Pitcairn Institute of Veterinary Homeopathy Annual Meeting

Note:
This is the detail for the meeting we did in spring of 2025. I am leaving it here so you can see what the meeting is usually like. The ones after 2025 will have other speakers (occasionally some from before) and topics. However, you can see what the Saguaro Lake Ranch location looks like, what kind of topics we did (different each year), and what size group we often have (though this varies too).
    As you scroll down I have updated the link for  registration for this next meeting in 2026.
The current active website for our meetings is Pitcairn Institute of Veterinary Homeopathy website..

    There is more information there on the Annual Meeting as well as our homeopathy training program for veterinarians. You can also contact Sarah Stieg, DVM director of the program if you have questions.

Our last meeting, 2024. Much fun and great weather

The Annual Meeting in Veterinary Homeopathy 2025

THEME
Harvesting the Materia Medica: Gathering the Experience of Outstanding Homeopaths

We are thrilled to invite you “back home to the ranch” for the PIVH Annual Meeting in Veterinary Homeopathy. Once again we host this wonderful event at our favorite venue, charming Saguaro Lake Ranch, just 45 minutes from the Phoenix airport, but a million miles from city life.

We meet the four days, Thursday to Saturday, February 27 to March 2, from 9 am to 5:30 or 6 with a long lunch break for relaxing, swimming, hiking, or studying. Sunday, March 2 is a half day, ending about noon.

In addition, on Wednesday, February 26, we will again offer the popular Optional Day for discussion and dialogue, most likely outdoors. We will have a topic to suggest for starting the discussion.

Saguaro Lake Ranch offers a complete Western getaway, with lodging, meals, and meeting space, as well as hiking, swimming, horse riding, kayaking, incredible mountain views, and even the opportunity to see wild horses nearby. Sharing meals and evening campfires under the stars brings us closer and has created a real sense of family with homeopathic colleagues. That’s why we have come here for 20-plus years.

If you are coming just for the 4-day meeting, plan to arrive by late afternoon Wednesday to make the welcome dinner at about 6 p.m. The meal plan includes all meals from Wed. evening through Sunday lunch.

The Optional Day for Meeting 2025

The formal 4-day meeting described above is scheduled every hour with speakers and topics. This optional day (Wednesday, February 26) is organized differently. Richard Pitcairn is the moderator for both sessions. The day is therefore not so structured and focuses on discussions. If weather permits we sit outside on the grass or under those lovely shade trees.

It is an option to come to just this Optional Day if you wish though it makes sense to also attend the 4-day meeting since you are here.
If you are coming to this optional day, plan to arrive Tuesday evening for dinner at about 6 PM (but this dinner is optional).

 

Meeting Content

There is 15 hours of presentation with CE credit. Six of the presentations during the four days by Richard Pitcairn. Nine hours by other speakers.

Less Known Remedies
Interesting cases from Elizabeth Wright Hubbard, MD who practiced in New York in the early 1900’s. Emphasis on remedies we are not as familiar with.
(Richard Pitcairn, DVM, Ph.D.)

Cases from Erastus Case, MD  (1847-1918)
The cases from this practitioner are very useful for learning guiding symptoms of remedies. They are brief cases he had organized as a learning tool, The intention was to recognize guiding symptoms that would identify the remedy that was curative.
(Richard Pitcairn, DVM, Ph.D.)

Sarcoma in a Child
A very interesting and informative case, from 1902, of the treatment of a three-year-old girl with sarcoma who had been suppressively treated, predicted to die,  and yet cured with homeopathy.
(Richard Pitcairn, DVM, Ph.D.)

Homeopathy for Euthanasia
Some cases are not curable as the patient is very close to dying. Using the symptoms, it is possible to find a remedy can be used to make the process easy and without discomfort. We look at example cases.
(Richard Pitcairn, DVM, Ph.D.)

More Erastus Cases
These are more cases from Erastus Case, ones that include enough information we can practice finding the remedy in the repertory and materia medica.
(Richard Pitcairn, DVM, Ph.D.)

