If your dog’s quality of life is something you are thinking about, I help you understand it. I look at the whole animal, not just their condition: what is good in their life now, what to watch for, and what to take back to your regular vet.
The consultation is led by Dr Kat Littlewood, New Zealand’s only Registered Veterinary Specialist in Animal Welfare Science, Ethics, and Law.
This consultation is for owners who want to understand their dog’s quality of life. Some come because something has started to worry them, while others simply want to understand how their dog is really doing. Most owners who book have a regular vet they value, but find that the conversation about their dog’s quality of life is not happening in the usual appointments.
This often means:
This consultation works alongside your regular vet. They stay responsible for your dog’s treatment, and we send them a summary of what we discuss
"The service is a very useful addition to services provided by your regular vet. A very useful 'and' rather than an 'or'."
"It is an animal welfare and quality of life assessment. The consult helps you review your pet's quality of life and look at various aspects of that where improvements or changes might be beneficial. It also helps you identify potential areas of concern down the track."
The consultation is a 45-minute video call that begins with an intake form.
You receive:
"Very clear and detailed. I especially loved how it bullet points small practical changes that can be made to further support his wellbeing."
These remain the responsibility of your regular vet, who knows your dog and can provide ongoing care.
This consultation supports the care your dog already gets from them.
A 15-minute video call to talk about your dog and what is worrying you. By the end of it you will know whether the consultation would help. If you have already decided, you can skip this step and book directly.
You book and pay on the booking page. A few short questions confirm the consultation is a fit before you pay.
The intake form link will be emailed to you. It takes you through background questions about your dog and gives you space to tell me what is worrying you. It should take about 30 minutes. With your authorisation, we request your dog’s clinical records from your regular vet.
Kat reviews the records and your intake form before the consultation.
We discuss your animal, their quality of life, and your questions.
"It was very relaxed and easy to discuss my concerns. I felt that I was heard, that I was given plenty of opportunity to decide the direction I wanted the conversation to go, and chances to ask questions."
Within 5 working days, you receive a written assessment that includes everything from the consultation, your dog-specific things to watch, and questions for your regular vet. A summary is also sent to your vet.
Kat Littlewood is New Zealand’s only Registered Veterinary Specialist in Animal Welfare Science, Ethics, and Law. Registered Veterinary Specialist is a protected title, awarded after formal assessment of advanced expertise and experience.
Kat holds a PhD in end-of-life care for companion animals, with a research focus on how owners and vets make quality of life and end-of-life decisions. She co-authored the 2020 update of the internationally recognised framework for assessing animal welfare – The Five Domains Model. Kat is the lead author for numerous book chapters on the Model’s use, alongside Emeritus Professor David Mellor, the originator of the Model.
Kat is passionate about helping owners make the best decisions possible for their animals.
"I really appreciated the additional quality of life suggestions for us to implement at home, and how budget conscious they were. So often it feels like the family resources, both time and money, are not factored into suggestions, and it was really nice that wasn't the case."
This is a quality of life assessment. We do not diagnose conditions, prescribe, or write treatment plans, and your regular vet remains responsible for your dog’s clinical care.
We work alongside your regular vet. A summary of the consultation is sent to them, supporting the care your dog already receives, and owners often find that summary opens up the conversation they had been struggling to have.
For a second opinion on a diagnosis or treatment, your regular vet can refer you to a clinical specialist. This consultation looks at how your dog is experiencing life day to day, and what that means for the decisions ahead.
The consultation is NZ$240. It includes the 45-minute video call, the written quality of life assessment specific to your dog, and the summary report to your regular vet. Payment is made when you book.
It is a 15-minute video call before you book, to check the service is right for you and your dog. It is free, and there is no obligation to book afterwards. If you already know the consultation is what you want, you can go straight to booking.
Yes. If your dog’s situation changes after your consultation, you can book a follow-up consultation to revisit the assessment.
Consultations are currently available only for dog owners. We will be extending the service to cats soon. If you have a cat, please use the contact form below to be added to the waitlist.
The consultation service is available to owners in New Zealand. We will be extending it to owners in other countries. If you are outside New Zealand and would like to be notified when the service is available to you, please use the contact form below to be added to the waitlist.
This service requires that your dog be under the active care of a regular veterinarian. This means a veterinary visit or physical examination within the last six months. If you do not have a regular vet, you will need to register with one before the consultation. If you are not sure about this, please get in touch, and we can discuss.
This is not an emergency service. If your dog needs urgent care, please contact your regular vet or the nearest emergency clinic directly.
The consultation is not recorded by default. You receive a written assessment afterwards that captures everything important. If you would like to take notes during the call, please feel free to do so.
Yes. The information you share is used for the consultation and the written assessment. The summary report to your regular vet is sent only with your written consent. You can read how your information is collected, used, and kept in the privacy notice included in the intake form.
If you have concerns about this service, please raise them with Kat directly in the first instance. Concerns that cannot be resolved can be referred to the Veterinary Council of New Zealand.
"I observe him differently now for pain assessment, and I've implemented more cognitive stimulation in addition to his walks. We've also invested in better bedding for him."
We would love to speak with you.
Feel free to reach out using this form.
Helping people understand animals and each other