How Do I Know When it is Time?
Does my pet have a good quality of life?
Choosing the timing of saying goodbye can be the hardest part of pet ownership. See the resources below or contact us with any questions.
Quality of Life Scales
There are several quality of life scales that can help you have an additional tool to gauge quality of life.
Several include:
-
HHHHHMM (Hurt, Hunger, Hygiene, Hydration, Happiness, Mobility, More Bad Days Than Good)
-
The Ohio State University Vet School also has a quality of life scale
As a reminder, these tools are not designed to make the decision for you, but instead to help be a guide.
Other Considerations
I recommend clients choose their pet's 5 favorite things to do. That can be something like playing with a specific toy, doing a certain behavior, or interacting in specific ways.
When our pets stop doing these things, it can indicate pain/discomfort, or a declining quality of life.
Consider things like mobility, appetite, interactions with other animals and humans, ability to use the bathroom appropriately.