Use of the Calvin Knerr Repertory
This is a very useful repertory for prescribing on animals. It is derived from Hering’s Guiding Symptoms, and has much detail on the physical expressions of disease. As an example, we will compare the rubrics for suppuration and pus in the Calvin Knerr repertory with the  Boenninghausen and Kent repertories and see how much more information Knerr gives us.
(Richard Pitcairn, DVM, Ph.D)

The Remedy Calc-phos in Horses
For this presentation, I will present a picture of the remedy Calc-phos and its use in horses. I will offer several cases where Calc-phos played a role in clearing chronic symptoms and improving the overall well-being of the horse. Calc-phos is a remedy that is often considered for bone development and fracture repair. While Calc-phos is wonderful for these situations it is also very useful as a deep-acting remedy to cover a wide range of chronic disease symptoms..
(Madalyn Ward, DVM)

What Happens After the Cough? A Differential Study of An Aggravation Rubric
There are 15 remedies in the New World Vet Rep rubric Generalities; Agg.; Coughing; After. We will discuss how the reaction to a coughing fit differs among these remedies. How can the practitioner determine aggravation after coughing? How exactly does the patient react? What might help the patient feel better? What concomitant symptoms are more common in each remedy? We will take a tour of these remedies and leave with a better understanding of each medicine’s place in the treatment of a coughing patient.
(Wendy Jensen, DVM)

Curability of Tumors by Homeopathic Medicines
—  thoughts on J. Compton Burnett’s work
I love to read the older homeopathic literature to get insight into their world, and how they approached cases. Burnett is a favorite, as I mentioned a few years ago, presenting thoughts on ‘Fifty Reasons for Being a Homeopath.’ In this little book, the good doctor presents a case for going beyond the totality of symptoms when choosing a remedy to treat tumors, to avoid palliation and really achieving a cure in these most difficult cases. Journey back to the late 1800s with me, sit with him for a while, and hear his thoughts about remedy selection, and several amazing cases he reports.
(Todd Cooney, DVM, CVH)

The Wide Range of Arsenicum album
Arsenicum album still surprises me after all these years. When I was a new homeopath, I initially thought of it for gastrointestinal problems and had great successes. Then with the progression of my studies, I discovered its application in respiratory disease, followed by successes in renal disease. With broadening materia medica study, I have come to appreciate its depth which goes beyond the classic character types of the remedy. It continues to pop up in my analyses when the seat of disease is somewhere I don’t expect to see it. I will discuss its wide range of applications, including materia medica study as well as cases from my practice.
(Jane Doyle, DVM)

Book review: The Mercury Visions of Louis Daguerre by Dominic Smith
In this novel, Smith covers Daguerre’s life, from his unhealthy childhood, through his careers in adulthood, and the toxic effects of the mercury he used in his invention of photography. Photography was my first love, so when I found this book in a large bookstore chain’s bargain bin, I grabbed it up. I will discuss the book and delve into materia medica of Mercurius, comparing Smith’s quasi-nonfiction with the remedy.
(Jane Doyle, DVM)

The Pony With a Mysterious Illness
Cammie is a 30-year-old Welsh grey pony mare who survived a life-threatening acute illness due to fortitude, collegiate collaboration and support, and faith in homeopathy. She began with an acute fever and malaise of unknown origin, that developed into life-threatening abscessation due to comprised upper airway obstruction. As allopathic medicine failed, the diagnosis was unclear, and the risk of losing the patient was at stake, classical homeopathic treatment was commenced. This case is a study in deep abscess remedies, and a lesson in careful prescribing, when to “watch & wait” and when to repeat using multiple daily assessments, and carefully changing the remedies as her case and symptoms changed
(Corine Selders, DVM, CVA, CMMP)

Exploring Muriatic Acid: Joey, a Cat with Oral/Facial Pain
Muriatic acid is an anti-miasmatic remedy, proven and presented by Hahnemann in The Chronic Diseases. We propose it may be underused and underappreciated in veterinary homeopathic practice. In this talk, we will explore this remedy in repertory and materia medica study, and discuss the case of Joey, a cat with feline-oral-facial-pain-syndrome (FOPS) type symptoms.
(Andrea Tasi, VMD)

Meeting Tuition

Please note transaction fees will be applied if paid by credit card.

1) Tuition for the 4-day meeting is $595 if by check (made out to ANHC Education Programs and sent to ANHC Education Programs, 7149 Lantana Terrace, Carlsbad, CA 92011). If coming from Canada or Mexico, discounted to compensate for financial differences — Canada or Mexico tuition $495 US.
If by credit card it is $613 and after you register you will be sent an email invoice with the option of paying through PayPal. You need not be a member of PayPal to use this service. If coming from Canada or Mexico — Canada or Mexico tuition $513 US.
2) Tuition for the Optional day + 4 day meeting = $795 by check. If coming from Canada or Mexico, discounted to compensate for financial differences — Canada or Mexico tuition $662 US.
If paying by credit card $819. If coming from Canada or Mexico — Canada or Mexico tuition $688 US.

