Assessment of the Awareness and Use of Quality of Life Tools in Small Animal Practices in Germany.

The assessment of animal welfare and quality of life (QoL) is a critical aspect of veterinary practice. While the development of standardized tools to measure QoL has been widely discussed, there is limited research analyzing how these tools are applied in clinical practice. This study investigates the current state of QoL assessment in small animal medicine in Germany through a mixed-methods approach. A survey was conducted with veterinarians and veterinary assistants, assessing the awareness and use of QoL assessment tools in practice. In addition, interviews with veterinarians were conducted to examine their perceptions and experiences regarding the use of QoL measurement tools and the assessment of QoL itself. The findings indicate that the use of standardized QoL assessments is rare and often primarily done while doing studies. Factors hindering the widespread use of these instruments include lack of time, lack of awareness, the perceived lack of need and resistance to fitting the individuality and subjectivity of QoL into a schema. As beneficial features of such tools, veterinarians mentioned the possibility of documenting and tracking QoL and the enhancement of the relationship between professionals and clients. Further research should therefore not only focus on development but also on dissemination of such tools.