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COLORADO SPRINGS, COLO. -- Whether it's a furry feline or man's best friend; the next Tonto or even a Scabbers, few people would call their animal companion "just" an animal.

"We have grown children of our own, but dogs are priceless," Rhonda Fritz said as she carried her dog, Trampus, in her arms at the dog park. "They're there for you when you need them."

And when it comes to Trampus' medical care, it's no holes barred for vet fees.

"He will go to a vet faster than my children ever went to the doctor," Fritz said. "I have the money for my dog to be cared for at the vet and I have it there for that reason."

Fritz isn't alone. Frank Wimberley, owner of two dogs, said he's never met the limit when it comes to pet care costs, for the "best humans [he] knows."

"They're my best friends, and they're my family," Wimberley said. "They get treatment before I do. They're very important to me, and when you adopt a dog, you take the responsibility of that dog, and that means their care."

Dr. Kristin Ballotti has been a veterinarian in southern Colorado since 1992. She said, in the last 10 years especially, pets are becoming far more prevalent as family members than helpful ranch companions.

"I see a lot of families actually have a harder time with the loss of their 4-legged family member than they do, sometimes, a 2-legged family member," Ballotti said. 

With more affection comes more awareness of a change in people's pet, whether that's physical or mental.  With diseases like skin cancer also affecting your animal, it means treatment is becoming more common, even if the disease isn't actually becoming more common.

"It's not necessarily sun-induced or trauma-induced. [Abnormalities] just pop up and it's more like genetic-derived," Ballotti said. "The animal has a genetic code to develop that cancer."

Ballotti said it's key to keep an eye out for a bump that grows in size rapidly, or a scratch that won't heal.  If seen, keep an eye on it, and get to a veterinarian as soon as you can if it worsens.  Just like an animal ages faster, so will a disease. 

"When people say, 'but it just happened, it just came on suddenly,' to us, that was a sudden change. But, to the dog, he's had it for three years in his lifetime."

Skin cancer isn't just seen in cats and dogs. Horses and rats have also been known to get the disease. Ballotti said while the sun isn't a huge factor in acquiring skin cancer, it's best to let dogs out during dusk and dawn light.  It's best not to shave a long-coated animal during the summer, since that protects their skin. It's also worthwhile to put sunblock on dogs, if they're unable to lick it off within 10 to 15 minutes of applying. Animals like boxers are prone to the disease, and any animal with light colored fur or noses.