LAS VEGAS -- There's a battle over health care, and we're not talking about for you and I -- we're talking about pets.

Video: Pets' Health Care Can Be Pricey

The economy has bottomed out, and emergency costs are high. Many pet owners face a decision -- do they pay the bills to keep their animals alive?

When a pet and best friend needs emergency care, there is a hefty bill to pay that comes along with the medical care. FOX5 spent a night in the Las Vegas Animal Emergency Center to find out if pet insurance is worth it and can it save your pet's life?

The cost of medicine, supplies and a full staff in the middle of the night to help your animal doesn't come cheap.

“We haven't had a single trip yet that's been under $1,000," said Sarah Ruiz, whose cat suffered from smoke inhalation.

The Ruiz family said they returned home, and their kitchen was filled with smoke, and their cat, Shanty, was near death.

“I was scared. I was crying. I was praying to God we could help her feel better," Ruiz said.

“I don't even have a job. She's the only one working. It's a little hard for us. We needed to borrow the money," said husband Jorge Ruiz.

A friend of Emma Gamarro stepped in at the last minute and gave the family, and the kitty, a second chance.

“I asked her for a big, big favor ... You know, everyone is not doing so good," Gamarro said.

Other pets were not so lucky. Some were too young and too sick to survive. For other, their owners could not or would not pay the bill.

There are options to help you save Fido and feed your family. Many veterinarians recommend getting pet insurance.

“Would I recommend? Absolutely," said emergency vet Benjamin Benander.

Benander said pet insurance is widely accepted in other countries but hasn't caught on in the U.S., perhaps because all costs have to be paid in full upfront and then pet owners get reimbursed by the insurer.

But, it can save big money in the long run. There are some snags. Benander said not all policies are the same.

“I would look for a policy that does not have exclusions based on breed," Benander said. “There are lots of breeds out there that are predisposed to having certain or multiple ailments."

Also, he said to make sure chronic conditions are covered from one term to the next, so an old illness is not considered a pre-existing condition.

But despite the bill, most pet owners agree their beloved pets are worth every penny.

Some vets said they do their best to work with families with payment plans and other options. Most agreed that insurance is the best way to go. An average policy costs about $30 a month.

Animal experts said in the U.S., less than 2 percent of owners have pet insurance.

Visit the Links section of fox5vegas.com for links to three pet insurance companies.