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About Our Hospital

Welcome to Palo Duro Animal Hospital, your local veterinarians in Canyon, TX.

Palo Duro Animal Hospital is a well-established, full-service, small animal veterinary hospital providing comprehensive medical, surgical and dental care.

We provide a broad spectrum of diagnostic procedures through in-house testing and the use of external laboratories.  The facility includes a well-stocked pharmacy, in-hospital surgery suite, in-house x-ray capabilities and a closely supervised hospitalization area.

At Palo Duro Animal Hospital we strive to offer not only sound advice, but also optimal veterinary care, thus allowing you the enjoyment of your companion for a maximum number of years. Our job is not only to treat your pet when he or she isn’t feeling well, but also to help you learn how to keep your best friend happy and healthy and as free of pain as possible.

Call us anytime during our regular office hours at 806-655-2106. We are located at 1901 4th Ave in Canyon, TX. Directly across the street from the Happy State Bank & next door to the Hudspeth House Bed & Breakfast. Appointments are recommended and can be made by giving us a quick call during business hours. Emergencies are first & top priority, and thank you for your understanding in this. We do see walk-in’s as time permits, but we do ask for your patience as you may have an extended wait until we have an available room to take you & your pet into to be seen by one of our doctors.

We are happy to offer a number of resources that enable you to learn about how to take better care of your pets. Please feel free to browse our site, particularly the informational articles. The best veterinary care for animals is ongoing nutrition and problem prevention, so becoming knowledgeable about preventative pet care is essential to the ongoing success of your animal’s health. If you have any questions, call 806-655-2106 or email us and we’ll promptly get back to you. Our Canyon veterinarian office is very easy to get to — and you can find directions on our Contact Us page! We also welcome you to subscribe to our newsletter, which is created especially for Canyon pet owners.

Our caring and compassionate veterinary care team!

Meet the Veterinarians & Team of Palo Duro Animal Hospital in Canyon! We’re pleased to provide exceptional vet care for your pets!

Please call us at 806-655-2106 to speak to one of our caring veterinary staff members!

Robert Ballinger, DVM

Veterinarian

Dr. Ballinger grew up in a small town on the Redwood coast in far Northern California. After serving on a Fast Attack Submarine in the early 1970’s he attended Texas A&M University and earned his Doctor of Veterinary Medicine in 1984. He has been in practice in Canyon since graduation. In his career he has done large animal, feedlot, emergency & small animal medicine. He was the consulting veterinarian for the Bureau of Land Management facility that housed and cared for approximately 3,000 mustangs. He has been small animal exclusive for about the last 20 years with particular interest in dermatology and surgery. In his spare time Dr. Ballinger enjoys spending time with family, especially his grandsons, cooking and eating, and riding and working on his motorcycle.

Amy Kirkland, DVM

Veterinarian

Dr. Kirkland is from Tuscaloosa Alabama where she grew up and graduated from the University of Alabama with her Bachelors in Biological Science. She then attended Ross University school of Veterinary Medicine and graduated in 2013. Dr. Kirkland is diligent and compassionate with every client and patient she encounters, working with our veterinary team to get your furry family member feeling better, as quickly as possible. She enjoys spending quality time with her cat, dog and husband.

Stacy B Smith, DVM

Veterinarian

Dr. Smith grew up in the Amarillo/Canyon area.  She attended Oklahoma State University where she received her Bachelor of Science Degree in Animal Science in 1992 and her Doctor of Veterinary Medicine degree, DVM, in 1996.  Dr. Smith has owned a mixed animal practice in Dalhart, TX as well as an equine practice in Canyon, TX.  She is a certified National Animal Cruelty Investigator and has testified in a number of animal cruelty cases.  She spends time helping rescue groups with treatment and health examinations for the relocation of abandoned and unclaimed animals.  Dr. Smith enjoys spending time with her husband Mike and their extended family, grandchildren, and Bullmastiff Gladys Knight.

Susie Flenniken

Office Manager/Receptionist

Susie grew up in Canyon and has lived here her whole life, attending Canyon High school and then WT until she started working for the Canyon Veterinary Clinic in 1983. She was employed there until she joined our veterinary team in 1994. Susie has a certification in office management, canine and feline nutrition. Her everyday goal and mission is educating the community on caring for their four legged family members. Her pastimes include spending time with her rescue animals and training those animals which include three Great Pyrenes, three cats and a variety of farm animals.

Abigail Alexander

Office Manager/Receptionist

Abigail grew up in Dallas, TX before attending West Texas A&M University where she graduated with a Bachelor of Animal Science. Her love and fascination with animals made a career in veterinary medicine a perfect fit. Outside of work, Abigail enjoys spending time with her husband, daughter, and the family dogs.

Kenzie Wilson

Veterinary Technician

Kenzie was born and raised in Muleshoe, TX. She moved to Panhandle  after her husband was honorably discharged from the Marine Corps. She has worked in the veterinary field since 2016 and is attending school with hopes of going to Veterinary School. She enjoys gardening, her chickens, and spending quality time with her toddler and husband.

Audrey Laney

Veterinary Technician

Audrey attended high school in Dalhart, TX. While in high school, she worked at an animal diagnostic laboratory and became OSHA 30 certified. Shortly after high school, she moved here to Canyon, TX where she began taking care of the animals of Canyon at our facility. Some of her hobbies include taking care of her two pet snakes and crocheting.