Pallo

I discovered an all new level of terror today. Your dog having a seizure is bad enough. When they have a seizure while you are floating down the river, with no way to get to the car quickly and no cell phone, that is an entirely different kind of terror.

Pallo is fine. We went down to the park to float down the river. I parked at the boat ramp, then walked to the south end of the park and got in the water with the dogs. Pallo was a little reluctant to get in, so I held the handle on his lifejacket and supported him while he got in, which normally helps him and makes him fine. But the second I let go of his life jacket, he tipped forward and his head went underwater. I pulled him back up and to shore immediately, but he was totally unresponsive. Whole body rigid, blank stare, drool spilling out of his mouth and down his chin even though his jaw was clenched shut. I didn't really have any options- I couldn't carry him all the way back to the car like that, certainly not quickly. We sat on the bank for quite a while, then finally I got on my float, loaded him on my lap, and floated down the river back to my car, figuring it was the fastest way to get back. Pallo came out of it gradually, first gazing around a little, making some noise, etc, then slowly having his muscles relax. By the time we got to the point to get out, he was feeling chipper and bouncy and back to himself.

I will say, I am extremely glad that I drove across town to buy a second life jacket for the dogs before going down the river, because had both dogs not had good life jackets on, I would have had no choice but to either sit on the river bank until Pallo came out of it, or try to carry him back to the car.