Vet’s 2025 Guide to Equine Quality of Life Assessments – by Dr Duncan Houston
In this article
❤️ Vet’s 2025 Guide to Equine Quality of Life Assessments
By Dr Duncan Houston BVSc
1. What Does Quality of Life Mean?
“Quality of life” in horses refers to daily comfort, ability to express natural behaviours, absence of distress or pain, and meaningful engagement with their environment. Beyond survival, it reflects thriving through physical, mental, and social wellbeing.
2. Why Assess Quality of Life?
- Helps identify chronic issues—pain, laminitis, arthritis—before they worsen.
- Guides decisions on medical treatments, adjustments, or end-of-life planning.
- Supports transparent, compassionate discussions with owners.
3. Assessment Domains
- Physical health: weight, coat, locomotion, appetite.
- Pain or discomfort: lameness, posture, response to palpation.
- Behaviour & mood: attitude, social interaction, willingness to work.
- Environmental comfort: shelter, turnout, company.
- Nutrition & hydration: access to quality forage and water intake.
4. Tools & Scoring Systems
- Quality of Life scales: 0–10 scores across domains (Comfort, Pain, Enjoyment).
- Body Condition Scoring (BCS) and pain scales (e.g., Composite Orthopaedic Pain Scale).
- Quality-of-life checklists: daily logs tracking feed intake, mobility, demeanour.
- Veterinary wellness exams: combine physical exam with owner questionnaires.
5. Conducting an Assessment
- Choose consistent intervals—monthly during illness, quarterly for aging horses.
- Observe calm, free-moving horse in familiar environment.
- Score each category independently.
- Discuss owner observations and align on thresholds for action.
- Document findings and plan follow-up dates.
6. Interpreting Scores
- Stable, high scores → maintain current care.
- Declining scores → investigate causes (dental, musculoskeletal, metabolic).
- Persistently low scores → consider treatment revision, lifestyle changes, or compassionate options.
7. Integrating with Health Plans
- Use QOL data to tailor nutrition, exercise, dental, farriery, and environment.
- Add supplements or pain medications when physical comfort declines.
- Adjust stalling, turnout, social contact based on mental well-being.
- Schedule diagnostics (imaging, blood tests) if pain or organ signs appear.
8. Owner Engagement & Ethical Decision‑Making
- Share results compassionately—using visuals to show progress or decline.
- Encourage honest owner reflections on effort vs reward.
- Respect owner emotions; allow shared decision-making.
- Start end-of-life talks early when quality is declining.
9. When to Consider Euthanasia
Euthanasia may be the kindest, when:
- Pain is unmanageable despite treatment.
- Mobility and enjoyment are permanently compromised.
- Chronic disease (e.g., untreatable laminitis, advanced cancer) reduces QOL drastically.
- Owner resources or emotional toll are exhausted.
Consider fast vs careful protocol, how to involve the horse’s routine, minimize stress, and aftercare options.
10. Follow-Up & Changes Over Time
- After any treatment or transition, assess QOL at 1 week, 1 month, then monthly.
- Track trends—early recovery vs persisting decline.
- Use records to support unexpected changes or veterinary referrals.
11. Ask A Vet Support 🩺
With Ask A Vet, owners gain:
- Walkthroughs for daily/weekly QOL scorecards.
- Photo/video consultations to assess mobility, demeanour, eating.
- Guidance on threshold scores for lifestyle change or end-of-life care.
- Support with aftercare planning and grief counseling resources.
Download the Ask A Vet app for compassionate QOL tracking, decision tools, and heartfelt support in 2025 and beyond. ❤️
12. Quick Reference Summary Table
| Domain | Score 8–10 | Score 5–7 | Score 1–4 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Physical | Bright coat, normal mobility/appetite | Mild stiffness, reduced appetite | Obvious lameness, weight loss |
| Pain | No signs of pain, relaxed gait | Occasional stiffness, discomfort | Persistent pain, reluctance to move |
| Behaviour | Alert, curious, interactive | Some dullness, less interest | Withdrawn, depressed |
| Environment | Happy in current setting | Some stress, needs adjustments | Distressed, anxious continually |
| Nutrition | Normal eating and hydration | Occasional picky eating/water | Poor intake, dehydration |
13. Final Thoughts
Quality of life assessment is a powerful way to ensure your horse lives with dignity, comfort, and joy. It guides care decisions, highlights change early, and promotes compassionate outcomes. With Ask A Vet’s supportive tools and expertise, owners stay informed and emotionally supported every step of the journey through 2025 and beyond. ❤️
