Quality of Life Assessment

This assessment can be used to monitor how your pet is doing. Answering the questions below will give you a score out of 48, which indicates how today has gone for your pet.

The questions cover the areas that tend to change first when an animal is unwell: pain, appetite, drinking, mobility, sleep and behaviour.

Importantly, one score on its own tells you very little. Tracking the score across days or weeks is far more useful. These scores are most helpful when working with your vet to manage your pet's care.

About this scale(opens in a new tab)

Print the sheets for a dog or a cat

0 of 12 answered

Eating and drinking

1How has your dog been eating today?

Not eatingOnly picking at food, even when coaxedEating some, but needing coaxing or hand feeding to get through a mealEating, but with less enthusiasm, or slower over mealsEating keenly, finishing meals

2How does your dog's drinking today compare with what is normal for them?

Drinking more than normal for them counts as much as drinking less. If they cannot get to the bowl on their own, answer for how much they actually drink.

Barely drinking at all, or drinking almost constantlyFar more, or far less, than their normalNoticeably more or less than their normalA little more or less than their normalMatching their normal

Comfort

3How comfortable has your dog seemed today?

In obvious pain or distress for most of the dayUncomfortable for much of the day, and hard to settleClear discomfort at times: panting at rest, pacing, whining, or a hunched postureThe odd sign of discomfort: some restlessness, or shifting to get comfortableSettled and resting easily, with no signs of pain

4How has your dog's breathing been today?

Struggling to breatheLaboured: effort in the belly, frequent coughing, or the neck stretched out to breatheWorking at it: faster breathing at rest, or some coughingSlightly faster or heavier than expected at rest, at timesQuiet and easy throughout

5How did your dog settle and sleep last night?

No real sleep: distressed through the nightUnsettled most of the night: pacing, panting or cryingA broken night: restless spells, wandering or pantingA little restless, but slept most of the nightSettled easily and slept through

Mobility and body care

6How has your dog been moving today?

Not really able to get up or move aboutNeeding a hand to stand or to walkStruggling with stairs, slipping, or hesitant to get upSlower or stiffer, but managing on their ownGetting up and moving about freely

7How has your dog managed their toileting today?

No control over toileting at allFrequent accidents indoorsOccasional accidents indoorsThe odd near miss, or needing to go out more urgently or more oftenToileting normally, with no accidents

8How well has your dog been kept clean and comfortable in their coat today?

Unable to be kept clean at allOften soiled, or a coat that is mattingCoat becoming unkempt, or some soiling that needs cleaning upSlightly less well kept than usualCoat and skin clean and in good condition

Connection

9How much has your dog sought out company today?

Hiding, or wanting no contact at allTaking themselves away from the familyKeeping to themselves for much of the dayAround and interested, but engaging lessSeeking out the family: following, greeting, settling nearby

10How aware and responsive has your dog been today?

Barely responsiveOften confused: circling, getting stuck, or lost in rooms they knowDull or distant at times, or staring into spaceA little slow to respond, but with itAlert: responding to you, their name, and what is going on around them

Mind and mood

11How much interest has your dog shown today in the things they love?

No interest in anythingLittle interest, even when offered favouritesTaking part only when promptedInterested, but with less sparkFull interest: keen on their walk, toys, food, or favourite spots

12How settled in themselves has your dog seemed today?

Distressed for most of the dayAnxious for much of the day, or hidingAnxious or restless at times: pacing, trembling, or unusually clingyThe odd unsettled spellCalm and untroubled

Overall

Compared with a few days ago, how does your dog seem overall?

Not part of the score. This is your own sense of the direction, which your vet wants to see next to the numbers.

Much worseA little worseAbout the sameA little betterMuch better

Weekly review

Once a week or so, step back from the day to day. These questions look at the week as a whole, and nothing here is added to the score.

Thinking about the whole of the past week, how many good days has your dog had?

A good day is one where they seem like themselves. Most pets with a long term illness have some bad days, so what matters here is the balance between them.

All of them were bad daysMostly bad daysAn even mix of good and bad daysMostly good daysAll of them were good days

How are you going?Optional

These questions are about you rather than your pet. Nothing here is scored. How well you are coping has a real bearing on what is possible in a pet's care, so the answers give you and your vet a clearer picture of where things stand. This is best completed once a week or so.

If you need someone to talk to

GrieflineFree grief counselling and support, 1300 845 745
Lifeline24 hour crisis support, 13 11 14
Pet Loss Support AustraliaCounselling and resources for grieving pet owners

Quality of Life Assessment

This assessment is a guide. It is not a diagnosis, it is not veterinary advice for your individual pet, and it cannot replace an examination. It does not determine whether or when euthanasia is appropriate, which is a decision for you and your vet together.

Written by Dr Ryan Haste BVBio/BVSc for Wattle Veterinary Health. wattlevet.com/quality-of-life-scale

Quality of Life Assessment: trend

This assessment is general information, not veterinary advice, and it is not a diagnosis. It does not replace seeing a vet. If your pet is unwell or distressed, or you are worried, contact your veterinarian or your nearest emergency clinic. See the terms for this assessment.

Written by Dr Ryan Haste BVBio/BVSc for Wattle Veterinary Health.