Brittany Shumack, DVM

05/06/2024

5 years exactly of being a doctor and c-section #500 all in the same day. Welcome puppy number 2284 and 2285 into the world. I’m so grateful for have landed in Colorado Springs at such a great clinic. I think I’ll never leave.

04/18/2024

I’ll be at the show this weekend doing a seminar on general feline healthcare on Saturday and feline reproduction on Sunday!!

01/10/2024

Opportunity to participate in the new respiratory function grading in Colorado

12/09/2023

Check out the upcoming TF/AKC Canine Breeder Excellence Seminar Tracks kicking of on January 17th!

Visit https://www.theriofoundation.org/events/register.aspx?id=1800421&itemid=dff0b425-5116-419f-9d57-6da34142da49 to learn more.

12/09/2023

I might be a little biased, but I’m convinced we have the best clients at VCVC. It’s when my imposter syndrome seems to be at its highest that there has been an overwhelming amount of kindness for no reason. It hasn’t just been in tangible items, but in kind words and gratitude.

I’ll be honest that I am terrible at writing thank you cards in a timely matter. I hope each and every one of you knows this: The flowers, plants, printed photos, calendars, and photo cards bring a smile to our faces every time we see them (we love seeing the puppies and kittens we help with). The endless goodies including donuts, muffins, cookies, other homemade desserts, store bought candy and cookies, cheesecakes, tacos, full meals, and much much more are usually gone within minutes and every bit of it is so so appreciated. Most importantly I want to make sure everyone knows that every thank you and we appreciate you is heard. I appreciate each and every one of you

09/23/2023

If you have visited the clinic lately or plan to see us soon you will be asked to sign a reproduction contract. So far we have received great feedback from this contract, but I want to go over our “biggest changes”

1. New clients and clients that have a history of no-shows will have to make a deposit prior to first appointment.

2. We will no longer tolerate aggressive behavior from reproduction patients. Anything cornering me and my staff in an exam room, or requiring multiple people to handle will not be offered reproductive services.

3. As always, we require an exam prior to breeding services. We strive to be proud of the puppies we help produce through our reproduction department. One area in which we are seeing an increase in concern is dogs with brachycephalic obstructive airway syndrome (BOAS) and other debilitating disease. Reproduction services are elective services and we have the right to deny services to those who exhibit severe BOAS/respiratory distress or other debilitating disease.

You can read the full contract and sign it prior to upcoming appointments here:

...

08/25/2023

07/10/2023

With prime day coming tomorrow I made lists with recommended supplies to have on hand for whelping/puppy care. These lists are still a work in progress and if you have an absolute must have items let me know!

Happy shopping!

Whelping supplies: https://amzn.to/3rqcd7o
C-section specific supplies: https://amzn.to/3XM2uo3
Puppy Care: https://amzn.to/44lIQlA

07/10/2023

With prime day coming tomorrow I made lists with recommended supplies to have on hand for whelping/puppy care. These lists are still a work in progress and if you have an absolute must have items let me know!

Happy shopping!

Whelping supplies: https://amzn.to/3rqcd7o
C-section specific supplies: https://amzn.to/3XM2uo3
Puppy Care: https://amzn.to/44lIQlA

Shop recommended products from Brittany Shumack, DVM on www.amazon.com. Learn more about Brittany Shumack, DVM's favorite products.

07/06/2023

Officially back on the schedule for August 7th and can’t wait to be in this beautiful building!

We have some exciting news! For the month of July we will be moving into our new clinic. This has been a long awaited growth of our clinic. With this move will come some difficulties as our equipment is being moved, we will not have access to all diagnostics. This will limit the amount of appointments we can see. We can not wait to be functioning at full capacity again and show our amazing clients and patients the new clinic. Thank you all so much for your understanding during this time.

03/17/2023

One final update on the “lucky” puppy on this day of luck 🍀

The little guy ended up staying with the Maltese litter for his entire 8 weeks because of his size and has thrived. At 8 weeks he is still half the size of his original golden litter, weighing a little more than 5 lbs. The golden litter all weigh around 10lbs, with one little girl weighing 7.5lbs.

We are so thankful and “lucky” to work with such wonderful breeders and for this happy ending.

