In this Pain Awareness Month special, Meg Brady (RVN, BSc, PGCert, EQ.Sci) speaks with Dr. Matt Gurney, internationally respected anaesthetist, co-founder of the Zero Pain Philosophy, and past president of the European College of Veterinary Anaesthesia and Analgesia.
Matt shares his journey into anaesthesia and analgesia, the inspiration behind the Zero Pain Philosophy, and how his team supports vets, nurses, and physios worldwide in improving pain management. He discusses practical tools for acute and chronic pain, including the Glasgow Pain Scale, Feline Grimace Scale, LOAD, and the Canine Brief Pain Inventory, and explains how caregiver-reported outcomes can shape effective treatment plans.
This episode also highlights the role of community, clinical audits, and checklists in improving standards of care, and why vets should embrace a multimodal, evidence-informed approach to pain management in practice.
References discussed:
- www.zeropainphilosophy.com
- Animal Pain – The quality of life of animals depends on the correct assessment and treatment of pain
- University of Glasgow – Research – Impact – Pain assessment tools
- Modified Canine Brief Pain Inventory 1.3.17_AM
- Home – RCVS Knowledge
- Brown DC, Boston RC, Coyne JC, et al. (2013). Ability of the canine brief pain inventory to detect response to treatment in dogs with osteoarthritis. J Am Vet Med Assoc. 233. P1278–83.
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Time |
Chapter Title |
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00:36 |
Introduction to Matt Gurney and his career in anaesthesia and analgesia |
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01:52 |
Why Matt chose pain management as his focus |
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04:18 |
What is the Zero Pain Philosophy and how does it work? |
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07:51 |
Applying Zero Pain Philosophy in practice and tailoring anaesthetic plans |
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09:21 |
Acute pain tools: Glasgow Pain Scale, Feline Grimace Scale, Vet Pain App |
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11:03 |
Pain scoring subjectivity and why reassessment matters |
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14:31 |
Chronic pain: caregiver-reported outcomes, LOAD, CBPI |
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17:23 |
Communicating with owners and setting clear treatment pathways |
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19:49 |
Beyond drugs: weight, exercise, physiotherapy, multimodal management |
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22:22 |
Neuropathic pain cases and the role of history taking |
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25:10 |
Zero Pain Practice accreditation and inspiring change in clinics |
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27:18 |
Clinical audits, RCVS Knowledge, and sharing results across practices |
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29:35 |
The NOTAN tool: learning from aviation safety to improve anaesthesia |
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34:26 |
How vets can get involved with Zero Pain Philosophy |
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35:37 |
Matt’s three key takeaways for vets managing pain |