Senior dog quality-of-life checklist — what to track, weekly

Who this is for

Owners of dogs over 8, particularly with any chronic condition (kidney disease, heart disease, arthritis, cancer, dementia). Owners of large or giant breeds from age 6. Anyone who wants a structured way to notice the small changes that, in aggregate, become the big changes.

How to use it

1. Print the list (or copy into a notebook).
2. Fill it the same day each week — Sunday morning works for most households.
3. Use a pen, not a pencil. You will be tempted to revise older scores; resist.
4. Score each item: 0 (much worse than baseline) / 1 (mildly worse) / 2 (about normal) / 3 (better than usual).
5. Note one short observation in the margin: what changed this week?
6. Take the sheet to the vet at every visit, even routine ones.

The 14 items

1. Sleep architecture. Settles easily; sleeps deeply; wakes alert.
2. Appetite. Eats their normal amount of their normal food without coaxing.
3. Water intake. Drinks normally — not noticeably more, not noticeably less.
4. Walking on flat ground. Pace, length, and enthusiasm comparable to last month.
5. Stairs. Manages without hesitation, slipping, or refusing.
6. Rising from rest. Stands without struggling or extra time.
7. Posture and gait. Standing position normal; no hunching, head-drooping, asymmetric posture.
8. Greeting at the door. Comes to greet you with their normal level of interest.
9. Play / interaction. Engages with toys, family, walks at their normal pace.
10. Toileting. Goes outside (or to the appropriate place) without accidents; passes normal stools.
11. Grooming. Self-grooms; coat looks clean; no unusual licking of one area.
12. Breathing at rest. Quiet, slow, no abdominal effort.
13. Eyes and face. Bright, tracking, present. No drooling, head tilt, third-eyelid prominence.
14. Engagement with household. Spends time in the family rooms; not hiding more than usual.

Threshold flags — when to call the vet

Any of these warrant a non-urgent vet appointment within two weeks:

• Three or more items at score 0 in a single week.
• The same two items at score 0 or 1 for three consecutive weeks.
• A single sudden change of two points (3 to 1, or 2 to 0) on any item.

Any of these warrant a same-day vet appointment:

• Item 12 (breathing) at 0 — laboured breathing or breathing rate over 40 sustained at rest.
• Refusal of water for > 24 hours.
• Inability to rise without assistance.
• Collapse, seizure, or unresponsiveness.
• Acute neurological signs (head tilt, circling, sudden disorientation).

Taking it to the vet

Hand your vet the sheet. Ask: “What does this trend tell you that I might be missing?” A vet looking at three months of weekly data sees something different from a vet looking at the snapshot in the consult room.

Many vets will, in response to a clear printed tracker, suggest: targeted bloodwork (catching kidney disease early), trial of analgesia (catching pain that has been hidden), referral to a specialist (when the trend warrants it), or — when relevant — open the quality-of-life conversation in a structured way.

Editorial reference, not veterinary advice. — Dr. NRS, last reviewed 27 April 2026.