PIVH Annual Meeting

Our last meeting, 2023. Much fun.

The Annual Meeting in Veterinary Homeopathy 2024

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 first three days, Thursday to Saturday, February 22 to 24, from 9 am to 5:30 or 6 with a long lunch break for relaxing, swimming, hiking, or studying. Sunday, the 25th, is a half day, ending about noon.

In addition, on Wednesday, February 21, we will again offer the popular Optional Day for discussion and dialogue, most likely outdoors.

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 2024

The formal 4-day meeting described above is scheduled every hour with speakers and topics. This optional day (Wednesday, February 21) is organized in a different way. 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 that 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

Fourteen presentations during the four days, five by Richard Pitcairn, three of them 1.5 to 2 hours in length. Seven by other speakers.

Easy Cases
These are nine small cases from notes I made during the time of my homeopathic veterinary practice in Eugene, Oregon from 1985 into the 1990s. They are good examples of working cases and curative results in homeopathic practice.
(Richard Pitcairn, DVM, Ph.D.)

More Cases
These are six more complete cases from records of my practice in the 1990’s. They are more complete in that I have dates as to when they were treated and have added some case analysis to help with our study of them. They are commonly seen health concerns such as poor physical condition, irritability, chronic constipation and itchiness and demonstrate the use of homeopathy in practice. I finish the presentation with a discussion of the method I used at that time.
(Richard Pitcairn, DVM, Ph.D.)

Managing Gray Boy
Example of managing a cat case homeopathically over a period of time. Started with a skin condition, but moved into an abscess from a cat fight, then jealousy of a new cat, and lastly loved fighting so much that another abscess was gifted.
(Richard Pitcairn, DVM, Ph.D.)

Rubric Study
We use the rather common condition of canine otitis to study the remedies in the rubric for this condition. We go through the remedies pulling out what may serve as guiding symptoms for the ear condition and then expand that into the more general indications for the remedy. It is a method of remedy study with focus on a condition.
(Richard Pitcairn, DVM, Ph.D.)

Abdominal Tumor —A Case From James Kent
A challenging case of a woman with very large tumor in her abdomen. We can learn from his work as what to expect in some of these serious and advanced cases. It is interesting that he used high potencies over a year and half to resolve it. Good example of patience.
(Richard Pitcairn, DVM, Ph.D.)

Metabolic Syndrome: A Current Epidemic
Metabolic Syndrome is a term used to describe horses with both a metabolic and a hormonal disorder characterized by obesity, regional adiposity, insulin resistance, and laminitis. This syndrome appears to have a multi-factorial etiology with a wide variation in presentation. According to figures from the American Association of Equine Practitioners, we are facing an epidemic of over 20% of all horses at risk of developing Metabolic Syndrome.
Constitutional treatment with homeopathy has been seen to improve an individual’s resistance to this syndrome. With the use of intercurrent hepatotropic remedies, significant curative responses are seen. This lecture will focus on several of these remedies including Podophyllum, Digitalis, Taraxacum, and Carduus marianus.
(Cindy Lankenau, DVM)

The Miasms; A Closer Look
The whole time I have studied and practiced Homeopathy when the word “Miasms” came up my eyes just glazed over. If someone presented a case at our meetings and said “This is clearly Sycosis”, I would think “Oh?, that’s nice.” What I knew about the Miasms could fill one whole sentence.
I have known I was missing something very important, so I decided to do my own study and take a closer look at the Miasms.
These were my goals:
1. Be able to ultimately say what the Miasms are in my own words–based, of course, on
Hahnemann’s words; along with quotes and passages from other homeopathic scholars
and teachers.
2. Appreciate and defend/prove they are important in understanding a case
3. Know how to use this understanding to improve prescribing
   …and finally
4. Present this in a paper at our Meeting.
(Chris Barrett, DVM)

A Case of Dermatitis – Autoimmune Skin Disease
“Dermatitis” is a broad term and usually scares people due to the low success rate and typically overmedication used in conventional veterinary medicine.  It is a common understanding that “Itchy Skin” cases are challenging to treat in homeopathy also because most of the time such cases are already suppressed before the presentation. This is an interesting case of suspected autoimmune skin disease. It is often terrifying to hear the term “autoimmune condition” but this case demonstrates that if you stick with the principles of homeopathy and continue the investigation, the case unfolds itself.
(Ila Tewari, DVM, CVH)

