Pain Rewires the Brain – Part 1: Aggression

Pain Rewires the Brain: Aggression, Arousal, Anxiety, & Reactivity

Pain is an important factor in many behavioral cases. When an animal presents with physical signs of pain, such as lameness or flinching when an area is touched, diagnosis is straightforward.

However, less severe pain is more difficult to recognize as the only signs may be increased anxiety, changes in arousal level, a tendency towards aggression or other more subtle behavioral changes, which may cause or exacerbate other behavioral problems. These changes are brought about by the brains’ rewiring in response to pain and may never be associated with more obvious signs of pain, and so these patients often present as behavior cases.

Understanding these rewiring processes is the first step to being able to effectively onboard clients, with including pain as a key consideration. We will discuss the most common behavioral changes known to accompany pain, with a focus on Aggression, Arousal, Anxiety, & Reactivity.

These webinars are suitable for veterinary professionals, animal trainers, animal behaviorists, shelter and rescue staff and volunteers, and anyone with an interest in evidence-based behavior intervention.

• Saturday June 18, 2022 – 2:30pm to 4pm EST – Aggression
• Saturday June 25, 2022 – 2:30pm to 4pm EST – Arousal
• Saturday August 20, 2022 – 2:30pm to 4pm EST – Anxiety
• Saturday August 27, 2022 – 2:30pm to 4pm EST – Reactivity

This is an online event. The live streaming link will be emailed one day prior to the event.

“Doors” open 30 minutes prior to the start time of the event. Feel free to log in and wait in our “waiting room” via the video app. We will be using Zoom to stream the event.

These webinars will be recorded. Anyone that purchases a 4-Part Webinar Package will receive the recording within 1 week after each live event date. You will be able to view the webinar even if you cannot join us on the event date. The recordings will be available for viewing for up to 6 months. These webinars will be available for purchase after the series is complete on our website.

CEUs will be granted to those who purchase a ticket for the 4-Part Webinar Package, even if they cannot join us on the date of the event.

CEUs pending:

• CPDT
• IAABC
• KPA
• RACE

Registration:

• Early Bird, 4-Part Package: $175 total, before July 1
• General Admissions , 4-Part Package: $225 total, after July 1

https://www.eventbrite.com/e/pain-rewires-the-brain-tickets-360003107987

If you choose any date, you will receive access to all four. The series was set up this way so that folks can purchase access to this series until it’s complete. Even if someone misses a live event, they will receive the recording by purchasing a ticket.

If you missed one of the parts as a live event, you will receive a link to the recording(s) as long as you purchase a ticket for the 4-part package.

Cancellation policy: No refunds

ABOUT DR. KATHY MURPHY:

Dr Kathy Murphy (BVetMed, DPhil, CVA, CLAS, MRCVS) is a veterinary surgeon and neuroscientist. She graduated from the Royal College of Veterinary Surgeons UK in 1999, initially working in mixed clinical practice before studying for two post graduate clinical qualifications with the Royal College of Veterinary Surgeons, in Veterinary Anesthesia and Analgesia, and Laboratory Animal Science.

In 2009 she was awarded a highly prestigious Wellcome Trust Research Training Fellowship to study for her PhD, in Behavioral Neuroscience, at The Queens College, University of Oxford, UK. She subsequently worked in the USA as Assistant Professor of Neuroscience and Anesthesiology at the Icahn School of Medicine NYC, where her research into the long term effects of anesthesia on learning and memory contributed to a change to the safety advice for the use of general anesthesia in children. She moved back to the UK in 2013, to take up clinical-academic positions at the University of Oxford and subsequently Newcastle University, and concurrently completed a Residency in Veterinary Anesthesia and Analgesia with the European College of Veterinary Anesthesia and Analgesia, during which she became increasingly interested in how pain re-models the nervous system and this can manifest as behavioral problems in pets.

Alongside these positions Dr Murphy founded, and is now Director of, Barking Brains Ltd (a neuroscience outreach platform for the animal behavior and training community), which focuses on translating neuroscientific information into practical and useful information for people interested in animal behavior. In order to maximize the impact of her diverse interests and skill set, Dr Murphy teamed up with Behavior Vets LLC in 2022 when she took up the position of Chief Scientific Officer. She is now able to focus on her new found passion for science communication and providing evidence based, up to date, accessible, scientific information to clinicians, animal professionals and their clients, about subjects related to pain, behavior, neurobiology and the many interrelated factors.

In addition to Dr Murphy’s primary career roles she was Trustee and Veterinary Advisor to the Rottweiler Welfare Association for 14 years; is co-founder of Ethics First (a collective which lobbies for ethical decision making in clinical practice); is an Oversight Committee Member for the UK Dog Behavior and Training Charter; sits on numerous National and International boards, working groups and ethical review panels; is an ad-hoc reviewer for neuroscience, veterinary medicine and anesthesia and pain journals; and continues to collaborate on research projects. Dr Murphy lives in the UK with her husband Elliot (retired Search and Rescue handler and now scentwork and mantrailing trainer) and their 5 dogs: Dennis a Yorkshire Terrier mix, Nancy a Rottweiler mix, Zebedee and Nela the German Shorthaired Pointers and Albi a Weimaraner.