We wish our pets could talk to us and tell us how they’re feeling, but sadly they cannot. At least not in words. If you pay attention, however, there are several ways to get a better understanding of their well-being and the overall quality of life they are experiencing.
Our veterinarians are available for at-home quality-of-life consultations, but sometimes assessing how your pet is feeling is something you have to monitor on a day-by-day basis. Here, our veterinarians share their best knowledge and advice on assessing your pet’s health and comfort, so you can make informed decisions about their care.
Read on for tools and guidance on understanding your pet. If you have questions about assessing your pet’s health that are not answered here, get in touch with our support specialists and we’ll help you the best we can.
Understanding whether or not your pet is experiencing a good quality of life starts by observing your pet’s behaviour and asking yourself some key questions:
Once you have answered these questions for yourself, you can go deeper in your assessment using the HHHHHMM Quality of Life Scale. This tool is commonly used by veterinarians when they are assessing quality of life in the companion animals they are treating. Developed by a veterinarian named Dr. Alice Villalobos, HHHHHMM stands for Hurt, Hunger, Hydration, Hygiene, Happiness, Mobility, and More Good Days Than Bad.
We have developed our own version of the HHHHMM Scale, and we offer it to you in a PDF worksheet that you can use to help you assess your pet. On the sheet you will find more details about each of the quality-of-life factors in the HHHHMM scale, so you can better use them to understand your own pet’s situation.
The next step in understanding the well-being of a pet who is aging or experiencing illness is to start keeping a daily observation journal. It can be as simple as boiling down your pet’s daily behaviours to “this was a good day” or “this was a bad day.” Keeping a journal like this can help you monitor trends in your pet’s well-being. Over time, it will become a valuable and reliable source of information as you strive to advocate on your pet’s behalf.
In assessing your pet’s well-being on a day-to-day basis, it can also be helpful to make a list of three to five of your pet’s favourite things. For example, your cat might enjoy being groomed, lying in their favourite sunny spot, eating meals and treats, or chasing a laser pointer. Your dog might enjoy playing with their ball, getting attention from family members or friends, eating meals and treats, going for walks, or playing with other animals.
How much (or if at all) they are engaging with these favourite things can be a useful factor to make note of in your journal of good days or bad days. If you notice that your pet has decreased interest or inability to achieve their favourite things on an ongoing basis, that is a signal to contact your veterinarian to discuss this change in behaviour with them.
If you would like more tools for determining if your pet is having a good day or a bad day, read on for a few recommended resources.
There is never a good day to say goodbye, even when we know it is the right thing to do. Ohio State University (link via Louisiana State University) has prepared an article to help guide pet owners. This is one of the most popular and easy-to-use scales for assessing the quality of life of your pet. We suggest making copies of the scale on the second page of the document so you can evaluate changes over time.
Dr. Shae Cox, DVM and founder of Blue Pearl Pet Hospice, is a leader in the world of veterinary palliative care and at-home euthanasia. The Blue Pearl “In-Home Hospice” blog features several useful articles on understanding and supporting an ill or aging pet. Use the search form to find articles on “Recognizing Pain in Dogs,” “Recognizing Pain in Cats,” and “Understanding Quality of Life,” and more.
Veterinary Partner provides reliable and up-to-date animal health information to support you in the care of your pet. They have a very useful article with sound guidance on making this very difficult decision. You can also use the search box to find and read more about various health conditions, medications and care suggestions for pets.
Assessing Quality of Life and Euthanasia in Companion Animals
Another very useful reading resource is the veterinary blog from Colorado State University’s veterinary school. Search for articles such as “Euthanasia Considerations,” “When Is It Time for Hospice Care?” and “Considering Your Pets Quality of Life in the Midst of Disease.”
When advanced illness begins to impede your pet’s daily well-being and enjoyment, it is time to think about your pet’s quality of life. Ideally, we do not want to wait until our pets’ favourite things cease to offer any pleasure for them. The resources and practices above can help you understand your pet better, and help you in your decision-making.
If you have questions about assessing your pet’s well-being, or would like to book a quality-of-life appointment with one of our veterinarians, please get in touch. Our support specialists are here to help.
