Rock Hill veterinarian reflects after 30 years 'as the other family doctor'

Dr. Lorin Lawrence calls himself “the other family doctor.”

While family physicians tend to a variety of sore throats, tummy aches and other ailments, Lawrence has spent more than 30 years helping those family members who can’t tell you where it hurts. He retired Wednesday after 30 years at Ebenezer Road Animal Hospital.

“It seemed like the perfect profession to tie together a love of science, a love of biology, animals and the tight connection we have with them,” Lawrence said. He joined Ebenezer Animal Hospital in 1985 when it was owned by Dr. Watson Matthews, who died less than a year after hiring Lawrence.

Lawrence bought the hospital in 1986 and said it has experienced tremendous growth since then.

“I was starting with a practice that was basically working out of 1950s medicine in 1986,” he said.

The growth included moving the hospital from its former location at the corner of Herlong Avenue and Ebenezer Road to its current location at 2445 Ebenezer Road in 1998. The hospital has expanded its services – and clientele – over the years, Lawrence said, and offers services to not just dogs and cats, but rabbits, reptiles, birds, guinea pigs, hamsters and “other pocket pets.”

“We’re the other family doctor,” he said. “Animals may be just animals, but they’re really important to a lot of people in terms of their health and well-being and companionship. They help people in times of loss, they help people in times of turmoil and they provide a great center for the family to grow up with.”

Lawrence began his path to retirement two years ago, when he sold the hospital to its new owners, Dr. Jay Hreiz and April Splawn, although he remained a part-time associate after that.

“Our practice continues growing,” he said. We’ve made it through the recession, intact. We have a wonderful reputation in town, in the county and in Charlotte.”

Lawrence noted that out of 11 former associates over 30 years, eight have gone on to open their own practices.

“Some of them have even opened up practices threateningly close,” he says with a laugh.

Lawrence said fostering relationships with patients and their owners over the years has been the best part of the job. One of his most memorable patients is a large Labrador, whose owner lives in Charlotte.

“This is her pride and joy,” he said. “This is her best friend.”

The dog developed diabetes and then Addison’s disease.

“And then he ate somebody’s underwear and blocked himself up,” Lawrence said. “He’s kind of fat; this is not a patient you want to do surgery on.”

The surgery went well, Lawrence said, and the dog’s owner still brings him to Ebenezer regularly.

Mary Odom has been bringing her pets to Ebenezer since Lawrence started there 30 years ago. She brought her toy poodle, Tater Tot, to a farewell drop-in at Ebenezer on Wednesday.

“Oh my gosh, Dr. Lawrence is great,” she said.

Odom recalled a cat named T.G. when talking about Lawrence’s compassion and care for animals. The cat wasn’t eating and dropped to about 5 pounds. Odom said Lawrence determined the cat had liver disease, and his health improved after receiving veterinarian care.

“(Lawrence) called me every night and he said, ‘How’s my boy doing?’” Odom said. “He lived to be about 17 years old.”

Odom earlier sent a card to the man who has taken care of her four-legged family members for 30 years, and he called her Tuesday night.

“He said, ‘You’ve been there just as long as I have,’” she said, chuckling. “I said, ‘I know I have.’”

Lawrence said he’s not getting out of the veterinarian business entirely. While he plans to work on his sail boat, he’ll also be doing “relief” work at other veterinary practices periodically.

“I’m gonna let the plans develop,” he said.

This story was originally published October 7, 2015 at 6:05 PM with the headline "Rock Hill veterinarian reflects after 30 years 'as the other family doctor'."