02/01/2023

These pictures are a few days old, but the little golden guy is such a fighter. He had a rough first few days, not gaining very well but is improving daily.

02/01/2023

The Orthopedic Foundation for Animals, in partnership with the University of Cambridge and The Kennel Club in the U.K., is offering the Respiratory Function Grading Scheme to measure the severity of brachycephalic obstructive airway syndrome in dogs.

01/20/2023

I'll be honest, there are times when I get in a slump at work, but today was just what I needed.

We had two c-sections today.

The first was a Maltese, we were originally worried about her needing one due to a deceased puppy earlier in the week. However she miraculously passed the deceased puppy without aborting the rest of the litter (this RARELY happens). The owners elected to continue with the planned c-section even though it might not be needed anymore.

The second was a Golden Retriever, due to a large litter and owner preference they chose an elective c-section.

Each C-section went well, but there was a tiny little guy in the golden litter, squished by the rest in the uterine body, with little room to grow.

He was a little fighter and vigorous, but the breeder was extremely worried about his survivability with a large litter. Looking at him I thought wow he is tiny, the size of one of the Maltese puppies.

With permission from the Golden breeder, I went to the Maltese breeder and said I have an odd question for you, would you mind taking in a 3 ounce Golden puppy to give it a better chance of survival. Without missing a beat they said absolutely.

There were tears shed by many at the kindness and gratitude we witnessed today. I always say I'm lucky to work with some of the best breeders in the country, but today just proved that once again.

For reference, the Maltese puppies were 4 ounces. The golden puppies an average of 12 ounces, and the little fighter golden was only 3 ounces.

12/16/2022

Village center veterinary care is looking for technicians to join our team! New building in late spring, fun team with lots of laughter, and the ability to work with a large variety of species and breeds!

Village Center Veterinary Care

11/10/2022

Friendly reminder:
If you have received my after hours number for c-sections that is all it is to be used for. The number of calls/texts about ear infections, UTIs, scheduling, etc on my days off has become excessive and disrespectful. There are two other doctors at our office and a full staff that can assist in your concerns/scheduling. If this continues to be abused any and all after hour services for breeding/c-sections will be discontinued.

10/17/2022

This week is Vet Tech week.
I am so thankful for these people, not just today, but every single day. I could not do what I do without these people. They deal with so much, especially having to deal with me. Read more about each of them under their picture!

If you know a tech/assistant this week thank them for all they do.

10/04/2022

Save the Date!
The Colorado Springs Kennel Club presents Meet the Breeds on Sunday, November 6th!
Looking to showcase your breed, email: [email protected]

08/18/2022

Village Center Veterinary Care clients:

We have added some new staff specifically for the reproduction department. Our hope is to help this streamline communication within the clinic. We are excited about this change, but please be patient through this transition period.

A few things that can help this process:

1. When trying to schedule puppy/kitten exams please schedule at week 1-2 when born. Failure to do so will result in a work-in fee. I know how important it is to get puppies and kittens checked before going to new homes, but it is not an easy task to work in a litter with an already double booked schedule.

2. Please try to schedule ultrasounds and puppy counts at time of breeding.

3. When scheduling OFA appointments please fill out paperwork prior to appointment time.

4. Please understand that I try my best to take care of all my clients and fit in time sensitive appointments. However, I can physically only do so much. If directed to go to an emergency clinic it is not because we don't feel like seeing you. We physically can't.

5. I am only currently accepting new reproduction clients, puppies from litters I have already seen with new owners, and special surgery cases. I am currently not accepting new general practice clients. This was a very hard decision, and we hope to open back up to taking new clients once our new building opens in the spring.

Lastly, and most importantly, please be kind to staff. This has not been a significant problem, but I just want to make it clear that I do not tolerate yelling, use of profanity at staff, etc. We have the right to no longer see clients if we see fit.

07/28/2022

Had a blast today giving a lecture to future vet techs and assistants on small animal reproduction and breeder relationships. It was hard to only talk for 1.5 hours, but I hope they all took something helpful away from it and can help support breeders in future jobs.

07/18/2022

Veterinarian interested in Reproduction

We offer a well-established practice, an amazing, experienced staff, state of the art equipment and a beautiful city to live in.

