Dr. Keith Richter is a graduate of Cornell University, College of Veterinary Medicine. He completed his internship at the California Animal Hospital in Los Angeles and his Internal Medicine residency at the University of California, Davis. For three years, Dr. Richter served on the Internal Medicine staff of Angell Memorial Animal Hospital in Boston and as Clinical Assistant Professor of Medicine at the Tufts University School of Veterinary Medicine. He was then a professor at the Cornell University College of Veterinary Medicine where he commuted back and forth to San Diego from 2001-2003.  Dr. Richter has been the hospital director of the Veterinary Specialty Hospital since 1990.

A Diplomate of the American College of Veterinary Internal Medicine, Dr. Richter’s specials interests include gastroenterology, liver disease, oncology, and autoimmune disease. Dr. Richter is nationally recognized for his skill in all endoscopic techniques including gastroduodenoscopy, colonoscopy, and bronchoscopy. In addition, he has been a pioneer in veterinary thoracoscopy and laparoscopy.  He is also proficient in ultrasonography and percutaneous biopsy techniques.

Dr. Richter has authored several scientific articles and textbook chapters and lectures frequently at local, national and international scientific meetings as well as many veterinary colleges around the country. He has also collaborated with gastroenterology programs at the Boston University School of Medicine, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, UCSD Medical Center and Scripps Memorial Hospital. Dr. Richter is also the immediate past president of the Comparative Gastroenterology Society.  Dr. Richter has had the distinction of being on the Board of Regents of the American College of Veterinary Internal Medicine, has served on their examination and credential committees, and has served on their Foundation Board.

A Diplomate of the American College of Veterinary Internal Medicine, Dr. Hart is interested in all aspects of internal medicine, particularly gastroenterology, hematology, respiratory medicine and oncology. He is skilled in tracheobronchoscopy, gastroduodenoscopy and laparoscopy. In addition he is adept at cardiac and abdominal ultrasonography, balloon dilation and percutaneous biopsy techniques. Dr. Hart’s expertise also includes interpretation of special studies such as fluoroscopy and contrast radiology.

Dr. John Hart received his Doctor of Veterinary Medicine degree from Auburn University, College of Veterinary Medicine in 1988. In 1989, he completed a one-year internship at the Animal Medical Center in New York City, and stayed to complete a two-year residency in Internal Medicine. He remained at the Animal Medical Center as a Staff Internist and Service Chief for three years.

Dr. Hart joined the staff of the Veterinary Specialty Hospital in the fall of 1994.Dr. Hart has published scientific articles dealing with Internal Medicine and has collaborated in several clinical studies with researchers across the country. He lectures frequently to veterinarians both nationally and internationally, and participated with his dog, Amber, in human-animal bond activities.

A Diplomate of the American College of Veterinary Internal Medicine, Dr. Steven Hill has broad clinical interests in all aspects of veterinary internal medicine. His special interests are immune-mediated diseases, infectious diseases, oncology and gastroenterology. While at Colorado State University, Dr. Hill’s clinical research focused on infectious and zoonotic diseases. In addition, Dr. Hill has collaborated and received additional training with human infectious disease, gastrointestinal and oncologic specialists.

Dr. Hill is a 1991 graduate of Colorado State University, College of Veterinary Medicine and Biomedical Sciences. He completed his internship at the San Diego Veterinary Referral Hospital in 1992 and his Internal Medicine residency and masters degree in clinical sciences at Colorado State University in 1995.

Dr. Hill is skilled in all endoscopic procedures including upper gastrointestinal endoscopy, colonoscopy, bronchoscopy, rhinoscopy, cystoscopy, laparoscopy and thoracoscopy. He is also proficient in ultrasound (abdominal and cardiac), fluoroscopy, and percutaneous biopsy procedures.

A Diplomate of the American College of Veterinary Internal Medicine, Dr. Jennifer DeBerry has extensive clinical interests in all aspects of veterinary internal medicine. Her special interests include nephrology, endocrinology, and feline medicine. She is skilled in endoscopic procedures such as gastroduodenoscopy, colonoscopy, tracheobronchoscopy, rhinoscopy, cystoscopy, and vaginoscopy. She is also proficient in ultrasonography and ultrasound-guided biopsies. In addition, she is trained in performing and interpreting cytologic, fluoroscopic, and urodynamic studies.

Dr. DeBerry obtained her DVM from the University of California, Davis. She then completed an internship in general medicine and surgery here at the Veterinary Specialty Hospital. Following her internship, Dr. DeBerry returned to UC Davis, where she completed her residency in Small Animal Internal Medicine. While at UC Davis, Dr. DeBerry actively participated in the training of pre-clinical and fourth year veterinary students. She is active in ongoing research in the areas of feline diabetes mellitus and feline nutrition. Dr. DeBerry has also authored several scientific journal articles.

