VNJ Volume 40 (4) August 2025 | Page 72

Vets2Home – Peaceful Pet Goodbye’ s Quality-of-Life Checker

Directions: Use the key indicators of quality-of-life below to find out how your pet is doing( pain is usually hidden in animals and hard to detect unless you know what to look for which is why we have not included this parameter here).

Fill in the daily( or weekly) diary at the bottom to keep track of your pet’ s condition or“ last season”. Score your pet with the appropriate number for each quality category and then add the numbers from each category for that day( or week). The maximum day score is 12( 84 for the week). If / when the day score is below 8 on average, it is probably time to contact us( or your normal vet) to discuss what more we can do. There usually is a lot more we can do to help your pet at this stage. You can even add bespoke categories that relate to your pet’ s particular situation. For example,‘ Heart / Pulse Rate’ or‘ Respiratory Rate’ if your pet suffers from heart failure or lung cancer. You can give half or quarter points if appropriate.

A Mobility

2 Good Mobility – No difficulty getting around, enjoys walks and going outside

1 Poor Mobility – Difficulty getting up, hard to get in position to do toilet, short walks only

0 Bare Minimum Mobility – Needs assistance, losing footing, toilet / squat / lifting leg not possible, pain medication / anti-inflammatory medications do not help

B Nutrition( Appetite / diet type)

2 Good Appetite 1 Poor Appetite – Hand feeding, needs enticing 0 No Appetite – vomiting / nausea

C Hydration / Fluid balance

2 Adequate intake – drinking as normal( volume / frequency)

1 Poor intake / or increased in some patients with particular diseases

0 Requires oral hydration / subcutaneous fluids

D Interaction / Attitude( greeting at door, play, cuddles, purring, growling)

2 Interacts normally with family and other pets – on own initiative

1 Some interaction with family and other pets – reduced initiative and contact

0 Hides in the closet or under the bed – only contact on your initiative / growls more

E Toilet habits( frequency, consistency, volume)

2 Normal urination and / or defecation 1 Reduced / irregular urination and / or defecation 0 None / no output or very little

F Favorite things( specify 3-5 of these fx. walks, cuddles, ballplay, sitting with you, bird watching.... etc)

2 Normal favourite activities, hobbies, etc 1 Decrease in doing their favourite things 0 No interest in their favourite things

Proposed action and interpretation of QOL scale for total points:

12 – 9: Everything is okay and your pet still enjoys life( and you should too!) 6 – 8: May require intervention, supplementation or adjustment of treatment( contact us to discuss options)

0- 5: Consider humane, gentle euthanasia( contact us immediately 24 / 7) DAILY DIARY FOR:____________________ Start Date:________________