Turn the animal on its back to examine the groin and the axillae. Take your time examining interdigital spaces, nails and footpads. Inspect the ear canals. Identify primary lesions and learn which secondary lesions are diagnostically important. It is important to keep a record of the lesions and their locations so that a comparison can be made at follow up visits.
Adequate lighting is essential.
The degree of pruritus 2. The distribution of pruritus 3. The nature and distribution of primary lesions. Primary lesions are important because they are a reflection of the underlying etiology. They are not always present in chronic cases therefore a systematic examination is very important.