Pet emergencies can be scary – we’re here to help you handle them.
We understand that seeing your pet sick, hurt or in distress can be stressful – especially if you don’t know what’s wrong. Fortunately, our experienced ER clinicians are prepared to take action and help.
Acting quickly in an emergency may save your pet’s life.
If your pet is experiencing an emergency, you’ll have an entire veterinary team helping them so you can get back to what matters most – spending precious moments together.
Experience makes all the difference.
Our emergency team is made up of veterinarians, vet technicians and assistants, and support staff with rigorous training and experience in specialty medicine. The team works hand in hand to provide the comprehensive, compassionate care your pet needs and deserves. Because we’re a multidisciplinary hospital, the team can consult the expertise of other specialty departments, too.
Before joining BluePearl, Dr. Aarstad worked in Arizona for several years as medical director of an emergency animal hospital and as a primary care veterinarian.
Dr. Aarstad enjoys spending time with his family and his dog, Lightning. His hobbies include hiking, camping, bird watching, hunting, fishing and working on his house.
Dr. Katy Bollwerk is passionate about helping any pet who needs emergency care. She finds endocrine conditions like diabetic ketosis, hyperosmolar syndrome, and Addison’s disease especially gratifying to treat. She believes it is both challenging and rewarding to get a pet to a stable outcome, no matter the underlying cause.
Dr. Bollwerk and her exceptional spouse have been together for over 20 years and will always support one another. She has two children who are in their teens and continue to grow as individuals. What she loves most about them is they beat to their own drums.
Dr. Mary Gardner provides compassionate care for pets with urgent medical needs. She transitioned to emergency medicine around four years ago after spending over five years in general practice and has found her home treating the emergent needs of the pets in the greater KC area.
Outside of work, Dr. Gardner enjoys spending time outside, reading and cheering on her favorite sports teams: the Chiefs, Current, Royals and Sporting. She has two girls at home who keep her busy with their many sports and extracurriculars. She also loves spending time with her cat, recently rescued dog and brand new snake.
Dr. Grauberger enjoys all aspects of emergency medicine.
Dr. Grauberger enjoys gardening, cooking and family time. Her family’s typical vacation time includes hiking, snow skiing, fly fishing and any Rocky Mountain experience.
Dr. Kim Gugler is excited by all aspects of emergency medicine but especially enjoys caring for trauma and toxicology patients. She is passionate about educating owners to make the best possible decisions for their pet and their families.
Dr. Gugler is always eager to enjoy the outdoors with her husband and son. She frequently spends weekends camping, hiking and playing in the dirt in her vegetable garden. She loves watching her plants grow and then sharing the resulting salsa and spaghetti sauce.
Dr. Hayley Hunt finds cardiac and respiratory cases extremely interesting. She enjoys emergency surgery such as splenectomies, GDVs and critical lacerations.
Dr. Hunt is a huge Arkansas Razorback football fan. Her favorite hobby is horseback riding, and she has four dogs: three Labradors and one English bulldog who runs her life!
Dr. Odle enjoys all aspects of emergency medicine.
When not at the hospital, Dr. Odle enjoys the outdoor life.
Dr. Karissa Severud finds orthopedic diseases and internal medicine conditions the most gratifying to treat. She is interested in exotic animal medicine and enjoys discussing ideal husbandry and environmental conditions for exotic animals.
Dr. Severud has three dogs that she refers to as “the girls,” one of which is a puppy with medically managed portosystemic shunts. She also has a cat and a snake. She enjoys being outside, training with “the girls,” working out and running half marathons with her mother.
Dr. Kaylee Visser’s areas of interest include trauma cases, pain management and intervertebral disc disease. She has a special place in her heart for small geriatric patients and her favorite dog breed is Chihuahuas.
Dr. Visser has an Australian Kelpie dog named Ava and two orange female cats named Velma and Daphne. She loves playing sports, traveling and watching the Chiefs.
We know an unexpected trip to the emergency pet hospital can be stressful, and we want you to be prepared so you have one less thing to worry about. Our entire BluePearl team will be with you every step of the way.
During an emergency, every second counts. If your pet is experiencing an emergency, call us so we can talk you through their situation and be with you.
Our goal is always for your pet to have the best chance at a complete recovery so they can return home with you, happy and healthy.