Assessing Your Pet's Quality of Life
- Caresse Rios, DVM
- Jul 1
- 2 min read
Understanding your pet's quality of life can assist you in making a more informed decision that emphasizes their comfort and dignity. By observing their behavior and using the tools below, you can evaluate pet's health and well-being. Although each tool may have a different approach, they all aim to provide clarity in assessing your pet's overall quality of life. Based on your preference, these assessments can be conducted daily, weekly, or monthly.
This is an interactive tool from a provider of in-home end of life care for pets, Lap of Love. The scale includes categories such as social interactions, natural functions and pain. You will choose whether you agree with a statement on your pet's condition which is assigned a score. Summing these scores can give you a clear picture of pet's overall quality of life.
This is an article that covers not only your pet's quality of life but the decisions involved in end-of-life care and the emotional toll on the pet owner.
Hospice or Palliative Care focuses on patient comfort rather than curing disease. This guide introduces several ways to address mobility issues, hygiene, and modifications owners can make at home to improve their pet's quality of life.
If there are children at home that love your pet, you may wish to review this guide on discussing your pet's condition and end-of-life care with them.
Veterinary Input
Regular Veterinary visits are important to evaluate your pet for advancing disease and signs of discomfort. Your Vet can evaluate your pet's hydration, mobility and check for signs of pain. While euthanasia is a deeply personal decision, your Veterinarian can offer clarity on physical factors that can help you to understand your pet's condition and quality of life.
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