Dr. Kristian Cardenas first joined the Pearland Animal Hospital family in 2021 as a veterinary technician and is thrilled to now return as an associate veterinarian. As the daughter of a U.S. Army servicemember, Kristian grew up living in several states and overseas, experiences that taught her to embrace change, connect with others, and work hard toward her goals.
Kristian earned her bachelor’s degree in Biology with minors in Chemistry and Spanish from the University of North Texas in 2019. After initially planning to pursue medicine, she discovered her passion for veterinary medicine while shadowing in veterinary clinics. Her time at Pearland Animal Hospital quickly became a meaningful part of that journey, where she found a wonderful team and received invaluable mentorship from Dr. Schoeffler, Dr. Vance, and Dr. Dadgar.
She went on to earn her Doctor of Veterinary Medicine degree from Texas A&M University in 2026. Throughout veterinary school, Kristian continued returning to Pearland Animal Hospital during her breaks, making coming back as a veterinarian feel like coming home.
Her professional interests include endocrinology, dermatology, cardiology, soft tissue surgery, and oncology, and she looks forward to continuing to learn and grow alongside her patients and their families. Outside of the hospital, Kristian enjoys running, cooking and baking, traveling, watching movies, and spending time with her family, friends, and her 5-year-old yellow Labrador Retriever, Darcy.