South Orange's Pet Vet: Dr. Marc Levine

Open for 65 years, South Orange Animal Hospital is one of the oldest ongoing veterinary practices in New Jersey. For the last 25 years, Dr. Marc Levine has practiced in the white clapboard house on Valley Street.

"I love coming to work. It's a spectacular profession," said Dr. Levine. "My favorite thing is helping the animals and their owners. There are lots of rewards. You get to work with your hands, your mind, and different people on a daily basis. There are challenges. There's drama. It's got it all."

"I'm starting to see the third generation of pet owners. I saw the parents, the kids, and now, the kids' kids who have grown up and have pets," he said. "They'll say, 'Don't you remember me? I came in with Fluffy.' And I'll say, 'When did you come in?' and they’ll say, 'Twenty years ago. I came with my mom.’"

Growing up in Queens, the idea to become a veterinarian came to Levine at the age of 13. “I worked after school at a vet office, and the fellow I worked for kept encouraging me and said, 'You would be good at this.' He was a mentor,” he said.

After completing the Cornell College of Veterinary Medicine, Levine came to New Jersey to work and raise a family. His two daughters are now grown. He has one dog and one cat. He also trains seeing-eye dogs.

Levine’s philosophy of delivering pet care is to do the best you can for the most reasonable fee. In addition, he believes in being perfectly honest: “I will give you my best assessment of how it will come out and what we can expect. Then, it’s up to the pet owner to decide how to proceed.”

And while it may seem that things don't tend to change much in South Orange, Levine has noticed new trends in pet care and health. “There’s a lot more tick-borne illnesses, like Lyme disease, Rocky Mountain fever and Ehrlichia. Paracites are out longer—it could be from global warming. Also, pets are traveling more with their owners, picking up illnesses.” On the other hand, he’s seeing less auto trauma, as people are more responsible about keeping their dogs on leashes, and also less breast cancer, as animals are being spayed at younger ages.

If you're considering getting a dog, Dr. Levine recommends thinking about the time commitment. “The biggest mistake people make is not devoting enough time to training,” he said. “Dogs are a time investment. They need to be cared for. Different breeds have different behavioral traits. Do your homework to see if your lifestyle fits the dog you pick.” On the other hand, he said, “Cats are easy to live with.”

It’s easy to see the truth in the words of the framed needlepoint in the examining room of South Orange Animal Hospital: Veterinarians—Animals' Best Friend.