Companion Animal Welfare Assessment: Quality of Life Tools

Overview of companion animal quality of life assessment tools and their welfare applications.

Key Facts

Multiple validated quality of life assessment tools exist for dogs and cats
HHHHHMM scale and similar tools guide end-of-life welfare decision-making
Veterinary-validated scales are more reliable than owner-only assessment
Quality of life monitoring enables welfare tracking over time for chronic conditions
Digital quality of life tools are enabling remote welfare assessment

Welfare Considerations

Companion animal quality of life assessment tools provide structured frameworks for welfare monitoring that enable more objective decision-making than intuitive assessment alone. Validated scales for dogs and cats are available for both disease-specific and general assessment contexts. Regular quality of life monitoring throughout chronic illness enables welfare trend tracking. End-of-life decision-making is supported by quality of life assessment frameworks. Digital tools are expanding access to validated assessment approaches.

What You Can Do

Use validated quality of life tools for companion animals with chronic conditions
Discuss quality of life assessment with your veterinarian throughout illness management
Access resources from veterinary palliative care organisations for quality of life guidance