June 2017
Hi Everybody Dr. Norris here.
You may know I'm a dog lover. We have two rescue dogs: Roxy, a 7 year old Border Collie-Lab mix and Opie, a 3 year old Queensland Healer. They are our entertainment and house guardians.
More importantly they are a part of our family.
I came across this article about a remarkable dog. I hope you enjoy it.
Rags was discovered by American soldiers in a Paris bar during Bastille Day, in July of 1918. They thought he was just a pile of rags. But when the bundle of rags barked, he became their new best friend. Sgt. George Hickman took the dog back to the base, where he officially joined the American cause.
The adorable Rags was the mascot of the force, fighting alongside them and boosting morale. The dog would flatten himself when there was a mortar attack. Surprised soldiers found he helped them remain alert, because by watching out for him, they were keeping themselves safe too.
Rags had a long life; living from at least 1916 to 1936. He originally started as a mascot, but then followed soldier’s right to the front. Once there, Rags refused to leave the battlefield. His pal, First Sergeant James Donovan, trained Rags to deliver messages. This was at a time when there were not reliable automated services for communications. According to research, Rags likely saved hundreds of lives by safely transporting messages. Practically overnight, Rags learned how to run messages. He could also tell when shells were coming minutes before the men could hear it, and he would flop over onto his side to let them know.
Another lifelong activity was Rags' daily tour of whatever army base at which he was living. Early on, he would identify the mess halls with the best food and most hospitable staff. He would visit them each day for treats, and most had a special water bowl placed out for him.
Rags achieved great notoriety and celebrity war dog fame when he saved many lives in the Meuse-Argonne Campaign. On October 9, 1918, Rags and Donovan were both the victims of German shellfire and gas shells. Rags had his right front paw, right ear and right eye damaged by shell splinters, and was also mildly gassed. Donovan was more seriously wounded and badly gassed. The two were kept together and taken back to a dressing station and then by delivering a vital message despite being bombed, gassed and partially blinded. Eventually Private Donovan died and Rags was adopted by the family of Major Raymond W. Hardenbergh. In 1920, moving with them through several transfers until in Fort Hamilton, New York, he was reunited with members of the 18th Infantry Regiment who had known him in France. Rags was presented with a number of medals and awards. He is an inspiration to all animal lovers.
If you or someone you love is in pain I will do my best to help...
“Because nobody has time for pain!”
Sincerely,
Dr. Michael Norris
“Because nobody has time for pain!”
Sincerely,
Dr. Michael Norris
HEALTH TIP: Move It, Move It, Move It!
It's no secret that exercise can produce powerful mood-boosting endorphins. But do you really need to break a sweat to reap those benefits? A new study in the Journal of Health Psychology says No;
Simply getting up and moving around seems to reduce feelings of depression, say researchers at the University of Connecticut.
Light physical activity was actually associated with the biggest emotional benefit in the study, compared to moderate and high-intensity exercise. What's nice about what they found is that it didn't take a lot of effort to make a difference. If people get off the couch and go for a little stroll, or go walk around a shopping center, they can potentially see a difference. It's not necessary to push yourself to uncomfortable levels of exercise.
QUOTE OF THE MONTH:
"Even if you are on the right track, You’ll get run over if you just sit there."
– Will Rogers
Disclaimer: The information contained herein is not intended to diagnose, treat, cure, or prevent any diseases or, medical problems. It is not intended to replace your doctor's recommendations.
The information is provided for educational purposes only. Response to care and nutritional benefits may vary from one person to another.
