Quality of life scale

We understand that the hardest decision a pet parent can make is when to say goodbye. Euthanasia is a difficult, but compassionate decision. Answering our clients questions about quality of life and comforting them is something we feel is very important. ​Dr. Alice Villalobos, a veterinary oncologist, has developed a quality-of-life scale for dogs so that owners can act on behalf of their beloved animal family members as a pet's end of life approaches. The quality-of-life scale provides guidelines that help owners and veterinarians work together to maintain a healthy human-animal bond. The scale provides a tool with which to measure the success of a palliative care or hospice plan for a dog with life-limiting disease and to fine-tune that care/plan.

Dr. Villalobos' quality-of-life scale looks at seven different categories and scores each parameter from 1 to 10, with 10 being the best. A score above 5 in each category, or an overall score greater than 35, suggests that the dog's quality of life is acceptable and that it is reasonable to continue end-of-life care and support.

Never hesitate to reach out to the PAH team with questions about your pet's quality of life.