A Quality of Life (QoL) assessment is a compassionate service we provide to help evaluate your pet’s overall well-being, particularly when they are living with chronic illness, pain, or advanced age. The goal is to understand how your pet is feeling, identify areas where they might be struggling, and guide you in making informed decisions about their care and comfort.
What is a Quality of Life Assessment?
A QoL assessment focuses on evaluating key aspects of your pet’s daily life, including their comfort, happiness, and ability to perform normal activities. It considers physical, emotional, and behavioural factors to determine if their current condition allows them to enjoy life meaningfully.
When is a QoL Assessment Needed?
- Chronic Illness: Conditions like arthritis, cancer, kidney disease, or heart
- Declining Mobility: Difficulty walking, standing, or getting
- Appetite Changes: Persistent loss of interest in eating or
- Behavioural Changes: Anxiety, aggression, withdrawal, or unusual
- Advanced Age: Signs of discomfort or decreased engagement in daily
- End-of-Life Decisions: When you’re unsure if your pet is still experiencing a good quality of life.
What Does a QoL Assessment Involve?
- Discussion: We’ll talk about your pet’s medical history, behaviours, and any concerns you’ve noticed. We’ll ask about their appetite, energy levels, interaction with family members, and ability to enjoy favourite activities.
- Physical Examination: A thorough exam to evaluate pain levels, mobility, and any signs of discomfort. Diagnostics like bloodwork or imaging may be recommended to assess underlying conditions.
- Assessment Tools: We may use a QoL scoring system to evaluate key areas like pain management, hydration, nutrition, mobility, and happiness. This helps provide an objective framework for understanding their overall well-being.
- Recommendations: Based on the assessment, we’ll discuss options to improve your pet’s quality of life, such as pain management, dietary changes, environmental modifications, or supportive In cases where their QoL is severely diminished, we’ll help guide you through end-of-life decisions with compassion and support.
Why QoL Assessments Are Important
- Supportive Guidance: Helps you make thoughtful and informed decisions for your pet’s
- Pain Management: Ensures your pet isn’t living with unmanaged pain or
- Compassionate End-of-Life Planning: Provides clarity and peace of mind when considering euthanasia as a humane option.
Our Commitment to You and Your Pet
Quality of life assessments are about creating a space for open dialogue and ensuring your pet’s comfort and dignity. Whether it’s finding new ways to enhance their well-being or navigating difficult decisions, we’re here to support you every step of the way.
If you have questions about your pet’s quality of life or think they may benefit from an assessment, please don’t hesitate to reach out. We’re here to help.
