Laura Udraite, Dip ECVD, Dip ACVD 
Dermatological problems in cats can be particularly challenging, as very different underlying diseases may present with similar clinical signs. Pruritus, excessive grooming, alopecia, and skin lesions are frequently encountered in first-opinion practice, but identifying the underlying cause is not always straightforward. A systematic diagnostic approach is essential to distinguish allergic skin diseases from parasitic, infectious, autoimmune, and other dermatological conditions.
In this practical, case-based webinar, we will explore the four main clinical reaction patterns of feline allergic skin disease: head and neck pruritus, self-induced alopecia, miliary dermatitis, and the eosinophilic granuloma complex. We will discuss how to recognize these different presentations, establish appropriate differential diagnoses, and understand the role of feline atopic syndrome (FAS) and feline atopic skin syndrome (FASS).
Particular attention will be given to a step-by-step diagnostic approach to the pruritic cat, including the importance of a thorough history, dermatological examination, cytology, and microscopy. We will discuss how to investigate ectoparasitic infestations, secondary infections, flea-bite hypersensitivity, and adverse food reactions, including the appropriate use of elimination diets and dietary provocation. We will also clarify why environmental allergy remains a diagnosis of exclusion and why allergy testing is not suitable for establishing the diagnosis.
Through clinical cases, we will translate these principles into practical diagnostic and therapeutic decision-making, including the management of secondary infections, control of pruritus, and selection of appropriate long-term treatment strategies. The goal is to provide first-line veterinarians with a structured approach to diagnosing and managing cats with common dermatological complaints.
Laura Udraite, Dip ECVD, Dip ACVD Laura Udraite Vovk graduated in Veterinary Medicine in 1999 from the Lithuanian University of Health Sciences. She worked for more than ten years in general practice, deepening her expertise and gaining valuable experience through observerships in referral clinics in Switzerland, Sweden, and Canada, as well as by attending numerous international congresses and continuing education events, mainly in the fields of endocrinology, dermatology, and reproductive medicine.
She founded and managed one of the largest private veterinary clinics in Vilnius, Lithuania, in which she remains a co-owner to this day.
In 2016, Laura began her specialist training in veterinary dermatology at Ludwig Maximilian University of Munich, under the supervision of her mentors Professor Dr. Ralf Müller and Dr. Sonya Bettenay. In 2020, she successfully passed the board examinations of both the European College of Veterinary Dermatology (ECVD) and the American College of Veterinary Dermatology (ACVD), becoming the first board-certified veterinary dermatologist in Lithuania.
Currently, Laura heads the Dermatology Department of the Teaching Hospital at Ludwig Maximilian University of Munich, works as a telemedicine consultant for private veterinary clinics, and serves as a guest lecturer at the Lithuanian University of Health Sciences. She is actively involved in the European College of Veterinary Dermatology, is a member of the ECVD Examination Committee, and mentors two ECVD/ACVD residents.
Laura is the author and co-author of numerous scientific publications in international peer-reviewed journals. She regularly lectures at national and international continuing education events and congresses in veterinary dermatology and gives presentations in Lithuanian, English, and German.
Laura Udraite Vovk schloss im Jahr 1999 ihr Studium der Veterinärmedizin an der Litauischen Universität der Gesundheitswissenschaften ab. Sie arbeitete über zehn Jahre in der Allgemeinpraxis, vertiefte ihr Fachwissen und sammelte wertvolle Erfahrung durch Hospitationen in Überweisungskliniken in der Schweiz, Schweden und Kanada sowie durch die Teilnahme an zahlreichen internationalen Kongressen und Fortbildungsveranstaltungen, vor allem in den Bereichen Endokrinologie, Dermatologie und Reproduktionsmedizin.
Sie gründete und leitete eine der größten privaten Tierkliniken in Vilnius, Litauen, an der sie bis heute als Mitinhaberin beteiligt ist.
Im Jahr 2016 begann Laura ihre Weiterbildung zur Fachtierärztin für Veterinärdermatologie an der Ludwig-Maximilians-Universität München unter der Anleitung ihrer Mentoren Professor Dr. Ralf Müller und Dr. Sonya Bettenay. Im Jahr 2020 bestand sie erfolgreich die Fachprüfungen des European College of Veterinary Dermatology (ECVD) sowie des American College of Veterinary Dermatology (ACVD) und wurde damit die erste board-zertifizierte Dermatologin in Litauen.
Derzeit leitet Laura die dermatologische Abteilung des Lehrkrankenhauses der Ludwig-Maximilians-Universität München, arbeitet als Telemedizin-Konsultantin für private Tierkliniken und ist als Gastdozentin an der Litauischen Universität der Gesundheitswissenschaften tätig. Sie engagiert sich aktiv im European College of Veterinary Dermatology, ist Mitglied der ECVD-Prüfungskommission und Mentorin von zwei ECVD/ACVD-Residenten.
Laura ist Autorin und Mitautorin zahlreicher wissenschaftlicher Publikationen in internationalen peer-reviewten Fachjournalen. Sie referiert regelmäßig auf nationalen und internationalen Fortbildungsveranstaltungen und Kongressen im Bereich der Veterinärdermatologie und hält Vorträge in litauischer, englischer und deutscher Sprache.
