Dr. Whittemore graduated from the University of California, Davis College of Veterinary Medicine in 2000. After two years in small animal general practice, she completed her residency in Internal Medicine and a PhD in Clinical Sciences at Colorado State University. Dr. Whittemore’s dissertation focused on evaluation of laboratory markers of systemic disease in dogs and cats. Whittemore joined the faculty at the University of Tennessee, College of Veterinary Medicine in 2007. She was promoted to Associate Professor in 2012 and served as the Acree Research Chair from 2016-2021. Starting mid-year in 2021, Whittemore joined the staff at Animal Emergency and Specialty Care (AESC), whilst maintaining a partial appointment at UT as a Clinical Associate Professor.
Whittemore particularly enjoys the way clinical practice intersects with research, drawing inspiration from her patients and their owners to advance veterinary care. Her major research focus is on identification and amelioration of adverse effects of exogenous therapies – such as antiplatelet, immunosuppressive and antibiotic therapies – on the gastrointestinal tract. Secondary active areas of research include development and validation of veterinary simulators to minimize live animal use for veterinary training, for which she holds a patent, and development and validation of minimally-invasive interventional techniques to decrease patient morbidity and improve patient outcome.
When not hunkered over records in the clinic, Whittemore can be found developing new resources for use in her immersive endoscopy courses for small animal specialists and technicians. Her online-only and small group on-site courses have been taken by more than 1,500 veterinary professionals, representing over 60 countries around the globe.