Until Bradenton Veterinary Emergency opened its doors in December, pet owners had no choice but to make the trek to Sarasota when there was a crisis outside of typical veterinary office hours. As of March 1, when Veterinary Emergency Center opens, Bradenton residents will officially have access to two fully staffed and equipped veterinary clinics that provide around-the-clock care for their furry friends.

“I saw a need in Bradenton for an emergency clinic,” said Dr. Ilonka Ambros, owner and head vet at Veterinary Emergency Center.

“I would get phone calls all the time from the clinic I worked at in south Sarasota from people who live out in Anna Maria saying, ‘The drive is too long – my dog isn’t going to make it.’ A lot of people couldn’t or wouldn’t drive all the way out that night and would choose to wait until the next morning," she said. "Sometimes it would be too late. Those people need a closer facility where they can bring their pets in times of emergency.”

Dr. Ashley Kanzler, co-owner of Bradenton Veterinary Emergency, agreed.

“It’s important to have facilities out in Bradenton because the population has gotten a lot bigger in the past few years. If you live on Anna Maria or Longboat Key, it can take up to an hour to drive out to Sarasota – and sometimes that’s too long,” she said.

Kanzler splits her time as an emergency vet between the Sarasota Veterinary Emergency Hospital on S Tamiami Trail and at the new clinic in Bradenton.

Ambros worked in daytime veterinary practice in at the Sarasota Veterinary Emergency Hospital for three years before switching to emergency practice, where she says she found her niche.

“I sometimes miss building a relationship with pets and their owners in day practice, but I love the immediacy of being able to help in an emergency – it keeps you sharp,” Ambros said. “There are so many cases that come in that aren’t textbook, and that’s what makes it challenging and fun.”

In the two months the clinic has been open, Kanzler said she and the staff at Bradenton Veterinary Emergency have already seen their share of non-textbook veterinary emergencies, ranging from Yorkshire Terrier Caesarean section births to swallowed needles.

Bradenton Veterinary Emergency currently operates after hours from the Desoto Animal Clinic, 2910 Manatee Ave. If the clinic is successful, Kanzler says that she and Bradenton Veterinary Emergency co-owner, Dr. Wendy Ellis, hope to move the emergency clinic into its own space by 2013. They plan to stick to a nearby Manatee Ave location.

“Renting space from the Desoto Animal Clinic took a lot of the risk away in this venture,” said Kanzler. “We’re able to start out in a fully-equipped facility and see if there’s a real need for an emergency vet in the area without taking a huge chance.”

In an interview on Monday, Ambros said the crew at Veterinary Emergency Center is working at putting the finishing touches on the brand new facility. They expect the doors to open at 3915 Cortez Rd W. at the beginning of March.

 “The fundamental difference is that right now, [Bradenton Veterinary Emergency] is working from a day practice,” said Ambros. “Ours was specifically designed and built from the ground up with critically ill patients in mind, to provide emergency and intensive care.”

Ambros said that Veterinary Emergency Center will feature all the equipment of an emergency intensive care unit, including an ICU patient cage with temperature, humidity and monitor controls, as well as in-house blood work equipment, anti-venom, and a surgical suite.

Similarly, the Bradenton Veterinary Emergency facility is equipped for full blood analysis, anti-venom, emergency surgery and more.

Both facilities are equipped to handle veterinary emergencies and both Kanzler and Ambros are confident that the need for emergency veterinary care in west Bradenton is strong enough to sustain both businesses.

“On average, we’ve been seeing between two and six patients per night and our highest volume is on the weekends,” said Kanzler.

“We recommend people to whatever clinic is the closest or quickest to get to," she added. "In the case of people who live near the interstate, sometimes it’s actually quicker for them to get to Sarasota.”

Ambros echoed Kanzler’s sentiment.

“It’s a matter of patients landing in the most appropriate place – and what that comes down to, is whoever is the closest. It’s tough to reach everyone, but I think that all of us are in this for the right reason: We just want to help animals and their owners.”