My chihuahua hurt her back leg. Is it a strain? What should I do?

Hi. I'm sorry Chupa hurt herself. If she is dragging her rear legs she needs to be seems by a vet asap. She may have a back or spinal cord injury. If she can stand and move both legs she may be ok with a bit of rest but if she is dragging her legs at all or wobbly on them then she needs to be checked by a vet. In the meantime don't let her jump up or down on furniture, make sure to carry her up and down stairs and keep her confined to a small area or crate. I hope Chupa is better soon.

Thank you for submitting your question regarding Chico. If he is limping, this means that his leg is painful to him. Being a young dog, muscular injury from rough play is likely. He also could have a congenital problem where his kneecaps are loose and slip in and out of place. This can cause lameness as well. If he is eating and drinking and acting normal otherwise, you can give him strict rest for 24 hours. This means no running, jumping, stairs or playing. Carry him as much as possible. If the lameness does not resolve, then he will need to see his veterinarian. Do not give any over-the-counter pain medications as these can be toxic to dogs. I hope this information helps!

Chihuahuas commonly get neck and back pain from bulging intervertebral discs. They are painful and don't want to move. That sounds like what Darcir experiencing. You should keep her quiet, carry her outdoors to go to the bathroom and no other exercise. Absolutely no jumping. Massaging her back to relieve the muscle spasms will help. This is a serious problem as they can become paralyzed. I recommend taking Darcir to your veterinarian for an exam, X-rays, pain medication and muscle relaxers. They will get a diagnosis and then they can treat her properly. Thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach to help you care for Darcir.

It sounds like Chiquito is in pain. I recommend resting him for the next 48 hours. No running, jumping, or playing. Take him out to toilet on a leash, and bring him right back in when he's done. If he still appears painful after this time, then I would take him into the vet for an exam. The vet can diagnose where the pain is coming from, and can dictate a treatment plan for it. He may also benefit from some pain medications, which the vet can prescribe. Please do not give him any human pain medications, as many are toxic to dogs and can be fatal if given.

If you do not see any improvement since last Friday she definitely needs to go to the vet to get it checked, it could be more than a sprain, it could be a dislocation or a ligament injury for example and this will need to be treated differently.

I'm sorry Zoe isn't feeling well. I would recommend you take her to a veterinarian. This can be something simple as she sprained something but it can also be a cruciate ligament rupture (it is like an ACL in a football player), a Luxating patella (where her knee cap pops out of place or even a break in one of her bones. Without a physical it is hard to determine which one it would be. There are different treatment options depending on what she has going on. Not all of them are surgical. Until you can get her to a veterinarian I would recommend resting her and only taking her outside to go to the bathroom on a leash. I hope Zoe feels better soon and thank you for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach!

It is very likely she has a condition called patellar luxation. This is where the ligament in the knee goes in an out of the socket. She can have this surgically repaired if it becomes a chronic issue and impedes on her quality of life. Otherwise joint supplements (i.e. Dasuquin) may be able to help reduce some inflammation and pain in the joint itself. Have your vet do a simple physical exam and check the knees. Patellar luxation is detectable by a physical exam and doesn't require radiographs to diagnose. I wish you well at the vet. Best wishes with Mindy and take care.