Most of our pets have annual veterinary expenses that average $200 to $500 during their lifetimes. A medical emergency or a health crisis can increase that tenfold. This might be a good time to take a look at your veterinary expenses and think about ways to control costs. Some things to consider: Budget for veterinary costs. We need to recognize that owning a pet costs money. "Not even 25 percent of what we spend on our pets is for veterinary care," says veterinarian Yvonne Wikander, who owns the Pampered Pet Clinic in Hillsboro. "Three-quarters of our money is spent on other things, like food, toys and dog clothes." The problem: Veterinary expenses usually come in chunks of $100 or more at a time. Wikander urges pet owners to plan for the inevitable. If you put that money aside, the cost of veterinary care won't come as such a shock. Don't skimp on the annual exam. Ione Booth had her hands full recently. She took her two big dogs -- Sirus and Sonya -- and her cat, Sasha, to Wikander for annual exams. Booth has seen firsthand the value of these exams. When Sirus was just a year old, his routine exam revealed that he had hip dysplasia. Although Sirus required surgery, it was a relative bargain. If the dog's condition had gone unnoticed for longer, the hips would have deteriorated more, and that would have meant a more complicated -- and much more expensive -- operation. Plus, that early intervention made a big difference in Sirus' quality of life. "We just thought he was mellow," Booth says, "but he was in pain." Just as in human medicine, it's nearly always the case that the earlier a condition is treated, the less expensive the treatment will be. Consider pet health insurance. Most of us can handle routine medical expenses; it's the catastrophic ones that break our budgets. One solution is pet health insurance. This is an industry that is just coming into its own, and some plans cover expenses better, and more quickly, than others. Getting the right plan may take some homework, but it's worth exploring. Typically, pet health insurance costs less than $30 a month. Many plans exclude older pets, and some limit the amount they will reimburse for a procedure. Consider CareCredit. CareCredit is a company that has provided a line of credit for health expenses for more than 20 years and has been in the veterinary market for 12; many Oregon veterinarians offer it. Just like any other consumer credit line, pet owners need to be able to financially qualify. The pluses of CareCredit are that interest rates are generally lower than for credit cards and may include deferred interest for three or more months -- a boon to people who pay off the loan quickly. If money is tight. There are options when regular money management isn't enough. If you are on a very tight budget, consider other ways to reduce costs or get help: Talk with your veterinarian. Some can lend a hand to a regular customer and might allow you to pay your bill over time, or may negotiate a price for a procedure. Veterinary practices that are members of the American Animal Hospital Association might be able to ask that organization for a grant through its Helping Pets Fund. Pet owners must receive certain forms of government assistance or experience a temporary financial hardship. Each practice can receive a maximum of $700 a year for all its clients (with a maximum of $500 a year a client), so this help is limited. Don't blame your veterinarian if the answer is "no" if you ask for help. Remember, these are businesses that must pay staff and have high overhead costs. Some are also owned by corporations, which won't allow their veterinarians to negotiate. Consider a vaccination clinic. An ongoing relationship with your veterinarian is always best. Still, 11 million pets in America aren't seen at all each year, according to Good Neighbor Vet, based in Vancouver. Continue to Part II...