Why is my dog dragging her leg, panting, and drooling after a jump?

Question

Our 7 yr. old , 18 lb. Shih Tzu, Sophie, seemed fine . But when she jumped up into the backseat of the car, she suddenly yelped loudly. She started walking dragging her back right leg. . After carefully checking her right back leg and paw for some sign of injury (and finding none), we took her home. Now she is panting and drooling & refuses to move- she seems to be in pain. I don't see any visible injury. Now she is walking backwards! Help? Pet's info: Dog | Shih Tzu | Female | spayed | 6 years and 9 months old | 18 lbs

Lauren Kennedy, DVM · Accepted Answer

It sounds like Sophie injured her leg or back when she jumped into the car. If the problem is in her leg she may have luxated her patella (kneecap) or tore her ACL. If it is her back causing the problem she likely has a bulging disc that is putting pressure on the spinal cord and causing pain. Panting and drooling are both signs of pain or discomfort. And she is probably walking abnormally because it is easier and/or less painful for her. She may also be reluctant to eat if she is in pain. Keep her calm and comfortable tonight. If she is still acting painful in the morning I would recommend taking her to the vet. They may want to perform X-rays and they can give her some pain medication to help keep her more comfortable. I hope this helps. Best of luck.

Why is my dog dragging her leg, panting, and drooling after a jump?

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