About Us
Advanced Dermatopathology. Trusted Expertise. Clinical Collaboration.
VetSkinLab is a specialized dermatopathology consultation service built for veterinary dermatologists, with expanding support for clinicians managing dermatologic disease. We provide expert interpretation across the full spectrum of skin disease, with particular strength in complex and diagnostically challenging cases.
VetSkinLab: A different model—by design
Built for specialists across the full spectrum of disease
Designed specifically for veterinary dermatologists, our service supports both everyday diagnostic needs and the most challenging cases.Focused caseload—not scaled for volume
We limit case volume to ensure careful interpretation, consistency, and strong clinicopathologic correlation across both routine and complex cases.Direct pathologist access
You have direct access to the dermatopathologist reviewing your case, enabling direct collaboration before and after submission. We take time to understand your clinical differentials to support well-integrated interpretation.
This focused model allows for continuity and consistency across submissions, enabling confident clinical decision-making over time.
Dr. Verena Affolter
Dr. Verena Affolter, Dr. med vet., PhD, DECVP, trained at the University of Bern and Cornell University and earned her PhD in Comparative Pathology from the University of California, Davis. She is a long-standing faculty member at UC Davis, where she also served as Chief of Anatomic Pathology, and has led a dermatopathology consultation service for over a decade.
Dr. Affolter is a leading authority in the field, with extensive expertise in dermatopathology, immunopathology, and complex inflammatory and proliferative skin diseases. She has served as treasurer, president, and past-president of the International Society of Veterinary Dermatopathology and the American Academy of Veterinary Dermatology, and is a member of the Veterinary Dermatology Editorial Board and the European Society of Veterinary Dermatology.
Dr. Barbara McMahill
Dr. Barbara McMahill, DVM, PhD, DACVP, completed her DVM at the Technical University of Lisbon, followed by advanced dermatopathology training, a pathology residency, and a PhD in Comparative Pathology at UC Davis.
She has contracted with IDEXX for over a decade and is a member of the IDEXX Dermatopathology Team. She has served as an associate editor for Veterinary Dermatology and remains actively involved in scholarly publishing.
A past president of the International Society of Veterinary Dermatopathology, she remains actively engaged in advancing the field through research, peer review, clinical collaboration and professional leadership.