Barrett Barksdale, DVM
Dr. Barrett Barksdale is excited to return to The PARC as an Associate Veterinarian, where her connection to the practice runs much deeper than her career in veterinary medicine. A longtime PARC client and former veterinary assistant, Barrett has experienced The PARC from both sides of the exam room—and is thrilled to now serve the same community that has been such an important part of her family’s life.
Born and raised in Fort Worth, Dr. Barksdale earned her Bachelor of Science in Animal Science from Texas A&M University, where she also completed an Equine Certificate. She went on to earn her Doctor of Veterinary Medicine degree from Mississippi State University. Her veterinary career began in 2019 with a veterinary assistant internship at Hagyard Equine Medical Institute. Before veterinary school, she also worked as a veterinary assistant at The PARC and at South 40 Animal Hospital.
Dr. Barksdale has a particular passion for feline medicine, especially caring for cats who may be less than enthusiastic about their veterinary visits. She is passionate about Fear Free medicine and believes that creating a calm, comfortable experience can make a meaningful difference in a pet’s health. She also enjoys working through complex internal medicine cases, with a special interest in cardiology and nephrology. Dr. Barksdale is a member of the American Veterinary Medical Association and the Feline Veterinary Medical Association.
Her path to veterinary medicine began at just five years old, when she received her first cat, Millie. Diagnosed with chronic kidney disease at a young age, Millie lived to the remarkable age of 17 under the care of Dr. Mike Nigliazzo (The PARC's Medical Director). Dr. Barksdale credits both her love for learning how to care for Millie and the compassion Dr. Nigliazzo showed her family as major inspirations for becoming a veterinarian. Today, she hopes to provide that same combination of knowledge, compassion, and lasting connection to her own clients.
For her, The PARC’s mission of People. Animals. Revolutionary Care. is about nurturing the bond between people and their pets through exceptional veterinary care. She believes that building genuine, lasting relationships with clients is at the heart of that mission. As a new veterinarian, she is especially grateful to join a team she has known and trusted for years, and she looks forward to learning from the veterinarians and veterinary technicians who helped shape her own career.
Outside of the clinic, Dr. Barksdale is an avid equestrian and competes in dressage. She and her 18-year-old Hanoverian, Brooklyn, have trained and competed together since Barrett was 18, progressing all the way to Grand Prix—the highest level of dressage. Together, they have earned numerous local, regional, and national honors, including the United States Dressage Federation Gold Medal and Reserve Champion at the 2024 US Dressage Finals in Intermediate II Adult Amateur. Dr. Barksdale also shares her home with three cats—Olivia, Oliver, and Kiwi—and Maci, an 11-year-old Catahoula mix who she lovingly describes as her “life coach.” She also has a young Hanoverian, Maddox, who she hopes will become her next dressage partner.
When she isn't caring for patients or riding, Dr. Barksdale enjoys needlepoint, traveling to the Pacific Northwest for hiking and whale watching, and spending time with her animals. She strives to live by a simple daily goal: be relentlessly optimistic
