SIGNALMENT:

5 1/2-year-old female Labrador retriever.

HISTORY:

Two weeks prior to presentation, the dog slipped on a hardwood floor. Prior to that, the dog had a history of some type injury to the right rear leg a year ago. Now she is limping on the right hind limb, the hock is flexed to greater degree than the contralateral limb, and the toes are flexed (Figure 1).

DIAGNOSIS:

Palpation of the leg reveals a thickening of Achilles tendon for approximately 5-6 cm proximal to its insertion on the calcaneous. A diagnosis of partial rupture of the Achilles tendon with the superficial digital tendon remaining intact was made.

Figure 1

Standing view, right rear leg. Note
flexion of the toes indicating the
superficial digital flexor tendon is
intact. Note the thickening visible
at the tip of the calcaneous where
the Achilles inserts.

Surgical resection of the Achilles tendon was done, removing affected tendon back to the point that normal tendon structure could be identified. A drill hole placed in the calcaneous was used to anchor the tendon to bone using #2 Nylon suture in a modified Kessler locking loop pattern. The limb was immobilized postoperatively using a transarticular Kirschner Ehmer apparatus.

ACKNOWLEDGMENT:

Thank you to Dr. Greg Strathe, Strathe Veterinary Hospital, for this referral.