In this article
- What Is the "Good Days vs. Bad Days" Method?
- Why This Method Matters
- How to Track Your Pet's Days
- Working With Your Veterinarian
- Quality of Life Assessment Tools
- Finding Emotional Support
- Finding Peace in Difficult Decisions
How Will I Know When It’s TimeNavigating Quality of Life in Pets: The Good Days vs. Bad Days Method
Navigating Quality of Life in Pets: The Good Days vs. Bad Days Method
Dr. Karen Whala
February 01, 2025
Monitor your pet's quality of life by tracking good and bad days. A good day means engagement, interaction, and appetite. A bad day shows withdrawal, discomfort, and decreased activity. More good days than bad indicate a decent quality of life.
Tracking Good Days vs. Bad Days: A Compassionate Guide to Assessing Your Pet's Quality of Life
Watching a beloved pet grow older or struggle with illness is one of the hardest journeys we face as pet parents. We want nothing more than to ensure our companions are comfortable and happy for as long as possible. One approach often recommended to families is the "Good Days vs. Bad Days" method for monitoring quality of life. This simple tracking technique can provide clarity during an emotional time and guide you toward the kindest decisions for your furry family member.
What Is the "Good Days vs. Bad Days" Method?
At its heart, this approach involves noting each day as either "good" or "bad" for your pet, based on their overall comfort and happiness. Over time, this creates a clear picture of your pet's well-being and helps you see patterns that might otherwise be missed in day-to-day care.
On good days, your pet:
- Shows interest in life around them
- Enjoys favorite activities, even if modified
- Has comfortable mobility appropriate to their condition
- Eats well and maintains hydration
- Seems content, with pain well-managed
- Interacts with family members
- Has that special "spark" in their eyes
On bad days, your pet might:
- Show signs of pain or discomfort (panting, whining, restlessness)
- Refuse food or water
- Experience vomiting, diarrhea, or incontinence
- Show extreme lethargy or withdrawal
- Have difficulty breathing
- Seem confused or disoriented
- Appear to have "checked out" from life around them
Remember that pets—especially cats and dogs—instinctively hide signs of pain or illness. This is why tracking over time is so valuable; it helps you see beyond the moment and recognize true patterns in your pet's condition. For further insights, consider reviewing signs that your pet may be nearing the end of life.
Why This Method Matters
Tracking good and bad days provides several important benefits:
- Creates clarity over time
- Reduces emotional bias
- Reveals patterns and triggers
- Facilitates family communication
- Guides difficult decisions with compassion
How to Track Your Pet's Days
Choose a simple system: A wall calendar, notebook, digital spreadsheet, or specialized pet health app can work equally well. The important thing is consistency.
Make it a daily habit: Set a specific time each day to reflect and record.
Include helpful details: Note specifics such as appetite, mobility, pain levels, social interaction, bathroom habits, sleep quality, favorite activities, and medication effects.
Review regularly: Every week or two, assess overall patterns.
Working With Your Veterinarian
Your observations are invaluable to your veterinary team. Consider bringing your tracking journal to appointments—this information helps your veterinarian understand how your pet is really doing at home and guides their recommendations.
Ask your veterinarian about specific signs to watch for based on your pet's condition, such as respiratory rate for heart disease or appetite and thirst for kidney disease.
Quality of Life Assessment Tools
- The HHHHHMM Scale evaluates Hurt, Hunger, Hydration, Hygiene, Happiness, Mobility, and More Good Days than Bad.
- Online quality of life questionnaires complement daily tracking and aid veterinary discussions.
Finding Emotional Support
Monitoring your pet's decline is emotionally challenging. Be gentle with yourself:
- Connect with understanding people.
- Seek professional support through pet loss hotlines, support groups, or counselors.
- Create meaningful experiences for your pet on good days.
- Trust your tracking process. If you struggle with anticipatory grief, find guidance here.
Finding Peace in Difficult Decisions
When your tracking shows that bad days consistently outnumber good ones, it may be time for the final act of love. Quality of life is about the richness and comfort each day provides.
Your careful observations ensure that decisions come from understanding rather than fear. Families often find comfort afterward in their tracking journals, knowing they made compassionate choices at the right time.
Preventing suffering is the greatest gift we give our companions. When the time comes, your pet can leave peacefully, surrounded by love, before prolonged suffering takes its toll. Learn more about the euthanasia process to understand what to expect.
The bond with your pet doesn't end when you say goodbye. By honoring their needs—tracking good days, celebrating joy, acknowledging pain, and making peace with letting go—you fulfill the sacred promise to love them well, all the way to the end.
This article is dedicated to all the loving pet parents who walk this difficult path with courage and compassion.
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