Emergency veterinary clinic opens soon in Bloomington. Here's all the details.

By the end of this month, Bloomington will finally have an emergency veterinary clinic.

"We're super excited to fill a need that has been long term," said Caitlyn Arnett, practicing manager of VetCheck Bloomington. "We're centralized, so for everyone, (even) south of us, that doesn't want to have to go to Louisville or Indy, we're here to meet that need."

For the past several years, residents have had to travel far outside county limits on weekends, evenings and holidays if their pet was experiencing an urgent problem. Monroe County pet owners commonly ended up at VetCheck Pet Urgent Care Center in Fishers.

"It’s crazy. You are driving, like, two hours with your pet’s emergency condition," CEO Dr. Siva Nalabotu previously told The Herald-Times. "You know, that's so nerve-racking and it’s not safe, to be honest.”

The number of Bloomington customers motivated Nalabotu to expand into the local area.

Where will Bloomington's emergency vet office be located?

For the past several months, VetCheck personnel have been outfitting the new site, located in Whitehall Plaza at 3251 W. 3rd St.

What services will Bloomington's VetCheck provide?

VetCheck doesn't intend to replace a general practitioner. Rather, it will provide urgent services, such as if your pet is experiencing excess vomiting, diarrhea, seizures or physical injuries. Toxicology work, blood and fecal testing, vaccinations and some surgical operations will be available.

"We want people to be able to bring Fluffy in at 5 o'clock on Thursday and still get to their kid's soccer practice at 7:30 p.m.," said Taylor Fite, director of human resources at VetCheck. "That's the whole idea. We want to be able to support people and their pets and encourage people to seek care for their pets. A lot of people just avoid it because they don't know what else to do."

Will Bloomington's new emergency vet be open on holidays?

Unlike other clinics, VetCheck is open on holidays, excluding Christmas and Thanksgiving days. Since most clinics have limited hours on weekends and early evenings, those are expected to be VetCheck's busiest times.

"Anytime after 3:30 p.m. honestly can be really crazy," Fite said. "Sometimes we'll see as many patients in a five (or) six hour timespan as we will for a whole weekend day."

How big is Bloomington's VetCheck office?

The Bloomington site will have five patient care rooms, including one right beside the lobby area and entrance. That room is reserved for cases of euthanasia, allowing pet owners speedy care and additional privacy. There is also an isolation room where a pet with a contagious condition, such as kennel cough or parvo, can be quarantined while receiving care.

What if my pet is critically injured?

If an animal's condition is too critical to be treated onsite, VetCheck can coordinate a transfer to a 24-hour, emergency animal hospital. According to Arnett, who has experience in pet emergency care, that isn't as common as one might believe.

"People think we have lots of (dogs being) hit by cars, but really, it's like, 'My dog has an earache,' or something like that. The idea of this is, 'I can't get into my vet right now, so I came here.' So it's not always gonna be catastrophe issues," Arnett said.

When is VetCheck Bloomington set to open?

VetCheck Bloomington is slated to open in the last week of June.

VetCheck still looking for veterinarians

Right now, the staff are of getting equipment delivered and organized. VetCheck is also still in the process of hiring veterinarians. Four potential candidates are in the interview process now. Fite said the clinic will have two full-time and one part-time physician.

What are VetCheck Bloomington's hours expected to be?

While the goal is to eventually be open seven days a week, like other VetCheck locations, the Bloomington site will start out with a five-day schedule. Operational hours are to be noon-9 p.m. Monday, Tuesday and Friday, 10 a.m.-8 p.m. Saturday and 10 a.m.-6 p.m. Sunday.

Reach Rachel Smith at rksmith@heraldt.com.

This article originally appeared on The Herald-Times: VetCheck Pet Urgent Care Center opens soon in Bloomington