Holistic Approach to Management of Neuropathic Pain in Musculoskeletal Cases, with a Focus on Lumbosacral Pain

2-hour webinar from the Chronic Pain Symposium 2026, presented by Dr. Colin Driver, Prof. Sarah Heath, and Fiona Taylor.
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2 hour cpd

12 months' access
to the recording

what's included...

  • 2-hour Presentation
  • Downloadable Lecture Notes
  • Multiple-choice Quiz
  • CPD Certificate

presentation overview

This session will be presented by two veterinary specialists (one in neurology and neurosurgery and one in behavioural medicine) and a veterinary (and human) physiotherapist. They will discuss the importance of a multidisciplinary approach to the identification of neuropathic pain in musculoskeletal cases. Through focusing on lumbosacral discomfort, the team will highlight how consideration of all aspects of the patient’s health is vital for accurate identification of these cases, and the discussion will then extend to explore the multidisciplinary approach in the context of treatment selection. After treatment has been selected, the next consideration for these patients is how management instructions post-treatment can impact on the emotional, cognitive and physical health of the individual. The three speakers will discuss how they would approach this post-treatment period and give advice about communication with caregivers so that all aspects of their pet’s health can be safeguarded. Pain management is a vital component of the successful approach for these cases, and the final section of the presentation will consider this from the perspective of analgesic medication approaches, physical therapies and the management of the emotional and cognitive components of neuropathic pain.

meet the presenters

Dr. colin driver

Colin is a diplomate of the European College of Veterinary Neurology and has worked in speciality referral practice for 16 years. He has helped to establish three different neurology services and has served as clinical director of two large referral hospitals. He is an RCVS fellow by meritorious contribution to clinical practice. Colin is based at Lumbry Park Veterinary Specialists in Alton, Hampshire, and is a visiting senior lecturer at the University of Surrey.

Colin has published over 40 peer-reviewed scientific papers and textbook chapters; his main clinical interests are the management of IVD-related causes of spinal pain in dogs, orthopaedic and minimally invasive spinal surgery. Colin is a pioneer of the emerging field of endoscopic spinal surgery for dogs.
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BSc BVetMed MVetMed PhD DECVN FRCVS

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BVSc PgCertVE DipECAWBM(BM) CCAB FHEA FRCVS

prof. sarah heath

Dr. Sarah Heath is both an RCVS and EBVS Veterinary Specialist in Behavioural Medicine, as well as a Certified Clinical Animal Behaviourist. Sarah is an External Lecturer in small animal behavioural medicine on the veterinary undergraduate courses at Liverpool University and the University of Surrey. She is a Certified Clinical Animal Behaviourist under the ASAB accreditation scheme and registered as a Veterinary Behaviourist with the Animal Behaviour and Training Council. She sees clinical cases across North West England. She promotes the recognition of emotional health issues in companion animals, and the role of veterinary professionals in safeguarding the welfare of animals.

Sarah graduated from the University of Bristol in 2011. She subsequently worked in a first opinion, small animal practice in Shropshire. During this time she started her certificate in small animal internal medicine. After three years at this practice she moved to the Midlands to complete an Internship at Willows Veterinary Centre and Referral Service, gaining her certificate during this time. She joined the team at Davies in May 2018 and completed a 3-year residency programme in small animal medicine in May 2021. She attained the European Diploma in Small Animal Medicine in 2022.

fiona taylor

Fiona graduated in 1995 with a BSc (Hons) Physiotherapy from Brunel University and worked in the NHS before moving abroad. She spent 13 years in USA and Switzerland where she navigated the different professional landscapes to provide physiotherapy and pilates to the local international community, juggling this with bringing up a young family. On returning to the UK, she was inspired to broaden her physiotherapy skills to include working with animals.
She graduated in 2016 from UWE (Hartpury) with an MSc in Veterinary Physiotherapy and initially set up her own private practice (3H physiotherapy) treating humans, horses and small animals in the New Forest.

She made the decision to specialise in small animals in 2019 and moved into referral practice to develop her skill set in an acute inpatient environment as well as outpatients. She worked at 2 large referral practices in Surrey/Hampshire for 6 years where she really thrived in a multidisciplinary environment.

2025 saw her career evolve again with the opportunity to teach on the new MSc Veterinary Physiotherapy course at University of Lancashire, School of Veterinary Medicine. This role has enabled her to follow her passion for continued learning within a research environment but also sharing her skills and knowledge with the next generation of Veterinary Physiotherapists.

Despite the demands of lecturing, she continues to maintain a small animal clinical caseload treating dogs and cats for acute/post op rehabilitation (neuro and orthopaedic) and chronic musculoskeletal conditions. She also treats humans and the occasional horse.

Fiona is passionate about ensuring that she makes a difference to the animals and their caregivers that put their trust in her clinical skills. Underpinning this is a strong drive to integrate the skills and knowledge gained from working as a human physiotherapist where appropriate, and she thrives where evidence-based yet creative and practical solutions are required to manage animals with long term, often chronic conditions. She is excited to be a part of the Chronic Pain Symposium 2026.
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MSc Veterinary Physiotherapy, BSc Physiotherapy MCSP, HCPC, ACPAT Cat A, RAMP registered

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