Compassionate, structured support to understand your pet’s comfort and wellbeing
When your pet isn’t quite themselves, it can be difficult to know what you’re seeing.
Are they slowing down because they’re ageing – or because they’re uncomfortable?
Is that change in appetite something small, or something more serious? Are they still happy?
PawSquad’s Quality of Life support is designed to give you clarity, structure and compassionate guidance at any stage of your pet’s life.
Before booking a consultation, we recommend starting with the Quality of Life Assessment tool* within the Health and Happiness trackers in your PawSquad account. This simple set of structured questions helps you reflect on your pet’s comfort, mobility, appetite and enjoyment of life. As you complete it, the tool builds an objective picture and provides a clear traffic-light score, giving you an immediate sense of how well your pet’s wellbeing is currently supported.
For many owners, this tracker alone provides reassurance, and this can be returned to at regular intervals to keep an eye on things. If the results raise concerns, or you would value talking things through in more detail, a Quality of Life consultation gives you the time and space to explore the findings with a vet.
These consultations are not about replacing your regular vet. They are about helping you think clearly, feel supported, and understand your pet’s wellbeing from the comfort of your own home.
What is a Quality of Life consultation?
A Quality of Life consultation is a longer, structured video appointment with a UK-registered vet, focused specifically on:
- Comfort and pain management
- Mobility and daily function
- Appetite and hydration
- Behaviour and enjoyment of life
- Ongoing chronic or age-related conditions
The aim is simple: to help you objectively assess how your pet is doing, and to support their welfare for as long as possible.
This consult framework has been specifically developed to support owners of elderly or chronically unwell pets .
Who is this consultation for?
Quality of Life consultations can help if your pet:
- Is ageing and slowing down
- Has arthritis or mobility problems
- Lives with a chronic condition such as heart, kidney or endocrine disease
- Is recovering from illness or surgery
- Has experienced appetite, toileting or behaviour changes
- Has good and bad days and you’re unsure what’s normal
- Is reaching a stage where you’re starting to ask difficult questions
Quality of life is not only something we consider at the end of life. It matters at every stage.
How the consultation works
There are three core steps:
1. Structured Quality of Life assessment
Before the consultation, you’ll complete a simple Quality of Life assessment tool (found in the ‘Health and Happiness’ trackers you can access when you sign in to your account). This produces a visual score from green through to orange and red.
- Green suggests quality of life is well supported
- Orange or red suggests changes may be needed
If you go on to have a consultation, your vet will talk you through this assessment and explore:
- Does your pet have more good days than bad?
- Are there patterns emerging over time?
- What are your expectations for their comfort and happiness?
You may also be encouraged to keep a short diary of eating, exercise, toileting and behaviour to track changes objectively.
This structured approach helps separate emotion from evidence, which many owners find reassuring.
2. Recognising pain and subtle signs
Pets are often very good at hiding discomfort – especially cats.
Your vet will help you recognise subtle signs of pain or distress in both dogs and cats and discuss practical steps you can take at home.
They may explore:
- Changes in posture or facial expression
- Reduced grooming or interaction
- Altered mobility or reluctance to jump
- Incontinence or changes in toileting
- Vocalisation or altered sleep patterns
They’ll also discuss when in-practice examination, pain relief adjustments or further investigation may be appropriate.
3. Practical support and next steps
Using the Five Welfare Needs as a framework, your vet will help you consider:
- Suitable environment
- Appropriate diet
- Ability to exhibit normal behaviour
- Companionship needs
- Protection from pain, suffering and disease
Sometimes small changes can make a meaningful difference. For example:
- Home adjustments for pets with mobility issues
- Weight management support
- Managing incontinence with routine changes
- Encouraging eating in pets with reduced appetite
- Exploring physiotherapy or hydrotherapy
Where appropriate, They’ll also guide you towards your regular veterinary practice for hands-on care.
If conversations turn to end-of-life care
Occasionally, a Quality of Life consultation may lead to discussion about euthanasia. That is never assumed or rushed.
If that conversation becomes relevant, your vet will:
- Talk through options gently and honestly
- Help you understand timing and signs
- Discuss practical considerations such as home versus clinic
- Support you in thinking about family members and other pets
The focus is always on dignity, comfort and compassionate decision-making.
You are not alone in navigating this.
Why choose PawSquad for this support?
PawSquad was founded as the UK’s first video vet service in 2015 and is now part of IVC Evidensia, the world’s leading veterinary healthcare provider.
We deliver thousands of consultations every month, with consistently high client satisfaction scores. Our service is built around accessible, structured veterinary guidance that complements in-practice care.
Quality of Life consultations are:
- 30-minute video appointments
- Available between 8am and 8pm
- Delivered by experienced UK-registered vets
- Designed to be calm, unhurried and supportive
They provide time and space that can sometimes feel difficult to find in a busy clinic setting.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is this only for end-of-life situations?
No. Many pets benefit from quality of life assessments months or even years before end-of-life decisions are relevant. The focus is on comfort, wellbeing and ongoing support.
Will this replace my regular vet?
No. This service complements in-practice veterinary care. Where examination, diagnostics or treatment are required, PawSquad will signpost you appropriately.
Can we repeat the assessment?
Yes. Quality of Life scoring can be repeated and tracked over time, helping you monitor trends rather than relying on single difficult days.
Support, clarity and reassurance
Loving your pet can make decision-making feel overwhelming.
A Quality of Life consultation provides structure, objectivity and expert guidance so you can feel confident that you are doing the right thing for your pet – whether that means small adjustments at home, further veterinary care, or simply reassurance that they are comfortable and content.
If you would like calm, thoughtful support in understanding your pet’s comfort and wellbeing, you can book a Quality of Life consultation through the PawSquad app or website.
* Please note: If you access PawSquad through an insurance policy, employer benefit or membership partner, the services included may vary. Any additional tools or services recommended here may not be covered within your specific benefit. Please check the ‘My Membership’ section in the app for full details of what is included in your package.