Dr. Andrea Sotirakopoulos has broad clinical interests in all aspects of veterinary internal medicine. Her special interests are gastroenterology, liver disease and cystoscopy for lower urinary tract evaluation. While at the University of Minnesota, Dr. Sotirakopoulos’ clinical research focused on diagnosis and management of transitional cell carcinoma of the urinary bladder.

Dr. Sotirakopoulos holds a BSc. (Hons) in Biomedical Toxicology from the University of Guelph. She is a 2002 graduate of the University of Melbourne, College of Veterinary Science. Dr. Sotirakopoulos completed a small animal internship at Louisiana State University in 2003 and a three year residency in Internal Medicine from the University of Minnesota. She also received her Master of Veterinary Science degree from the University of Minnesota in 2007.

Dr. Sotirakopoulos is skilled in all endoscopic procedures including upper gastrointestinal endoscopy, colonoscopy, bronchoscopy, rhinoscopy, cystoscopy and vaginoscopy.Dr. Sotirakopoulos has presented her clinical studies at the forum of the American College of Veterinary Internal Medicine and has received several awards for her research.

She has authored scientific articles and is active in ongoing research in the areas of canine transitional cell carcinoma and genetic predisposition to this disease.

*Practice Limited to Internal Medicine

Kevin Mallery, DVM, DACVIM

North County Facility

Dr. Kevin Mallery obtained his Doctor of Veterinary Medicine degree from Tufts University in 1999.  He then completed a one year internship in small animal medicine and surgery at The Animal Medical Center in New York City.  Following the internship, Dr. Mallery then completed a residency program in internal medicine at the University of California, Davis.  At UC Davis, Dr. Mallery was involved in clinical research in endocrinology and actively participated in the training of pre-clinical and fourth year veterinary students.  Dr. Mallery then started the internal medicine program at a specialty hospital in Riverside County and worked there for the next 6 years.  He is now the hospital director of Veterinary Specialty Hospital's North County location. 

A Diplomate of the American College of Veterinary Internal Medicine, Dr. Mallery’s special interests include endocrinology, autoimmune disease, gastroenterology, liver disease, and oncology.  Dr. Mallery is skilled in all endoscopic techniques including gastroduodenoscopy, colonoscopy, rhinoscopy, cystoscopy, bronchoscopy and laparoscopy.  He is also proficient in abdominal and cardiac ultrasonography, and percutaneous biopsy techniques.  

Dr. Mallery has published scientific articles in endocrinology, cardiology and oncology.  He lectures frequently at scientific meetings.  Dr. Mallery served as co-president of the Orange Belt Veterinary Medical Association in Riverside County, from 2004-2006.  He shares his home with his wife, 2 sons, 3 dogs and one cat.

Julie R. Fischer, DVM, DACVIM (SAIM)

North County Facility

Dr. Fischer received her Doctor of Veterinary Medicine degree from the University of Tennessee, College of Veterinary Medicine. She completed an internship in small animal medicine and surgery at the Atlantic Veterinary College, University of Prince Edward Island, Canada, and a small animal internal medicine residency at Kansas State University. Dr. Fischer served as a clinical instructor at Kansas State before entering private specialty practice in San Jose, California. In 2002, Dr. Fischer established UC Davis’s Nephrology, Urology and Hemodialysis Service in San Diego, coordinating the program until 2009 and becoming a nationally recognized expert in upper and lower urinary tract disease. She has been a Diplomate of the American College of Veterinary Internal Medicine, specialty of Small Animal Internal Medicine, since 2000.

Dr. Fischer particularly enjoys the diagnosis and management of upper and lower urinary tract problems, including complicated infections, obstructive ureteral diseases, prostatic diseases, incontinence, and acute and chronic renal failure.  Her other special interests include immune-mediated diseases, oncology, and the clinical training of veterinary students and house officers. She served on the ACVIM Small Animal Internal Medicine Credentials Committee, and served on and chaired the Small Animal Internal Medicine Residency Training Committee. Dr. Fischer is passionate about the evolving art of post-doctoral veterinary education, especially the fusion of academic and private-practice advanced training programs. She has published scientific journal articles and textbook chapters on urinary diseases and other internal medicine topics, and speaks locally, nationally, and internationally on topics in nephrology and urology. 

Katharine Arnell, DVM

Resident in Internal Medicine 

Dr. Katharine Arnell received her DVM from University of California, Davis in 2006 and completed an internship at Veterinary Specialty Hospital in 2007.  Dr. Arnell is the first resident in the newly formed program, which began in October, 2007.

Resident in Internal Medicine

Dr. Laura West received her DVM from the University of Georgia in 2007.  She completed a rotating internship at VCA Veterinary Referral and Emergency Center in Norwalk, Connecticut from 2007-2008.  She also completed a specialty internship in internal medicine at Animal Specialty Group in Los Angeles, California from 2008-2009.  Currently, she is an internal medicine resident here at the Veterinary Specialty Hospital of San Diego.  Her professional interests include feline medicine and endocrinology.