Companion Animals

Companion Animal Welfare Quality of Life Assessment

Quality of life assessment tools for companion animals help owners and veterinarians make welfare-conscious decisions about treatment intensity, management, and end-of-life care.

Key Facts

HHHHHMM scale assesses Hurt, Hunger, Hydration, Hygiene, Happiness, Mobility, More good than bad
Multiple validated scales exist for dogs, cats, and horses with different clinical contexts
Quality of life is subjective from the animal's perspective requiring careful proxy assessment
Regular assessment tracks welfare trajectory over time for progressive conditions
Palliative care decisions benefit from explicit quality of life monitoring

Welfare Considerations

Quality of life welfare assessment provides a framework for welfare-conscious decision-making in companion animal care. Using validated tools rather than intuition alone improves the quality of welfare decisions. Regular assessment creates accountability for maintaining good welfare throughout illness.

What You Can Do

Learn to use a validated quality of life scale for your companion animal
Conduct regular quality of life assessments for animals with chronic health conditions
Use quality of life data to guide conversations with your veterinarian about care decisions