Village Center Veterinary Care is a full-service small animal hospital offering exceptional care with three doctors currently. We are an AAHA accredited hospital that provides comprehensive full medical, surgical, dental, and reproductive services. Our hospital is fully equipped with digital radiography, digital dental radiography, in-house laboratory, ultrasound, Cardell monitoring equipment, laser, and more state-of-the-art equipment. Our full-service canine reproduction services include C-Sections, inseminations, semen freezing/storage, in-house progesterone testing, and advanced reproductive consults for surrounding clinics. Dr. Shumack has built a respected reproduction department with wonderful clientele. We intend to add another Veterinarian to help with our growing reproduction department and general practice medicine with the variety that comes with it. We are currently building a new clinic that will feature a laboratory and surgery suite devoted to the reproduction department. New graduates are welcome to apply. We offer great mentorship for general practice and reproductive medicine. Our doctors each have their own areas of interest, which is encouraged, supported and all doctors have a very collaborative relationship. We are known for the personalized great care we take with clients and employees alike. We believe in providing compassionate, quality veterinary medical care for our patients while letting our clients know that we value each one of them. We provide the personal service available in a private practice with the guiding principles based on the value of building long term relationships with our clients and our patients.

We are providing an opportunity for a self-confident Veterinarian to become a supportive team player that can promote an environment that is respectful and supportive in promoting teamwork, and professional growth and development.

Village Center Veterinary Care is based in Colorado Springs, CO. This is a beautiful place to live because it provides many opportunities for outdoor adventures, close to the mountains, a beautiful setting and great weather. Colorado has "300 days of sunshine” and is considered one of the sunniest places in America.

New Graduates are welcome to apply.

There are limited after hour C-Sections (never past 9 pm) and the responsibility would be split between Dr. Shumack and the new associate.

•We have experienced and skilled technicians and support staff including a technician who will be assigned specifically to reproduction for support.

Must have a valid Veterinarian license to practice in Colorado

Full benefit package

•Competitive pay- please contact for more information

06/11/2022

New DNA Banking opportunity!

We are now offering DNA Banking through Rosero Genetics! DNA will be stored for up to 50 years and stored DNA can be used for genetic analysis or transferred to third party labs. One sample can be used for up to 50 in-house genetic test or 10 DNA transfers to third party labs. There will also be discounts on all future in-house genetic tests through Rosero genetics.

This is a great opportunity to own your dogs DNA for future use, not having to worry about thawing precious frozen semen. You also won't have to worry about a study lab owning your sample and not being able to distribute to other labs!

04/26/2022

📣📣Brucellosis testing: The previous tests that we used for in house Brucellosis testing are no longer available, and there are currently no similar replacements. The only option we have at this time is a lab test that has a 3 day turnaround and costs more than double what our previous test costs. Please plan accordingly and know that we can no longer have results in 15 minutes.

Also, starting mid-May, my schedule will change until we move into our new building and can hire another associate to help with reproduction. My in-office days will be Monday, Tuesday, Friday, and Saturday.

02/13/2022

We had a great time today at Under the Sun Dog Training and Daycare fun match. We were expecting a laid back slow day, but boy were we wrong. Thank you everyone for coming by the health clinic, we look forward to offering more in the future. Thanks to my amazing technicians for helping with all of the chaos

11/26/2021

A forensic accountant, she analyzed the tax returns of Colorado’s 15 largest rescue organizations and found between 2017 and 2019 the nonprofits reported more than $24 million in revenue. Nearly a third of it, she says, went to salaries and benefits, which is almost double what they spent on vet services.

While Colorado is one of the few states to license rescues and make sure kennels are sanitized and treatment records up to date -- dog imports are largely unregulated.

11/26/2021

Some Colorado pet rescue organizations have become multi-million dollar puppy importers. A CBS4 investigation found protections, for pets and people, haven't kept up.

11/11/2021

I had to tweak this a little, but in reality I need about 20 more high and low points in a day. 😅

11/04/2021

Alright everyone, here is a long one for you.

Vaginal cultures in the healthy bitch and why some girls seem to only have litters when using antibiotics during breeding.

This may be an unpopular opinion but I feel as though va**nal cultures are unnecessary in a healthy female, regardless of the breed. Do they have a purpose and can they be useful in certain cases? Absolutely. However, this is no reason that a maiden bitch should have to have a va**nal culture to breed with a stud dog. The female should have brucellosis testing and an exam performed by a veterinarian, but a va**nal culture is not needed. Let's discuss why....

