Veterinarians

 

Dr. Linda M. Flieg

Dr. Linda Flieg opened the Orchard Road Animal Hospital in 1992 as a full-service veterinary clinic providing quality health care for pets in a warm and caring environment. Her approach has been to combine modern veterinary medicine with total devotion to the patients, together with the education of pet owners in proper pet care techniques.

Prior to opening Orchard Road Animal Hospital, Dr. Flieg practiced veterinary medicine in Aurora and Schaumburg.

Born and raised in St. Louis, Missouri, Dr. Flieg holds a Bachelor`s Degree in Chemistry and a Degree in Veterinary Medicine from the University of Missouri, Columbia, Missouri. She has a special interest in internal medicine and surgery.

Dr. Flieg and her husband, Scott, have two young sons, Harrison and Sawyer and a daughter, Amaya, as well as their dogs and cats. In her spare time, she enjoys biking, camping, reading novels and "very tedious puzzles."

Dr. Cheryl Distajo

Dr. Distajo joined the staff at Orchard Road Animal Hospital in June of 2002. She was born and raised in Mishawaka, IN. and graduated from Ball State University with a Bachelor`s Degree in Biology. She attended the University of Illinois - College of Veterinary Medicine, graduating with honors.

While in school, Dr. Distajo developed a special interest in internal medicine. She strongly believes in the importance of client education and preventative medicine.

Dr. Distajo and her husband, Butch, reside in Montgomery with their dog, Poppy, and their cat Diablo. They also welcomed their son, Aaron, into the family in July 2006.  He is a blessing and now most of their free time is spent at home with the family.

Dr. Joel Huffman

Dr. Joel Huffman joined Orchard Road Animal Hospital in May of 2003. He was born and raised in Belvidere, Illinois. He began his college career at Knox College. He completed his undergraduate work at the University of Illinois with a degree in Chemistry. After a few years in the work world, he returned to college to become a veterinarian. He attended the University of Illinois - College of Veterinary Medicine, graduating with honors.

During his studies, he developed an interest in animal behavior and internal medicine.

Dr. Huffman lives in Elburn with his wife, Heather, who is an equine veterinarian. They have two horses, Alazone and Bogey, a dog, Birdie, and a cat, Mulligan. In his free time, he enjoys playing basketball and golf. An interesting tidbit is that he was a starting wide receiver for the Knox College football team.

Dr. Kristen Kennedy

Dr. Kennedy is the newest addition to Orchard Road Animal Hospital, having joined the staff in July of 2008. She was born and raised nearby in Naperville, IL. She graduated from Augustana College in Rock Island, IL, with a B.A. in Biology. She then attended The Ohio State University College of Veterinary Medicine, graduating with Phi Zeta honors.

After graduating, Dr. Kennedy completed an externship in Cleveland, OH, with an internal medicine and oncology specialist. Her areas of interest also include ultrasound, for which she received additional training. Dr. Kennedy is a member of OTS, a professional veterinary fraternity, as well as the local and national veterinary organizations.

Dr. Kennedy lives in North Aurora with her husband, Michael, who is an optometrist in Elgin. They have a cute scruffy terrier mix named Tessie.  When she is not at Orchard Road, Dr. Kennedy enjoys traveling to baseball games, skiing, golf and bowling. Her other personal hobbies include horseback riding, listening to music and spending time in Wisconsin boating and water skiing.