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The effects of arthritis couldn’t stop Baxter the therapy dog from comforting hospice patients.

The 19-year-old Chow/Labrador mix couldn’t walk because of the pain, so his human Melissa Joseph towed him in a wagon from hospital bed to hospital bed. Joseph heaved Baxter onto a patient’s bed and Baxter dispensed cuddles and kisses.

Baxter “eased peacefully from this life” in October, according to Joseph.

Like in Baxter’s case, arthritis can be severe. In some cases pet parents make the difficult decision to euthanize their pets because it is difficult to manage the disease, according to The Dog Daily.

 
Animals with arthritis are suffering from inflammation of the joints, according to Healthypet.com. There are different types of arthritis. The most common is osteoarthritis, where the cartilage that cushions joints wears down and bones rub against each other. The friction can damage the bones themselves. (more…)