Credit: Jeff Spicer/Press Association

Danny Scott, the James Law Professor Emeritus of Dermatology, was awarded the International Canine Health Awards’ Lifetime Achievement Award, May 22 at the Kennel Club in London.

Scott was honored for his contribution to improving the health and well-being of dogs and other animals through original research on skin diseases and teaching of successive generations of young veterinarians. His peers describe him as one of the best known and most respected veterinary dermatologists in the world.

During his 45-year career at the College of Veterinary Medicine – working on all species, with a particular focus on dogs, cats and horses – Scott developed new methods for analyzing skin lesions that have revolutionized the diagnosis of many different diseases, by making the results of skin biopsies easier to interpret. He was responsible for improving the recognition and treatment of generalized demodicosis in dogs – a distressing condition which previously would often have resulted in euthanasia.

His vast output of published research includes descriptions of 38 novel treatment regimens for various skin conditions, and work on clinical trials of more than 30 drug treatments.

“When I was a veterinary student and I started receiving lectures in dermatology, there were only 35 diseases covered in all species,” Scott said. “Now there are approximately 4,000. … Over the years I described about 50 or so dermatologic diseases which previously had never been recognized in the dog, also around 20 pathological conditions that had never been documented.

“So my dream has come true,” he said. “I’ve helped push the frontier forward in disease recognition and skin pathology.”

His easy-going nature and passion for his subject have made Scott a popular teacher and lecturer. He has guided the early professional careers of 26 veterinary residents and around 100 graduate students. He is also in demand as a speaker, and has given more than 500 presentations at events across the globe.

Scott considers his former residents to be almost as close as family.

“I’m not very actively involved in the profession anymore, but I love picking up a journal, seeing their name on it and remembering when they were a young resident,” he said. “It makes me think that maybe I did make a difference; that’s the one time you stop to think about your own achievements. Not for the things you’ve written or the talks you’ve given, but when your residents do something great – you go ‘wow,’ there’s a little piece of me in there.”

Scott was one of five 2018 recipients of the award, which is run by the Kennel Club Charitable Trust and is funded by Vernon and Shirley Hill of Metro Bank. It recognizes innovative researchers, veterinary scientists and students who are significantly impacting the health and well-being of dogs.

Melissa Osgood is assistant director of media relations and leadership communication at the College of Veterinary Medicine.