Skin biopsies in veterinary dermatology

Skin biopsies are an important diagnostic tool in veterinary dermatology. Used appropriately, they can make or confirm a definitive diagnosis or at least guide the clinician in the right direction (e.g. hypersensitivity, endocrinopathy). Sadly, they are all too often performed because the clinician is unsure what to do next and so chooses what is perceived to be the ‘best’ and ‘most comprehensive’ test. In such cases, the patient should perhaps first be referred to a veterinary dermatologist.