Success with Classical Homeopathy: From Theory to Practice
Treating Complicated Chronic Cases: Fragile Elderly Patients and Oversensitive Patients with Low Vitality. Gentle and deep treatment implementing the LM doses.
Often, we encounter situations where we have found the simillimum for a patient, but their reaction is too strong, leading to unbearable aggravation. Alternatively, the remedy may be well-suited, but we must frequently adjust the dose due to the rapid progression of their ailment.
This is where gentle and profound treatment comes into play, utilizing LM doses. Dr. Hahnemann’s genius was revealed in the 6th edition of the Organon, where he introduced the possibility of gentle daily dosing.
We will discuss practical implementation with the help of case examples from practice.
(Lena Gdalevich, DVM)

Epidemics and Homeopathy: Then & Now
(With updated Parvo info)
Homeopathy attracted serious attention in Europe during the late 1700s and early 1800s with success against Scarlet Fever, Asian Cholera, and Typhus.  When homeopathic physicians came to the United States in the early 1800s, the American public embraced homeopathy as a safe, gentle form of medicine, unlike the common methods of the day – bloodletting, purging, and heavy metal use (mercury, arsenic, and lead).  The great results of homeopathic treatment inspired a monument to Hahnemann in Washington DC, the first dedicated to a physician, and to a foreign-born person not involved in the American Revolution.  But he was the leader of the greatest medical revolution.
Homeopathy is still a great option for epidemics we face today, and this talk will focus on three -— death by prescription drugs, cancer, and suicide in the veterinary profession.  This may seem an unlikely grouping, but all three can be helped by homeopathy.
I’ll conclude with an update on another epidemic, Parvo in dogs.  I’ll present the latest stats from my practice, where we have used only nosodes and homeopathy to help prevent and treat Parvo since 2012.  Spoiler alert — we’ve still seen no death from Parvo in pups receiving nosodes, with thousands of doses given.  And we are also helping these pups avoid further vaccinosis, or the immune dysfunction resulting from conventional ‘puppy shots’.(Todd Cooney, DVM)

Homeopathy For Horses — 4 Cases
The first one is regarding Neptune, an 18 yo Friesian. He had habronemiasis which is an infestation of nematode eggs/larvae in several wounds from the vector the stable fly. The Merck Veterinary manual says “Many treatments have been tried, most with poor results.” The interesting aspect of this case is that Neptune has not had any habronemiasis since that time.
The second case concerns Cedar, a quarter horse purchased from a Montana Ranch that breeds and trains their stock to be good trail horses. He was horribly allergic to everything, manifesting in a greasy, hive covered (with crusts) hair coat. He was constantly itching and a bit spooky. Treated with homeopathy last year this summer we realized he had not experienced any allergic symptoms.
The next case is a horse named Keno. Because of a refractory lameness condition, he has had practically every joint injected by other veterinarians without success. He also had hives and was constantly itching, as well as unable to stand still — constantly fussing with the owner, eating the lead rope, biting at her hands, as well as moving about such as pushing forward & sideways, even during treatment and conversations. Much progress made.
Last Case is Amir. He is a 16 yo Arabian gelding.  From failure of passive transfer to becoming allergic to his mare’s milk, to colic surgery, to a compounded/open fractured limb, and currently an amputee with a prosthetic. We used wound cleaning and homeopathic remedies to get him through the difficult time.
(Corine Selders, DVM, CVA, CVMMP)

Meeting Tuition

We charge a little more if paid by credit card to cover the bank expense of using that method.

Tuition for the 4 day meeting is $595 if by check (made out to ANHC Education Programs and sent to 7149 Lantana Terrace, Carlsbad, CA 92011). (If paid in Canadian or Mexican currency then $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 paid in Canadian or Mexican currency then $513 US).

Tuition for optional day + 3 day meeting = $795 by check (Canadian or Mexican currency $662 US); or if by credit card $819 (Canadian or Mexican currency $688 US).

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.

• Quad rooms (4 people), price is $203/night; $814 for 4 nights; $1017 for 5 nights.
• 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 coming 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 a number of 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, along the way, have come to the realization that for this goal to be achieved this focus must include all of our brothers and sisters. We cannot be partial in the sense of extending compassion to certain animals while ignoring what is happening to the rest of the animal kingdom. While not all have taken this step, those of us putting on this program have chosen to make the gesture of providing a primarily vegan menu at the ranch. There will be some choice exceptions for those not ready for this, but almost all the dishes will be made without requiring the suffering or death of animals. We have offered this menu for the last eight years and those attending have found it quite enjoyable.

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

This is not active at this time. We will establish reservations for the 2024 meeting once we have organized the details. Should be soon.

Other Questions?

Contact Kathy Combs, secretary to the Academy of Veterinary Homeopathy who is helping us out. You can reach her  at (760) 230-4784