Editor’s note: This is the second of a two-part column written by Bobbie Thompson.

At what cost do we say no? Whether it’s financial cost, emotional cost or quality of life cost, this is a difficult decision. There are many people that will go above and beyond for their pets.

Many people “let nature take its course” and allow their pet to suffer and die without veterinary intervention. The least we do should be our best effort, whatever that is for each of us.

In these economic times, more pet owners have to weigh the cost of pet care and evaluate what they can do for their pets. Do the best you can do. Talk with your veterinarian to find alternative solutions for the care of your pets.

This is how I left my last column. There’s so much to talk about regarding veterinary care. It’s a difficult topic. In the last column, I talked about my kids and the three different illnesses they had.

Dealing with our pets’ illnesses can be very difficult. When do we take our pet to the veterinarian? Should you take him now or wait until symptoms are worse? If you are concerned about money and the cost of veterinary care, you should go as soon as symptoms show to avoid potentially serious complications.

I’m sure it sounds odd, but if you have been impacted by the economy, do more preventive care. Heartworm prevention is a lot less expensive every month than the several hundred dollars to treat heartworms or the emotional expense watching a dog suffer from advanced heartworm disease.

Protect your cat by keeping him indoors. Just doing this one thing prevents injuries that are very expensive to treat. Dogs should be kept at home, too, either in a fenced yard or in the house. This prevents him from being hit by a car or injured by another dog. It prevents your dog from being picked up by Animal Control where you may have to pay a fine to get him back.

Spaying and neutering your pets is important preventive medicine, too. Spaying and neutering financial assistance is available with the Georgia Department of Agriculture’s Dog and Cat Sterilization Fund.

Spaying prevents so many problems starting with the cat or dog’s pregnancy to having the litter. It’s expensive to provide care for a litter of kittens or puppies. And, what happens if the mama dog or cat refuses to care for the litter? It’s formula time, and it’s expensive.

Neutering your cat or dog prevents cat fights and dog fights that can be very serious and expensive to treat. Cat bites need antibiotics to prevent abscesses. Dogs in fights usually need stitches and antibiotics. These are problems that veterinarians see that can be prevented.

So, when do we say no? For me, I don’t say no until I know, from my veterinarian, what the problem is. I trust my veterinarians to tell me what my pet needs. Many times, there are options and choices.

In these economic times, veterinary clinics are asking for payment at the time of service. That’s understandable. But it never hurts to ask if you can pay the bill along. Many veterinarians will do this for their regular clients. But that doesn’t mean you should walk out and not pay anything. A good faith effort goes a long way in helping you and your pet.

Each person, each pet and each veterinary clinic are different. Sometimes just a phone call to the veterinarian who regularly sees your pet can help you decide whether you should take your pet in or if it can wait. But when in doubt, take your pet to your veterinarian.