Observing your dog’s quality of life

Notice everyday comfort

Observe appetite, hydration, mobility, toileting, sleep and ability to settle. Note whether your dog still seeks company or enjoys familiar activities, recognising that preferences can change. A quieter activity may still be rewarding. Compare with your dog’s own normal pattern.

Keep a short record

Keep a brief dated record of comfort, appetite, sleep, toileting and familiar activities. Use concrete observations, such as “needed help to rise twice”, and note medicines given or possible side effects. Record what seemed to help and share changes with the vet.

A single lively moment does not rule out ongoing difficulty, and a difficult day does not decide the outcome. Review the pattern with the veterinary team. Do not wait to collect more entries if your dog is distressed or cannot meet basic needs.

Use the existing private health diary

Do not let a score decide

Checklists can organise a conversation but cannot diagnose pain or decide whether euthanasia is appropriate. Persistent distress, uncontrolled pain or difficulty meeting basic needs warrants prompt veterinary discussion. You do not need to wait for a particular number of difficult days before asking for help.

Support for the whole household

Ask about options for comfort, realistic treatment aims, likely changes and out-of-hours support. Share care responsibilities where possible and tell the practice if caring is affecting your wellbeing. Detailed palliative care, saying goodbye and support after a loss are already covered in our end-of-life and bereavement guide; ageing alone is not a reason to end a dog’s life.

Continue your care plan

Senior & Ageing Dogs · Keeping my dog healthy · New symptoms: find the right next step

Evidence and review

General information, not diagnosis or an individual treatment plan. Sources include veterinary professional guidance, veterinary charities and relevant regional parasite organisations. Clinical recommendations need individual veterinary interpretation.

• AAHA: quality-of-life observations
• AAHA: supporting carers

Report a correction · Our evidence standards