International Veterinary Academy of Pain Management

A Brief History

IVAPM, originally known as the Companion Animal Pain Management Consortium, was founded in 2001 by Michael McFarland, Bill Tranquilli, Jamie Gaynor, Charlie Short and was led by Pete Hellyer. Shortly after founding, the organization changed the name to the Academy of Pain Management Interest Group and gained financial and logistics support from Pfizer Animal Health®. Holding its first meeting in 2002, the organization evolved into the International Veterinary Academy of Pain Management in 2003.  Today, the IVAPM is lead by an active board of directors and provides veterinary pain management education as well as a pain management certification program.

Multidisciplinary Statement

The International Veterinary Academy of Pain Management unites veterinarians in general practice, specialty veterinarians, veterinary technicians/nurses, veterinary students, researchers and industry representatives from around the world in our mission to advocate for best practices in the treatment of animals in pain.  By necessity, this is a multi-disciplinary mission, encompassing a diverse and robust commitment from numerous medical fields, including general practice, anesthesiology, surgery, internal medicine, emergency/critical care, oncology, neurology, dentistry, dermatology, physical therapy/rehabilitation, behavior and many others.  Collectively, IVAPM members from these various disciplines provide a continued focus on the animal, and the relief of both acute and chronic animal pain.

Our Priorities

Animal pain management continues to be a rapidly expanding field as research findings and clinical experience continue to evolve. As treatment options grow, IVAPM seeks to combine the traditional and medicinal modalities of pain management with complimentary treatments such as acupuncture, rehabilitation and physical therapy. As such, combining various pain management therapies allows for the best possible outcome for the animal.

As a leader in the advancement of animal pain management, IVAPM is committed to the following priorities:

• Educating the veterinary community to recognize and treat pain in all animal species. IVAPM provides continuing education around the world on topics related to animal pain and offers the only interdisciplinary pain management certification program for veterinary professionals.
• Recognizing that treating pain in animals requires an interdisciplinary approach. IVAPM is inclusive by design. We welcome all medical professionals with an interest in veterinary pain management.
• Encouraging open communication on topics related to the treatment of pain in animals. Our members freely exchange information and consult with experts on the IVAPM Forum.
• Supporting standards of care for animals in pain. IVAPM develops, advocates for and communicates best practices in veterinary pain management, as well as educates and informs pet owners about their pets’ health and well-being when it comes to acute and chronic pain identification and treatment options.
• Promoting pain management instruction for all veterinary students. IVAPM recognizes that today’s students will be tomorrow’s leaders in the field. We are working to have a student chapter at every veterinary teaching institution.
• Promoting humane, scientific investigation in the field of veterinary pain management. The IVAPM Research and Scholarship Foundation awards scholarships and supports research initiatives working to advance the quality of care for all animals in pain.