** The va**na is never a clean environment. There will almost always be bacteria found, even in a healthy female with no fertility concerns. There have even been multiple studies showing mycoplamsa cultured from females that had normal litters and no fertility concerns.

** A va**nal culture will not always be an accurate representation of what is found in the uterus. The cervix acts as a bridge from the va**na to the uterus, and this "bridge" is only open at certain times. If a va**nal culture is performed to determine flora of the uterus, it should be done at a certain time of the cycle. Also, even if the "bridge" is open, it does not guarantee that the bacteria will cross that bridge into the va**na.

So when should a va**nal culture be performed?
1. If your female is having large amounts of va**nal discharge
2. If there is a late term abortion of fetuses
3. If there are multiple missed breedings regardless of breeding management and good quality semen. The results must be interpreted carefully.

Why else would my otherwise healthy female miss a breeding?
-The causes of missed breedings/infertility is a very long list including genetic discrepancies, cystic ovaries/uterus, nutrition, underling disease, stress, etc...

Lastly, you may be thinking, "well I know a female that every time she takes antibiotics when she comes into heat has a large litter, so she must have an infection in her uterus".

I will agree with you, there are some females that seem to only have a litter if placed on antibiotics during breeding. HOWEVER, my opinion is not that she has an underlying infection we are treating, but that post-breeding endometritis is playing a role in her infertility.

Post breeding endometritis is very well documented in the mare, but has not been studies as well in our beloved dogs and cats. A breeding whether it is TCI, natural breeding, va**nal insemination, or all of the above will cause a self-liming endometritis from the introduction of semen, bacteria, and other debris into the uterus after breeding. Most females do not have a problem with this and the inflammation will actually help clear the uterus of these inflammatory products. However, there are some females that will have an continued inflammatory reaction that will reduce conception rates. The antibiotics and anti-inflammatories that some administer at time of breeding may help with this process.

There is so much more I could discuss about post-breeding endometritis, and let us not forget those cystic ovaries and uterus causing infertility. There will be a post in the future about cysts, and more on post-breeding endometritis if you would like to learn more.

What do you want to learn about next?

Brittany Shumack, DVM

11/02/2021

Throughout November I am going to try my best to find time to address some of the questions and "debunk" some myths that I hear from my clients.

One of the most common questions clients ask me is "what should the progesterone be at time of breeding for optimal results?" I also hear comments like
"we have always bred at 18 ng/mL" or "I was told the progesterone has to be above 20 ng/mL to breed".

I love this article by the AKC. There is no perfect number for progesterone, each girl will rise differently and while 18 ng/mL may be perfect for one girl, the next may be more fertile at 14 or 30 ng/mL.

"We know the progesterone level at the time of ovulation. However, at the time of breeding, there is no “ideal” level. When fertility is optimal, progesterone values might be around 10, 30, sometimes even greater than 60ng/mL. The breeding protocol should be determined based on the estimated day of ovulation. We cannot say that the bitch should be bred when she is at [any number] ng/mL of progesterone."
https://www.akc.org/expert-advice/dog-breeding/timing-ovulation/

What other questions/myths can I address for you?

As a breeder, you already know that when it comes to reproduction, the canine species is really unique. I have invested many hours over a number of years t

01/18/2021

Do you have a puppy age 4-6 months, or a puppy that will be this age soon? OFA is partnering with the University of Missouri to look at new ways to predict Canine Hip dysplasia.

What are some benefits of participating in this study?
-You can be a part of impacting the control of Canine hip Dysplasia through early prediction.
- All future OFA evaluation and applications fees for participating dogs will be waived
- Automatic enrollment in the CHIC DNA Repository
-Progress reporting throughout the duration of the study and individualized reports when the study is complete in 3-4 years.

For more information visit:
https://www.ofa.org/biomarker

In partnership with the Orthopedic Foundation for Animals, the University of Missouri’s Thompson Laboratory for Regenerative Orthopaedics is researching a new way to predict Canine Hip Dysplasia (CHD) by looking at blood and urine samples in puppies between 4 and 6 months old. Participants are cur...