What is a Veterinary Dermatologist?

A Veterinary Dermatologist is a veterinarian who has expertise in the diagnosis and treatment of animals with disorders of the skin, ear, mouth, hair and nails. In veterinary medicine, a Veterinary Dermatologist is also the specialist for the diagnosis and treatment of allergies.

Dermatologic conditions can be complicated to diagnose and treat.  Years of training are required to become a specialist or Board-Certified in Veterinary Dermatology. 

This training involves:
 -A Bachelor of Science degree in biology, life sciences, animal science, or related fields
 -A Doctor of Veterinary Medicine (DVM) degree from attending 4 years of veterinary medical school
 -A one year internship in small animal surgery and medicine at a large, multi-specialty veterinary hospital
 -Two to three years in a Veterinary Dermatology Residency. Most residencies are conducted at University Veterinary Teaching Hospitals.

All Board-Certified Veterinary Dermatologists are Diplomates of the American College of Veterinary Dermatology. The American College of Veterinary Dermatology is a specialty organization affiliated with the American Veterinary Medical Association.

To become a Diplomate, a veterinarian must:
 -See a large number and wide variety of Dermatology cases during the Residency
 -Conduct and publish research in the field of Veterinary Dermatology
 -Pass a rigorous, multi-day examination in order to prove competency in all areas of Veterinary Dermatology

Veterinary Dermatologists diagnose and treat:
 -Infectious and noninfectious skin diseases
 -Parasitic skin diseases
 -Autoimmune diseases
 -Allergy and allergy-induced skin diseases
 -Skin manifestations of systemic disease (including internal malignancy), cancer of the skin, cysts and other tumors of the skin
 -Chronic ear disorders

Veterinary Dermatologists perform specialized diagnostic procedures including:
 -Cytological smears
 -Intradermal tests for allergic diseases
 -Fungal cultures and other microbiologic examination of skin scrapes and secretions
 -Video otoscopy
 -Myringotomy
 -Skin biopsy
 -Microscopic examination of skin biopsy specimens

For more information about Veterinary Dermatologists and the American College of Veterinary Dermatology, please visit http://www.acvd.org/