Welcome to Edinburgh!
It is our great pleasure to welcome you to this special Veterinary Dermatology Congress, held in the unique and inspiring setting of Edinburgh Zoo, as we celebrate the 50th anniversary of the BVDSG. Reaching this milestone is a testament to the dedication, collaboration, and scientific curiosity of our wonderful community, and we are delighted to mark the occasion together with you.
This year’s programme brings together leading experts and practitioners to explore advances in allergic skin disease, offering a stimulating series of lectures, discussions, and opportunities for shared learning. Whether you are here to deepen your clinical knowledge, exchange ideas with colleagues, or discover new perspectives, we hope you find the scientific sessions both enriching and engaging.
Beyond the lecture hall, we encourage you to take full advantage of our extraordinary venue. Edinburgh Zoo offers a rare chance to connect our field with the wider animal world, and we hope you will enjoy time to explore its remarkable inhabitants and surroundings.
Our social programme has been designed to celebrate not only our history but also the friendships and collaborations that define our community. Join us for an unforgettable dinner here at the zoo, and later for an evening of Scottish hospitality with a traditional ceilidh at the Ghillie Dhu—an opportunity to relax, connect, and perhaps learn a few new dance steps.
Thank you for being part of this landmark event. Your presence helps shape the future of veterinary dermatology, and we are honoured to celebrate this 50-year journey with you.
We wish you an inspiring, enjoyable, and memorable congress.
Warm regards & looking forward to be welcoming as many of you as possible for this unforgettable experience,
Ariane Neuber
President BVDSG
A beautifully converted church, now a traditional Scottish bar and restaurant nestled in the West End of Edinburgh’s city centre.
The Ghillie Dhu is in the centre of Edinburgh, and a 10-minute taxi or a 15-minute bus ride from the Holiday Inn. There are bus stops almost immediately in front of the Holiday Inn and the Ghillie Dhu, and buses run at least every 5 minutes (X18, X19, 26, 31, X38, 100 Airlink, Scottish Citylink 900). For your own convenience and flexibility, we kindly ask that you coordinate your own travel to and from the Ghillie Dhu.
Stylish Edinburgh hotel next to Edinburgh Zoo, with an indoor pool and a fitness centre. Near the M8 motorway. Experience comfort, convenience and unforgettable views
The Holiday Inn is located next door to Edinburgh Zoo.
Prof. Ralf S. Mueller graduated in Munich/Germany, completed his doctoral thesis in 1987, and worked in several large and small animal practices before completing a residency in veterinary dermatology at the University of California/Davis in 1992. In 1992 he moved to Melbourne/Australia to work with his partner and wife Dr. Sonya Bettenay. Together, they created the first, purpose-built specialist practice in Australia. During that time, Dr. Mueller was concurrently consulting and teaching at the Veterinary Teaching Hospital/University of Sydney. Ralf and Sonya established (and continue to conduct) the Distance Education Program in Veterinary Dermatology of the Centre for Veterinary Education of the University of Sydney. In 1999, Ralf became Assistant Professor in Veterinary Dermatology at the College of Veterinary Medicine and Biomedical Sciences/Colorado State University. In 2004, he accepted a position as chief of the veterinary dermatology service at the University of Munich/Germany. His main research interests are allergies and ectoparasites. He has published over 300 studies, articles, book chapters and books and given more than fifteen hundred seminars, lectures and talks all over the world.
Professor Sara Brown is Welcome Trust Senior Research Fellow and Grant Chair of Dermatology at the University of Edinburgh, and Honorary Consultant Dermatologist for NHS Lothian. Her research is focussed on understanding genetic mechanisms in atopic eczema, for therapy development and she provides specialist clinics for children and adults with eczema and rare genetic skin disease.
Kevin is a RCVS and European veterinary specialist in behavioural medicine, and is a senior lecturer in clinical animal behaviour at the Royal (Dick) School of Veterinary Studies, University of Edinburgh. Kevin graduated from the University of Glasgow as a veterinary surgeon in 2005, and worked in a range of first opinion small animal practices across the UK where he developed a strong interest in behavioural medicine. In 2011, Kevin set up a behaviour referral clinic in the North East of Scotland. He moved to the University of Lincoln in 2014 to study a novel anti-anxiety medication for dogs, remaining there to complete a 5-year post combining a residency in veterinary behavioural medicine and PhD research on frustration in dogs. In his current, Kevin teaches clinical animal behaviour to both undergraduate and postgraduate students, and runs the Behaviour Clinic within the Hospital for Small Animals seeing cats and dogs. His research interests include developing psychometric tools for assessing and monitoring problem behaviours in cats and dogs, assessing the efficacy of treatments for such problems, and furthering the understanding of the complex interplay between medical and behavioural problems.
Daniel Combarros graduated from the University of Zaragoza (Spain) in 2012. Following two years of work in private practice in Paris and southern England, he completed a rotating internship in small animal medicine at the Veterinary Faculty of Liège (Belgium). He then decided to specialize in dermatology, undertaking internships in the specialty at the University of Nantes and in Toulouse (France).
Between 2017 and 2020, he completed a dermatology residency of the European College of Veterinary Dermatology, earning his specialist diploma (Dipl. ECVD) in 2021. His doctoral thesis (PhD) focused on studying skin barrier defects in dogs with atopic dermatitis, using both in vivo and in vitro models (reconstructed epidermis). He currently works as an associate professor of dermatology at the Veterinary Faculty of Toulouse.
