Surgical treatment of a case of avulsion of the lateral head of the gastrocnemius muscle in a cat

Abstract Avulsion of the origin of the gastrocnemius muscle is a rare condition typically resulting from an acute, low‐grade local muscle injury: it usually presents as a weight‐bearing lameness with a tarsal hyperflexion. Surgical reattachment of the avulsed portion of the muscle is considered the treatment of choice. Overall, this pathology carries a good prognosis when a positive surgical outcome is achieved. A 9‐year‐old, female, neutered, domestic shorthair cat presented with an acute‐onset, weight‐bearing lameness and a plantigrade stance in the right hindlimb. Clinical and radiographic findings lead to a diagnosis of avulsion of the lateral origin of the gastrocnemius muscle: this was surgically anchored as close as possible to its anatomical origin, the tarsocrural joint was then locked in extension using a calcaneo‐tibial cortical positional screw for 5 weeks, and the leg was splinted for 7 weeks post‐operatively. At the 4‐month post‐surgical follow‐up, the cat showed a satisfactory limb function.