The most difficult decision most pet owners face is knowing when it’s time to say “Goodbye,” but assessing your pet’s quality of life can help you provide compassionate care and reduce uncertainty surrounding end-of-life decisions. The Southern Crossing Animal Hospital team is uniquely positioned to assist pet owners in assessing a pet’s quality of life as they approach their senior years or face a terminal illness. Although each pet is different, we discuss various assessment methods.

Pet quality of life indicators and measurement tools

Monitoring various quality-of-life parameters over time can provide insight into a pet’s overall condition as they age or struggle with a chronic or terminal illness. We recommend pet owners download Grey Muzzles, an app that allows for a quick daily assessment and plots good, bad, and neutral days on a calendar. 

You must consider your pet’s personality when evaluating the following factors to decide if a day has been good or bad:

  • Appetite — Appetite loss can indicate declining health or generalized pain, although some pets will always continue to eat. Some pets who do not lose their appetite will have other issues that prompt the need for euthanasia.
  • Mobility — Poor mobility because of weakness, muscle wasting, or joint disease can create other health problems for pets, including hygienic concerns if they lose bowel or bladder control, or cannot properly posture to eliminate. Poor mobility can also indicate that your pet requires pain management. 
  • Pain — Pets often hide mild to moderate pain, but you may notice behavior changes when that pain worsens. Possible indications include pacing, panting, hiding, isolating, anxiety, irritability, refusal to move, and changes in appetite or overall energy.
  • Life enjoyment — Sometimes quality of life comes down to a subjective feeling about your pet. You know intimately their preferences, behaviors, and attitudes, which means you can spot changes, assess the significance of those changes relative to your pet’s personality, and decide if the issue is getting better or worse.

Consulting our veterinary team

Our veterinary team has a close and personal relationship with you and your pet. Although you know your pet best, we can provide valuable insight into your pet’s condition and make predictions that help guide your treatment decisions. With each pet care visit, we’ll complete a physical examination and listen to your concerns before discussing our thoughts regarding options to improve quality of life—or a lack thereof. We work together with pet owners to arrive at personalized and compassionate recommendations.

Palliative and hospice care for pets

Palliative and hospice care focuses on providing comfort and pain relief for terminally ill pets. Many pet owners choose this option when they do not wish to pursue futile, stressful, or financially restrictive treatments. The goals are to manage pain, improve appetite, and address other uncomfortable symptoms using medications and complementary therapies, such as acupuncture, physical therapy, and massage. Ideally, this care takes place in your pet’s home to reduce stress.

When to consider euthanasia

Deciding to euthanize a pet is never easy but is often the most compassionate choice when quality of life is significantly compromised. Although the decision is nuanced and requires consultation with family and our veterinary team, you may consider euthanasia for the following broad reasons:

  • Your pet has more bad days than good.
  • Your pet no longer appears to enjoy life.
  • Your pet’s quality of life is rapidly declining.
  • Additional veterinary care is unlikely to change your pet’s condition.
  • Your pet’s care has become emotionally or financially overwhelming.

Assessing your pet’s quality of life is deeply personal and emotional. The Southern Crossing Animal Hospital team will strive to provide you with information about your pet’s condition, make recommendations that fit your beliefs, and support you through your pet’s end-of-life process. If you are concerned about your pet’s quality of life or would like to plan for the future, contact us to schedule a consultation.