Evaluation of a questionnaire regarding nonphysical aspects of quality of life in sick and healthy dogs.
OBJECTIVE
To evaluate the ability of a questionnaire regarding the nonphysical aspects of quality of life (QOL) to differentiate sick and healthy dogs.


METHODS
120 dogs.


METHODS
The questionnaire was administered by telephone to owners of 120 dogs with appointments at a veterinary teaching hospital. A QOL score was calculated for each dog on the basis of questions relevant to the dog during the 7 days before the interview. Scores were recorded as bar graphs, and linear regression was used to examine the effect of health status and other variables on QOL score. Certain questions were eliminated post hoc, on the basis of defined criteria, and the analyses were repeated.


RESULTS
Scores were similar for sick (range, 670% to 93.8%) and healthy (range, 68.0% to 89.8%) dogs. Environment (suburban vs rural) and duration of ownership were significant explanatory variables and accounted for 10.5% of the variation in the QOL score. Eleven questions were eliminated post hoc. The scores derived from the 2 versions of the questionnaire were highly correlated (r = 0.92).


CONCLUSIONS
There was no evidence that the QOL questionnaire could differentiate healthy dogs from sick dogs; environmental and owner factors appeared to be more important.
Wojciechowska
Janina I
JI
Sir James Dunn Animal Welfare Centre and the Department of Biomedical Sciences, Atlantic Veterinary College, University of Prince Edward Island, Charlottetown, PE C1A 4P3, Canada.
Hewson
Caroline J
CJ
Stryhn
Henrik
H
Guy
Norma C
NC
Patronek
Gary J
GJ
Timmons
Vianne
V
D000818:Animals; D004283:Dog Diseases / Q000503:physiopathology* / Q000523:psychology; D004285:Dogs / Q000502:physiology* / Q000523:psychology; D011788:Quality of Life; D012044:Regression Analysis; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires