategies from Integrative Rehabilitation and Physical Medicine™? Discover the answers to these questions and more by listening to this 30-minute instructional seminar on the complex causes of elbow pain and what we can do to "Do Better". Earn certification in integrative medicine and rehabilitation courses through CuraCore VET. Visit CuraCore.org; email [email protected].