Quick answer: what this calculator does
This free, two-minute pet quality of life calculator helps you assess seven parts of your dog or cat's daily wellbeing: pain and breathing, appetite, hydration, hygiene, happiness, mobility, and whether good days still outnumber bad. Each area is scored from 0 to 10 for a maximum total of 70.
In the original HHHHHMM framework, a total above 35 was proposed as an acceptable quality of life reference point. It is not a pass mark or a euthanasia decision. Severe pain, breathing difficulty, collapse or another serious problem can outweigh the total.
How this pet quality of life calculator works
Choose dog, cat or other pet, then answer seven questions based on what you have actually observed over the last one to two weeks. Try not to score only today's best hour or a single bad moment. If several people care for your pet, completing the assessment separately can reveal differences worth discussing.
This ASK A VET™ calculator is a guided adaptation of the HHHHHMM quality of life framework developed by veterinary oncologist Dr Alice Villalobos. The fixed answer choices, four guidance bands, safety overrides and trend messages are features of this calculator.
What the HHHHHMM quality of life scale measures
| Area | What to consider |
|---|---|
| Hurt | Pain control and breathing comfort. |
| Hunger | How much your pet actually eats and whether meals require coaxing. |
| Hydration | Whether your pet drinks and keeps fluids down. |
| Hygiene | Ability to toilet, groom and remain clean and dry. |
| Happiness | Interest in familiar people, routines, food, play and resting places. |
| Mobility | Ability to rise, walk, reach essentials and toilet comfortably. |
| More good days than bad | The overall pattern across the last one to two weeks. |
How to understand your pet's quality of life score
The bands below are ASK A VET™ guidance for this calculator, not validated categories from the original HHHHHMM scale.
| Total | Guidance band | What it means |
|---|---|---|
| 56–70 | Quality of life looks good | Keep this as a baseline and reassess if anything changes. |
| 46–55 | Some needs are under strain | Arrange a veterinary review of the lowest areas. |
| 36–45 | Borderline in this tool | Have a timely, honest discussion with your veterinarian. |
| 0–35 | Serious welfare concern | Seek prompt veterinary assessment. |
Quality of life signs in dogs, cats and other pets
Dogs
Watch for changes in getting up, walking, toileting posture, sleep, interaction and breathing.
Cats
Cats often show illness through quieter changes: hiding, reduced grooming, a hunched posture, squinting, avoiding jumps, missing the litter tray or eating less.
Rabbits, birds and other species
The seven broad welfare areas can support a conversation about another species, but normal behaviour and emergency signs differ greatly.
When not to wait for a quality of life score
Contact a veterinarian urgently for struggling or open-mouth breathing, blue or very pale gums, collapse or reduced responsiveness, uncontrolled pain, repeated or prolonged seizures, inability to pass urine, uncontrolled bleeding, repeated vomiting with inability to keep fluids down, or a rapid deterioration that worries you.
Pet quality of life calculator FAQs
What does HHHHHMM stand for?
HHHHHMM stands for Hurt, Hunger, Hydration, Hygiene, Happiness, Mobility and More good days than bad. The original framework gives each area a score from 0 to 10.
What is a good quality of life score for a dog or cat?
The original HHHHHMM framework proposed a total above 35 out of 70 as broadly acceptable. Treat that as a reference point, not a guarantee.
Is there a score that means it is time to put a dog or cat down?
No. A low score should prompt a veterinary assessment and an honest discussion, not an automatic decision.
Can a pet quality of life score improve?
Yes. Treating pain, nausea, dehydration, infection, dental disease or mobility problems can improve individual domains and the total.
What counts as a good day or a bad day?
A good day is reasonably comfortable and includes essential needs plus some engagement with valued people, routines or activities. A bad day is dominated by pain, nausea, fear, breathlessness, withdrawal or inability to eat, drink, toilet or move comfortably.
Can I use this calculator for rabbits, birds or other pets?
You can use the broad domains as a conversation aid, but the same score may not mean the same thing in every species. Seek species-specific advice.
What should I take to a quality of life consultation?
Bring this result, earlier scores, a good-day/bad-day calendar, a current medication list, short videos of mobility or breathing changes, and notes about appetite, drinking, toileting and sleep.
Veterinary review
By Dr Duncan Houston. This educational calculator supports a veterinary conversation; it does not diagnose disease or replace an examination by your own veterinarian.
Last medically reviewed 21 August 2026.
Clinical basis and sources
- Villalobos AE, Kaplan L. Canine and Feline Geriatric Oncology: Honoring the Human-Animal Bond. Wiley-Blackwell.
- American Animal Hospital Association and IAAHPC. End-of-Life Care Guidelines.
- Testoni I, et al. Validation of the HHHHHMM Scale in the Italian Context. Animals. 2023;13(6):1049.