ABSTRACT
The approach to a case of otitis externa is no different to that of any disease: 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. This may include general anaesthesia, imaging and the taking and submission of samples for further investigation.
