As our pets enter their senior years, their needs and well-being often require a closer look. Ageing pets can experience declines in health that may go unnoticed without a proactive approach from their owners. Dogs, cats and other animals tend to be stoic, showing little outward distress even as they endure chronic pain, fatigue or other age-related issues.
Unlike humans, pets don’t have an emotional attachment to their pain; they experience it, but they don’t dwell on it or express it in a way that’s always recognisable to us. This difference makes it especially important for pet parents to objectively monitor their pet’s quality of life as they age.
Dr Sandra Karlsen, the lead veterinarian at Goodbye Good Boy, a renowned at-home euthanasia service, is a strong advocate for this kind of regular assessment. Recognising the challenge many pet parents face in identifying a pet’s declining quality of life, she created a free, online quality-of-life calculator designed to provide pet owners with an objective framework to evaluate their pet’s well-being, and to help them make informed decisions about their care as they grow older.
Why stoicism in pets can mask their pain
Animals naturally disguise pain or discomfort as a survival mechanism. While this trait has helped them thrive in the wild, it can become an obstacle in a domestic setting, where their well-being depends on their human caregivers’ awareness of their health status.
Because of their stoic nature, pets can continue to eat, walk, or even play despite serious underlying health issues. These behaviours can be misleading, giving the impression that they are in better condition than they really are.
Pet owners often find it difficult to distinguish subtle signs of ageing, such as decreased mobility, changes in appetite, or altered sleep patterns. Dr Sandra says that an objective approach is essential to identifying these changes. “It’s so important that pet parents take an active approach to confirming their concerns around their pet’s quality of life,” she explains. “In my work, I often see it as a topic that pet parents would rather avoid, when in fact it’s one of the kindest things we can do.”
“It is up to us to be brave for our pets at the end of their lives,” says at Goodbye Good Boy’s Lead Veterinarian Dr Sandra Karlsen
The first step in managing a pet’s quality of life is to develop a routine of regular assessment, focusing on areas like physical comfort, mobility, appetite and emotional well-being. However, many owners may struggle with the subjectivity of this process, finding it hard to separate their hopes for their pet’s recovery from the reality of their decline. Dr Sandra’s online tool aims to support owners through this emotionally charged assessment, offering an unbiased perspective.
The Goodbye Good Boy Quality-of-Life Calculator provides an evidence-based scoring system that guides pet parents through questions about their pet’s health, offering a clearer picture of whether their pet’s quality of life is stable, declining or potentially in need of more intensive care.
“I wanted to create an online tool to make this process easier for pet parents and spark conversations about quality-of-life in pets,” says Dr Sandra. “Pets often need more care towards the end of their lives, and this is a way to point pet parents in the right direction.”
The calculator’s goal is not to replace professional advice but rather to serve as a starting point, helping pet parents observe and assess without the bias that emotional attachment can bring. By focusing on clear indicators like weight stability, mobility, pain levels and cognitive function, the tool helps owners prioritise their pet’s comfort and dignity in their later years.
The importance of proactive quality-of-life assessments
Taking an active role in assessing a pet’s quality of life is a responsibility that every pet parent should embrace, even though it can be emotionally challenging. Often, owners avoid this topic, reluctant to face the possibility that their beloved companion might be nearing the end of their life. Yet, initiating this discussion, either with oneself or with a vet, is ultimately a compassionate act that puts the pet’s well-being first.
Quality-of-life assessments, whether done at home with the help of a tool like Goodbye Good Boy’s calculator or during a veterinary check-up, allow pet parents to identify when their pet’s condition may be deteriorating. By being diligent about this, pet parents can make the most informed choices about their pet’s care, including managing pain, adjusting activity levels, or exploring palliative care options. For many, this can make the difference between a pet spending its final days in comfort versus suffering.
By offering a reliable, accessible way to evaluate their pet’s health, Goodbye Good Boy helps pet parents make compassionate decisions that put their pet’s quality of life first.
It’s a call-to-action to pet owners to embrace a proactive role in their pets’ well-being, ensuring that they receive the care and dignity they deserve in their senior years.
For more information, visit Goodbye Good Boy.
Image: Goodbye Good Boy
This is a sponsored article produced in partnership with Goodbye Good Boy
