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Instructor Information


NameBio
Laura Lefkowitz, DVM

Laura Lefkowitz, DVM, is the founder and staff veterinarian at Gentle Goodbyes (www.gentlegoodbyes.com) A veterinary service composed of multiple hospitals in the valley that exclusively provide home euthanasia and cremation services for animals of the Treasure Valley. Prior to that, she was a staff emergency veterinarian at Westvet Specialty and Referral Center in Garden City for 14 years. She is also the Amazon Bestselling author of a book titled Bite Me: Tell-All Tales of an Emergency veterinarian. She completed her undergraduate degree at SUNY Binghamton in upstate New York and her Doctor of Veterinary Medicine from the University of Minnesota in 1993. After graduating, she practiced preventative medicine in a five-doctor family practice in western Massachusetts for nine years.

 

The native New Yorker, who grew up on Long Island, says that the profession of veterinary medicine appealed to her for many reasons. “It was a career that allowed me to combine my interest in biology with my desire to help people maintain happy and healthy relationships with their pets. I wanted to be in a profession where I felt like I was doing something positive for the world.” She adds, “Veterinary medicine was the perfect choice. After twenty years I still wholeheartedly love what I do!”

 

Teri Dowdell, DVM

Dr. Teri Dowdell, DVM, and Certified Canine Rehabilitation Therapist (CCRT), has been with WestVet for three years.  As a CCRT, she helps animals achieve and maintain optimal health and well-being. Dr. Dowdell's expertise is in physical rehabilitation. She evaluates, restores, and maintains a dog’s physical function and movement. She treats dogs suffering from injuries, disease, weight gain, or recovering from surgery by utilizing numerous treatment modalities, including hydrotherapy, laser therapy, fitness and conditioning, acupuncture, and physical therapy.  You can learn more about the services she offers on their website: www.westvet.net.

When asked about the most rewarding part of her job, Dr. Dowdell said, “Fixing problems, managing pain, restoring function.” Whether she is assisting a senior dog with basic functions, helping a dog post-op reach optimum function in the shortest amount of time, or guiding a performance dog that needs a subtle tweak to be perfect in competition, she finds joy in the dog’s successes (and the owner’s delight with their dog’s progress and return to mobility).

She puts her practice to work in her life with her own dog, Pooh. This 15-year-old Vizsla mix regularly receives treatment for his osteoarthritis, and because of that, still enjoys an active lifestyle. Dr. Dowdell says that while the pair embraces a modified activity schedule, they still enjoy camping together and many good times.

Dr. Dowdell’s veterinary career began after she earned two bachelor’s degrees. First, she completed a Zoology degree with an emphasis on marine biology from the University of Georgia; then a Microbiology degree from Washington State University. She says she felt the desire to work in a profession where she could contribute to both the human and animal community and this lead her to Ross University in the West Indies for veterinary school. She completed a clinical year at Colorado State University followed by a general internship at the Animal Surgical and Emergency Center in Los Angeles, CA.

In 2010, Dr. Dowdell joined WestVet as a surgical intern. After her one-year surgical internship and a brief stint working for a General Practice Veterinarian in Los Angeles, she returned to WestVet where she now manages WestVet’s Physical Rehabilitation Services. 

Her educational pursuits enabled her to live in many places. Born and raised in New Jersey, she has lived in Athens, GA, Charleston, OR, San Juan Island outside of Seattle, Philadelphia, PA, West Indies, California, and Boise. This world traveler says she loves the Treasure Valley for both the out-of-the-city camping and hiking adventures and nice community feel.

Helping animals and practicing veterinary rehabilitation is only one part of this talented doctor’s life. She is also an artist. She began blowing glass in 1991, and even had her own art glass business for six years. That’s when she felt the pull to veterinary school and even though she put her hobby on hold for several years, now that she is established at WestVet, she is looking forward to picking it up again.

Dr. Dowdell is a member of the Veterinary Orthopedic Society, the International Veterinary Academy of Pain Management, and the American Association of Rehabilitation Veterinarians. She obtained her acupuncture certification from Colorado State University and was trained in Canine Rehabilitation Institute in Florida. She has a passion and enthusiasm for animal rehabilitation, and we are delighted to offer her expertise and services to the Treasure Valley and surrounding areas!