Nearly 3 years ago, the clinic across the street told my partner and I that we needed to consider euthanizing our 16-year-old cat Evie because of her severe, intractable constipation. She had hit a crisis point and was barely eating. Somehow, in my panic, I stumbled across online reviews for Dr. Lowenstein. Thank goodness I did, because Evie is still living a happy, high-quality life 3 years later.
Dr. Lowenstein is incredibly knowledgeable and skilled, but more than anything, he will give as much time as it needs to figure out your pet’s problem. He spent a lot of time on the phone with us at the beginning, troubleshooting and adjusting Evie’s medications. He also explained everything carefully. The clinic across the street had given us the impression that there was little room for upward adjustment on the meds. On the contrary— there was tons of room, and Dr. Lowenstein explained in specific detail what dosage was possible for a cat her size. Ultimately, she just needed time, follow-up, and patience to sort out the issues that had seemed completely unmanageable. It felt almost miraculous, but it was just the kind of good old fashioned medicine that you don’t get at vet clinics now.
After a couple of years, Evie had another issue come up. This time, she needed a visit to a specialist. We were worried— one of the reasons why we were happy to have Evie seen at home was because she was utterly terrified by vet visits— but Dr. Lowenstein was able to send us a prescription that would help keep her calm for the visit. He also knew the best person for her to see, and he got us an appointment much more quickly than we would have been able to on our own. It was an incredibly helpful visit, and with the knowledge we gained there, we have been able to work with Dr. Lowenstein to manage this condition as well. I can’t believe how much extra time we’ve gotten with our beloved girl because of him. She is still full of life and sass and snuggles at 19.
When our 14-year-old kitty Jerry was diagnosed with cancer several months ago, we made the difficult decision to let him live out his life at home, rather than pursue more treatment. We asked Dr. Lowenstein to take over his care, because we knew he would be invested in making sure Jerry was comfortable and happy. Jerry was EXTREMELY aggressive when put in a carrier and at the vet’s, so it was a relief to have him seen at home.
We came to the end with Jerry this week. Dr. Lowenstein was incredibly helpful in talking through when it might be time. He didn’t make the decision for us, but he gave us all the information and things to consider for us to make the decision that we felt was right. He was especially patient and generous during these hard discussions, and helped us find clarity in what is a confusing and overwhelming situation.
We were also worried that Jerry, even in a weaker state, might still be aggressive at the end and not go peacefully. Dr. Lowenstein talked through this with us and prescribed medication to calm him beforehand. When he came to help Jerry pass, he took his time to make sure that everything would go smoothly and peacefully, which it did. Afterward, I had some clay ready to make paw print impressions, but after struggling for a bit unsuccessfully, I was about to give up. Dr. Lowenstein offered to help, and even though this isn’t something he usually does, he turned out to be great at that, too. He treated Jerry with dignity and care, and I feel so at peace with his end.
I really can’t recommend Dr. Lowenstein highly enough. He is seasoned and skilled and kind and all kinds of wonderful things, but most of all, he will truly care about your pet, and he’ll follow through on that to do whatever is needed to be sure that it gets the best care.