Hi Kinipela -
Are you concerned about the ribs because she is crying when you lift her?
If you know there was trauma or injury to her chest, I strongly recommend radiographs be taken, to evaluate for fractured ribs. These little ones have very fragile bones and can displace or fracture ribs or boens in their sternum easily.
If there are any signs of limping or tenderness along the back, a spinal injury is also possible. This can seem to be (or go along with) rib pain.
If you've already seen a vet for initial screening (exam and radiographs) and everything seems clear, then there are a few options to help reduce pain and speed healing.
Your vet probably prescribed (or will prescribe) an anti-inflammatory medication, like Metacam, Previcox, Deramaxx, or some others. These can be given safely as long as the rest of the body is healthy. PLEASE don't give aspirin. Although lots of vets used to use aspirin frequently for dogs, it isn't approved for use in dogs, and has been shown to induce stomach ulcers in dogs.
Supplements you can consider: Essential fatty acids - fish oil supplements. Use a very clean, pure form (should have very little fishy smell) and dose her at about 250-500mg of combined DHA and EPA daily (look at the label, add up the DHA and EPA amounts)
Nordic Naturals is a good brand; your vet may also carry or recommend a reputable brand. These help reduce inflammation and increase blood flow. Don't use these if your dog has a bleeding disorder or is on anti-clotting drugs.
Arnica is a very nice, gentle, very safe homeopathic medication for bruising and muscle pain. Give 1 tablet of the 30C formula twice daily for 4 days. This can be found at most health food or natural food stores.
There are several herbal formulas that can be helpful in speeding healing, depending on the severity of the injury and the pet's other characteristics. Consultation and exam with a veterinarian trained in Chinese or Western herbal medicine shoudl be done before starting any herbal formulas. You can find a local vet by going to www.ahvma.org or www.ivas.org or www.tcvm.com
Along those lines, treatment with a veterinarian who has training in chiropractic or osteopathic spinal care and/or acupuncture can be wonderful when healing from an injury - returning the spine to a neutral position and releasing any restrictions will help allow normal nerve function, normal blood flow, normal movement. This can be a huge release, with very little medication. The above websites can lead you to those practitioners as well.
Good luck!
Dr. Matt
Dog Veterinarian
Caring for dogs with medicine, surgery, acupuncture, herbs, spinal therapy for 14 years.