Editorial

Abstract

Welcome to the Seventh World Congress of Veterinary Dermatology and welcome to Vancouver! Vancouver is one of the most ethnically and linguistically diverse cities in Canada, with more than half of its population originating from other countries. It has been acknowledged as the most liveable city in the world by the ‘Economist Intelligence Unit’ for 5 years in a row because of its well thought of urban planning, culture, clean and friendly environment, among other things. Thus, Vancouver could not be a better place to host a World Congress! World Congresses provide such a rich and unforgettable experience to its participants not only because of the cutting edge scientific content being presented but also because they provide the rare opportunity to see colleagues from all over the world and to meet new people. The Seventh World Congress of Veterinary Dermatology promises to be vibrant and memorable; trust me! To give you the essence of what to expect in the scientific arena, this abstract issue summarizes the outstanding scientific programme that you will experience. Covering a broad range of topics in the areas of allergy, immunology, skin biology, therapy, infectious diseases and oncology, we have six State of the Art and six Supporting Review lectures, 20 Supporting Original studies, 69 Free Communications and 122 Posters. This large number of scientific presentations and the high calibre of the material delivered by colleagues from across the globe reflect, unquestionably, the worldwide advancement of the Veterinary Dermatology field, and for this, we should all be proud. The good news is that the State of the Art, Supporting Review and the Supporting Original studies will be published in a special issue of the Veterinary Dermatology journal in June of 2013. Moreover, all registered delegates will receive a hardbound volume, Advances in Veterinary Dermatology 7, which will contain the manuscripts published in the special issue in addition to the workshops. Last but not least, the abstracts published in this issue will also be available at the Veterinary Dermatology Online Library (http://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/journal/10.1111/(ISSN)1365-3164/homepage/wcvd_abstracts_archive.htm), which will prove very convenient to you and colleagues who have not had the opportunity to attend this World Congress. We would like to take this occasion to show our sincere gratitude to the corporate sponsors of the Seventh World Congress of Veterinary Dermatology which truly make this Congress possible. Our special recognition goes to our Principal Sponsors (Bayer, Hill’s, Novartis, Pfizer, Royal Canin, Teva, Virbac and WAVD) and Main Sponsors (Dechra, Elanco and Sogeval). Finally, the Eighth World Congress of Veterinary Dermatology will be in Bordeaux, France, and promises to be as exciting and memorable as this one. We are certain that your experience with the Seventh World Congress of Veterinary Dermatology will be as unforgettable as it is the city of Vancouver!