ABSTRACT
INTRODUCTION The approach to a case of otitis externa is no different to that of any disease. A look at the signalment will allow the clinician to consider breed, age, and sex predisposition to otitis externa. A case history may be sufficient to allow a working diagnosis of a foreign body to be made. In other cases it may be apparent that the dog has suffered occasional bouts of bilateral otitis externa before and, in these cases, a more detailed approach is necessary.
