Pet Quality of Life Checklist

Regardless of what type of animal you have as a pet, you most likely have an incredibly strong relationship to them. For many people, their pet is their best friend. Unlike humans who can be very unreliable and unpredictable, your pet can offer you a uniquely comforting predictability. 

They are always there for you. Whether you are happy or sad, suffering from depression, your pet is always there. A significant amount of research shows that many kinds of pets can pick up on people’s emotions. For example, dogs often have an incredibly intuitive ability to be friendlier when we are sad.

Whether you have a dog, cat, turtle, pig, lizard, or bird, thinking about euthanizing them can feel overwhelmingly difficult. As a veterinarian specializing in house calls for over 25 years, I have shared thousands of hours helping pet parents decide whether they should humanely euthanize their pet.  

Below is a methodical veterinary quality of life checklist you can use to determine your options.

Medical Prognosis: Is your pet’s condition terminal, or could it improve? If it could improve, can you afford the cost of the necessary treatment regimen?

Life Quality: Is your pet having more good vs bad days? What percentage of time do they seem to be seriously suffering vs. feeling ok? 

Nutrition: Can your pet still eat or drink? Are they losing weight?

Hygiene: Can your pet still urinate or defecate, and are they incontinent? Do they still groom themselves or have they stopped self grooming?

Pleasure: Does your pet still enjoy any activities such as a walk or playing with you?

Pain: How often, and how intense is the pain your pet is experiencing?

Mobility: Can your pet still move around and sit down or stand up without pain, or excessive help?

Cognitive: Does your pet still recognize familiar people and/or are they able to bond and listen to your guidance?

Emotional: Is your pet primarily friendly or do they seem to feel constantly depressed/angry?

Loss of identity: Is your pet suffering so much their fundamental personality is changing and they are no longer themselves?

Safety: Is your pet so impaired by their condition that they are becoming aggressive, by  snapping or biting?

Loss of Dignity: Is your pet soiling themselves, wandering or disoriented?

Overall wellness: Are they having more good than bad days, or the other way around?

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Other critical questions it is important to ask yourself:

  • Does your veterinarian think your pet has any quality of life left?
  • If you wait to euthanize your pet, how great a chance is there that your pet could experience so much suffering that at the very end of their life it will be miserable for them?
  • If you want to keep your pet alive, is it because it is in THEIR best interest, or more based on your own self interest?
  • What do you think your pet would “tell you” if they could talk to you, based on how well you know them?

Reach out to others who can help you

Having shepherded hundreds of veterinary clients through this painful decision making process, and after having humanely euthanized over 20 of my own pets,

I know the kind of pain you are feeling. Make sure to talk to those you trust the most, and your veterinarian, about your feelings. Trying to handle this on your own can worsen your stress!  

If you do not feel like your current veterinarian is someone you can talk about your feelings with, then you can consider consulting a veterinarian who specializes in conducting at-home quality of life assessments. Please click here to see my veterinary quality of life checklist. This checklist can ensure you methodically think through this complex decision making process.

Do not isolate yourself! Research clearly shows a predictor of depression is human isolation. You may even need to talk with a counselor or a religious professional. Sometimes talking to a professional listener can help you make the best decision. Here is a link to my page where I give you good supportive resources you can utilize.  

My heart goes out to you, and I wish you the best as you work through this tough time! If you do decide humane euthanasia is necessary, click here to use my Making it Special guide so the euthanasia respectfully honors your relationship and makes your pet feel as comfortable as possible. 

Quality of Life Pet Checklist