Dr. Brittany Ishmael grew up on a farm, and the many experiences she had there sparked her passion for the veterinary profession. Her interest in animal care goes deeper than loving pets—she has always wanted to know exactly why things happened the way they did. As a full-time veterinarian and the owner of Advanced Veterinary Care, Dr. Ishmael truly gets to live her dream!

After attending community college, Dr. Ishmael graduated from Western Illinois University before being recruited to attend the Royal Veterinary College in London, England. There, a professor told her that he would never have to worry about her because she would never stop asking the “why” questions!

Upon graduating with her veterinary degree, Dr. Ishmael practiced animal medicine as an Associate Veterinarian for nine years. In early 2015, she and her husband Darren achieved their long-time dream and opened their very own clinic, Advanced Veterinary Care.

Dr. Ishmael and her husband have a beautiful young daughter, Gwyn, who already demonstrates a deep love for animals. The family shares their home with four dogs and 8 cats. They also keep seven horses and a pony.

When she’s not tending to her duties as a veterinarian and clinic owner, Dr. Ishmael enjoys caring for her own animals and participating in competitive ranch sorting. She also loves trail riding, and camping with her horses.

For as long as she can remember, Erin has wanted to work in the veterinary field. By the time high school came along, she was taking all the science and math classes that could fit into her schedule. After studying animal science in college, she returned to the Effingham area and started working in veterinary clinics. Erin has been helping pets as a veterinary professional for 17 years!

Erin grew up south of Dieterich and attended the University of Illinois to receive her degree. She worked with Dr. Ishmael for nine years at another pet hospital, and jumped at the opportunity to work with her again when she heard that Advanced Veterinary Care was opening.

Erin began here at the clinic in January of 2015. Erin, her husband Kevin, and their two boys, Jacob and Wade, share their home with a cat named Gracie, 2 Labrador Retrievers named Trigger and Cami, and a Bernese Mountain Dog named Whitney. As a family, they enjoy duck and goose hunting, boating, and camping.

Emily was born and raised in Altamont, IL.

After graduating high school, she went into the Kaskaskia Veterinary Technology program through the Southern Collegiate Common Market in Herron, IL. She graduated in 2016 with an associates degree and has been working at Advanced Veterinary Care ever since.

Emily has two cats, Socks and Boots, and two lab retriever mixes, Jake and Katie. In her free time, she enjoys hunting, boating, and four wheeler riding with her fiancé, Sam.