Dr. Ballagas received his doctor of veterinary medicine degree in 1999 from Auburn University CVM. From there he completed an internship in small animal medicine and surgery at the University of Pennsylvania followed by a residency in small animal surgery at Auburn University CVM. He concurrently completed a master's degree with a focus on canine cruciate ligament disease and tibial plateau leveling osteotomy.

Dr. Ballagas was then a clinical instructor at Auburn University CVM before joining Veterinary Surgery of Birmingham in 2004. He completed board certification to become a Diplomate of the American College of Veterinary Surgeons in 2005.

In 2019, he established Veterinary Specialists of Birmingham.