What is the HHHHHMM pet quality-of-life scale?

HHHHHMM is a seven-part quality-of-life scale developed by veterinarian Dr. Alice Villalobos: Hurt, Hunger, Hydration, Hygiene, Happiness, Mobility, and More good days than bad. You score each area from 0 (poor) to 10 (ideal). A total above 35 out of 70 suggests a quality of life still worth supporting; 35 or below is a signal to talk with your vet soon.

How do I use a quality-of-life tracker?

Score each of the seven areas from 0 to 10 once a day, ideally at the same time, for about a week — and have more than one family member score on their own. Add the seven numbers for a daily total out of 70. What matters most is the trend over several days, not a single day, and any one very low area (especially pain or breathing) matters on its own. Bring the filled-in sheet to your vet.

What score means it might be time?

On the HHHHHMM scale a total above 35 out of 70 suggests an acceptable quality of life to keep supporting, and 35 or below is a signal to talk with your veterinarian soon. But the scale is a conversation-starter, not a verdict — a consistent downward trend, or a very low score in a single critical area like uncontrolled pain or difficulty breathing, matters regardless of the total. Your vet reads it with you.

Pet Quality-of-Life Tracker

A printable weekly tracker on the vet-used HHHHHMM scale. Score each of seven areas from 0 (poor) to 10 (ideal) once a day for about a week. Add them for a daily total out of 70 — above 35 suggests a quality of life worth supporting; 35 or below is a signal to talk with your vet. What matters most is the trend, and any one very low area — especially pain or breathing — matters on its own.

Prefer to score online? Use the calculator →

Weekly quality-of-life tracker: seven areas scored 0 to 10 across seven days
Area — score 0 (poor) to 10 (ideal)	Day 1	Day 2	Day 3	Day 4	Day 5	Day 6	Day 7
Date
Hurt Is pain controlled? Is breathing OK?
Hunger Eating enough — with or without help?
Hydration Drinking enough, or needing fluids?
Hygiene Kept clean after elimination, free of sores?
Happiness Still shows interest, joy, response?
Mobility Can get up and move, with or without help?
More good days than bad Did good days outnumber bad?
Daily total (out of 70)

Reading the score

Above 35 / 70 — a quality of life worth continuing to support. Keep tracking the trend.
35 or below — a signal to talk with your vet soon.
Any single very low area — especially uncontrolled pain or difficulty breathing — matters on its own, whatever the total.

Notes for the vet

Adapted from the HHHHHMM Quality of Life Scale by Dr. Alice Villalobos. A conversation-starter with your veterinarian — not a verdict, and not medical advice. From Hallowed Paws, an independent resource built for pet owners.