Highly Trained And Caring Staff - Durham, North Carolina

North Paw Animal Hospital - Phone: 919-471-1471

Our Staff

Dr. Gretchen Hutt graduated from Auburn University in 1984. She is originally from Louisville, KY and has practiced in Kentucky, Indiana and North Carolina. Dr. Hutt purchased Sherwood Animal Clinic from Dr. Bobby F. Sherwood in 1988 and North Paw was born. She and her husband Mike Martin have 2 children, Christopher and Wendy; 4 dogs, 2 cats and 2 horses. She enjoys all aspects of veterinary medicine but has developed a special interest in challenging surgical cases.

Dr. Suzanne Alton grew up in Louisville, KY and graduated in 1986 from Auburn University. She came to North Paw in 1990 and became a partner with Dr. Hutt in 1995. Dr. Alton particularly enjoys soft tissue surgery, dentistry, and working with pocket pets. She owns an assortment of cats and dogs.

Dr. Cindy Muse graduated from North Carolina State University in 1993, having grown up in Pinebluff, N.C. She practiced in Pennsylvania and Missouri before returning home to N.C. She particularly enjoys working with large dogs and their special medical challenges. She and her husband, Spencer, share their home with one dog, four cats, and one bird. In her free time she enjoys mountain biking and white water kayaking.

Dr. Karen Heffernan graduated from North Carolina State University in 2005. She had previously worked as a veterinary assistant at North Paw and returned to us as a veterinarian in 2006. She and her husband, John, have 2 daughters, Claire and Nora; a dog, 2 cats and a rabbit. Dr. Heffernan enjoys working with both dogs and cats, and has a special interest in ophthalmology.

Dr. Suzanne DeWitt grew up surrounded by a large variety of animals on a farm in the Catskill Mountains of New York, and she is the daughter of a veterinarian. This background influenced her love of animals. Dr. DeWitt pursued research in natural animal behavior and ecology, and originally came to North Carolina to pursue a PhD at Duke studying primates. However, she then decided to study veterinary medicine instead, and Dr. DeWitt graduated from the College of Veterinary Medicine at NC State in 2007. She currently lives in Durham with her husband, Greg, their dog, Zaphod Beeblebrox, and their two cats, Mono Loco and Meetoo. In her free time, she enjoys cooking, traveling, and bird- and wildlife-watching.

MANAGEMENT