Atchison Animal Clinic

Where service, satisfaction and animal health meet!

Located in Atchison, KS, the veterinarians at Atchison Animal Clinic are committed to your animals health. Atchison based Atchison Animal Clinic excels in the science of Veterinary medicine and was founded in 1984. Since then Dr. Chuck Van Petten, Dr. Peggy Kistler, our associates and our staff have excelled in compassionate veterinary care in Atchison, and the surrounding areas.

Atchison Animal Clinic offers the Atchison area animal community emergency veterinary services as well as medical, surgical, and dental veterinary care for your pets, as well as medical and surgical services for your large animals. With an in-house pharmacy and access to specialists, our facility offers a one stop for your animal's health and medical care.
  • Mon-Fri: 8:00am - 5:30pm
  • Sat: 8:00am - 12:00pm
  • Sun: Closed
  • After Hours Emergencies Call: (913) 426-6067

  • Dr. Charles Van Petten

    Veterinarian
    Dr. Charles Van Petten graduated from KSU in 1978.  Dr. Van Petten purchased Atchison Animal Clinic from Dr. James Watson in 1984.  He lives on the west side of Atchison with his wife Mary, and has three children: Cody 36, Molly 32, and Anna 28.  He has four dogs, and in his spare time likes golfing, fishing, hunting, community activities and Kansas State Athletics.

    He is a member of the American Veterinary Medical Association, Kansas Veterinary Medical Association, American Association of Bovine Practitioners, and the American College of Theriogenologists.
    Years in Practice:
    Jan 01, 1978
    Education:
    Kansas State University 1978-Doctorate of Veterinary Medicine
    Interests:
    Golfing, fishing, hunting, community activities, and Kansas State University Athletics

  • Dr. Peggy Kistler

    Veterinarian
    Dr. Peggy Kistler has been practicing at Atchison Animal Clinic since 1987.  She and her husband, Mark, live on a farm West of Atchison.  They have two daughters: Katie, 18 and Carrie 16.  The girls are active in 4-H, sports, and school.  Katie is a freshman at K-State this year getting a degree in clothing and textiles.  Their lives at home are surrounded with animals, two dogs, two horses, lots of cats, chickens and around 200 head of cattle and two guard donkeys.  Peggy helps Mark with the cattle and row crop operation.  In the little spare time they have, the family loves to spend time on Tablerock lake with friends.

    She is a member of the American Veterinary Medical Association and the Kansas Veterinary Medical Association. 
    Years in Practice:
    Jan 01, 1987
    Education:
    Kansas State University 1987-Doctorate of Veterinary Medince
    Interests:
    Reading and enjoying the outdoors

  • Dr. Chris Hansen

    Veterinarian
    Dr. Chris Hansen has been an associate veterinarian at the Atchison Animal Clinic since June 2011. He grew up the youngest of three boys on his family's farm in Belleville, KS.  He completed his primary and secondary education in Belleville, and was active in 4-H, FFA, and school sports.  After graduating from Belleville High School in 2002, Dr. Hansen attended Kansas State University and graduated with a B.S. in Animal Science and Industry in 2006 and his Doctorate of Veterinary Medicine in 2011.  Dr. Hansen enjoys camping, hunting, golfing, and spending time with his wife Dr. Emily Hansen and their daughters Olivia and Leah.  His professional interests are food animal production medicine and small animal surgery.
    Years in Practice:
    Jan 01, 2011
    Education:
    Kansas State University-Doctorate of Veterinary Medicine
    Interests:
    Camping, Hunting, Golfing, and spending time with his wife and two daughters, Olivia and Leah

  • Kristy Burg

    Kristy Burg has been with Atchison Animal Clinic since September 1997.  She and her husband Joe, live in rural Lancaster.  She enjoys time with her family and her pets, a Jack Russel, Daisy Mae and a cat, Tinkerbell. In her free time she likes baking and anything that is outdoors including fishing and gardening.
    Years in Practice:
    Jan 01, 1997
    Interests:
    Baking, gardening, and fishing

  • Karen Birkinsha

    Karen Birkinsha has been with Atchison Animal Clinic since 1999.  She lives in Atchison, with her husband Nelson, and their sons, Scott and Dylan.  Scott is a freshman at Washburn University and Dylan is a sophomore at ACCHS.  They have a French Bulldog named Callie Sue, who joined the family recently, much to the disgust of the resident cat, Theo.    In her free time she is a big fitness enthusiast who enjoys biking and running, and whatever new challenges she comes across.  She also enjoys being a football and wrestling mom.
    Years in Practice:
    Jan 01, 1999
    Interests:
    Biking, running, and being a football and wrestling mom

  • Barb Hoover

    Barb Hoover has been with Atchison Animal Clinic since 1999.  She lives in Leavenworth and is the groomer.  She enjoys spending time with her daughter and grandson and her variety of animals from dogs to reptiles.  She is on the Board of Directors for the Leavenworth Animal Welfare Society.  She is a constant contributor to various grooming publications and industry books on grooming.  She owns one of the largest international web sites for the grooming industry.  In 2007 she was awarded the prestigious Cardinal Crystal Grooming Achievement award and award for her well respected web site and contributions to the pet grooming industry.

    Barb is here grooming dogs on Monday, Wednesday, and Fridays.
    Years in Practice:
    Jan 01, 1999

  • Christy Erpelding

    Christy Erpelding has been with Atchison Animal Clinic since August 2008. She likes to help Pete, her husband, and his son work calves on their farm, where they background calves.  Weekends are mostly spent hiking or camping out closer to home.  She also likes riding her horse, enjoying time with her two border collies, taking care of her chickens, and working in the yard. 
    Years in Practice:
    Jan 01, 2008

  • Toni Clary

    Toni returned to Atchison Animal Clinic since February of 2015.  Toni enjoys time with ALL her animals-including pigs, chickens, dogs, cats, and a hedgehog!  In her free time Toni likes to work out and ride her bicycle.  She also loves to spend time with her niece.  
    Years in Practice:
    Jul 31, 2015
    Interests:
    Working out, riding her bike, and spending time with her niece

  • Ashley Gray

    Ashley has been here since March of 2015.  She moved here from Arizona to live closer to family.  She graduated from Carrington College with a Veterinary Assistant degree in 2012.  Ashley likes to spend time with her family and pets including 4 dogs and 2 cats!  She also likes lots of  'other' animals like rats, hedgehogs, and rabbit.  In her free time, Ashley also likes to walk her dogs and spend time at the lake.
    Years in Practice:
    Jul 31, 2015
    Education:
    Carrington College
    Interests:
    Caring for her dogs, cats, and other small animals!