Peer-reviewed veterinary case report
Dog with sudden leg stance after muscle injury fixed with external
By Ridge, P A & Owen, M R·Published in The Journal of small animal practice·2005·Eastcott Veterinary Hospital·View original on PubMed →
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Original publication title: Unusual presentation of avulsion of the lateral head of the gastrocnemius muscle in a dog.
- Species:
- dog
Plain-English summary
A 5.5-year-old male neutered golden retriever suddenly couldn't use his left back leg properly about a month after a traumatic injury. The vet diagnosed him with an avulsion of the lateral head of the gastrocnemius muscle, which means a part of his calf muscle had torn away. The first treatment didn't work, but after using a special type of line and an external fixator to hold everything in place, the surgery was successful. Eighteen months later, the dog was walking normally again.
People also search for: dog leg injury treatment · golden retriever limping after trauma · gastrocnemius muscle tear in dogs
Abstract
A five-and-a-half-year-old, male neutered golden retriever was presented with sudden onset, plantigrade stance of the left pelvic limb one month after a traumatic incident. A diagnosis of avulsion of the lateral head of the gastrocnemius muscle was made based on clinical signs and radiographic assessment. Initial wire reduction and fixation were unsuccessful. However, reduction and fixation with monofilament leader line augmented with a trans-hock external fixator resulted in a successful outcome. The dog had a normal gait 18 months after revision surgery.
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Search related cases →Original publication on PubMed: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/15835239/