Tuition for NEW Graduates of the Pitcairn Institute of Veterinary Homeopathy Master Course 2023–2024.
We appreciate the endeavors of the students finishing the PIVH training course at the end of this year. To show gratitude and to encourage continued learning, we are discounting tuition by 25% for this meeting.
3) New Graduate Tuition for 4-day meeting only, if by check $450; if by credit card $464.
4) New Graduate Tuition for the Optional day + 4-day meeting, if by check $596; if by credit card $614.

If you register and then cannot make the meeting, you can receive a refund less $50. Please do let us know as soon as you can if you have to change your plans as the closer we get to the meeting, the more awkward for us in terms of meal planning.

Lodging

There is a separate charge for staying at the ranch. They ask us to organize the lodging and collect payment which we then give to the ranch at the time of the meeting. The Pitcairn Institute of Veterinary Homeopathy does not add any charges to this (other than 4% for bank fees & bookkeeping) and the prices reflect what we will be paying the ranch for their service.

The lodging charges include meals. When you check in for the Meeting, or Optional Day, in the afternoon the day before, dinner that night is included. You also will have breakfast, lunch, and dinner each meeting day. On Sunday, half day, there is also breakfast and lunch. The prices below also include tax, so that is already handled.

• Double & Triple rooms (2 or 3 people), price is $242/night; $966 for 4 nights; $1,208 for 5 nights.
• Single rooms*, price is $381/night; $1,526 for 4 nights; $1,907 for 5 nights.

*  There is a very limited number of single-room options. We assign the few available based on the dates of registration — precedence to the early registrants. If you request a single and it is not available we will get in touch with you and look at the option of doubling with someone and see if you still want to do it.

Staying Off-Site

It is also an option to stay off the ranch and come in each day to attend the meeting. This also will be the remaining choice once the ranch lodging is filled (about 40 capacity). The closest towns are Fountain Hills (8-10 miles from the ranch) and also Mesa, about the same distance. They have many motels.
If this is your choice, then the ranch charges a “Day Use” fee for your use of the facility. The charge does include lunch.

• Day use only (including lunch), price is $54/day, $215 for 4 days or $269 for 5 days.
• Breakfast, if you want to come early to also have breakfast, there is an additional charge of $19 for that. So breakfast and day use together would be $73/day.
• Extra dinner, for those staying off-site, coming for the day, and also wanting to stay into the evening to mix with colleagues, the price is $44/dinner. So dinner and day use together would be $98/day.

Menu

Note: We veterinarians practicing homeopathy have focused on the goal of alleviation of suffering in our patients, and many of us have realized that for this goal to be achieved this focus must include all of our fellow animals.

The menu for the meeting is predominantly a vegan menu to bring a focus on healthy, environmentally sensitive, and compassionate foods. We have offered this menu for the last decade and those attending have found it an enjoyable health-conscious retreat to rejuvenate both body and mind.

Please fill in the comment box on the registration form for any dietary requests you might have such as food allergies or any non-vegan meal options.

Transportation

Airports
If flying, the main airport is the Sky Harbor Phoenix airport. The ranch is outside of Phoenix proper, about a 30-40 minute drive (32 miles) and one option is to rent a car. However, once at the ranch, there is really no need for a car so it may be easiest to use the available taxi services.

There is also Phoenix-Mesa Gateway Airport in the southeastern area of Mesa. If convenient to fly there it is a little closer to the ranch (25 miles).

From Airport to Ranch
George Transportation, (602) 509-6669, charges by the number of people, so check with him on rates (last time it was about 80-100 for a group, one way). A limitation will be the amount of luggage you have so I anticipate 2-3 people sharing that ride is a practical limit. By appointment.

Of late, some people have taken Uber or Link. We do not know of the cost of this choice, but likely to be more reasonable than a taxi.

Driving There
If you are driving, the address for the ranch is 13020 Bush Highway, Mesa, AZ 85215. You can check their website for information and a map.

REGISTRATION

We have acative registration for the upcoming meeting in February 2026.
Here is the link to it — PIVH Annual Meeting in Veterinary Homeopathy 2026