VdQd is an initiative of veterinary microbiologist Dr Dirk Houwers, who has more than 40 years of experience in the diagnosis and epidemiology of all kinds of infectious agents in animals, including dermatophytes. He knows better than anyone the importance of a careful, knowledgeable interpretation of a laboratory test. Too often it is assumed that ‘a laboratory’ will provide a reliable result. Diagnostics using contemporary ‘DNA technology’, such as PCR, offers significant advantages but requires very careful implementation and expert interpretation. It is therefore extremely important that the development and application of tests based on PCR is based on ‘diagnostic experience’, a thorough knowledge of and experience with the technique used, and, extensive clinical and epidemiological knowledge.