After graduation from the University of California, Davis in 1971, Danny’s career aspirations morphed in ways unimaginable to him over the next 5 years: from private practice, to private practice with a special interest in surgery, to academia, to internal medicine, and finally to dermatology and teaching. The main attraction to dermatology was its great “black hole” of information. He became the epitome of the university clinician of his era, with his duties specified as teaching, clinical service, clinical research, service to the profession and public through consultation and continuing education, and a plethora of committees.
Danny became a diplomate of the American College of Veterinary Dermatology in 1977, and founded the first Dermatology Service at Cornell University in 1978. His keen clinical observation skills involved him in the original descriptions of 138 skin disorders in 15 species. In all, Danny authored or co-authored over 700 publications, to include the standard textbooks in companion animal, equine, and farm animal dermatology.
A mostly self-taught dermatopathologist, Danny studied and modified for veterinary medicine the game-changing pattern analysis methodology for examining skin biopsy specimens developed by Dr. A. Bernard Ackerman. Danny established a dermatopathology consultation at Cornell in the 1980s. His passion for this “subspecialty” involved him in the original description/evaluation of 37 histopathological entities in 6 species, and resulted in his honorary diplomate status in the American College of Veterinary Pathologists.
Danny’s favorite part of his career was teaching, which included over 5000 students, 27 residents in dermatology, and over 100 residents in pathology. His teaching mission also included over 500 continuing education programs in 40 countries.
Danny was the recipient of 27 professional awards. However, by far the greatest honor and most daunting task of his professional life was shepherding editions 5 and 6 of “The Bible” —Muller & Kirk’s Small Animal Dermatology.
