PORTLAND, OR — A Portland veterinarian has been sentenced to five years of supervised probation after admitting she diverted controlled substances for personal use and replaced them with saline, compromising the treatment of hundreds of animals.
According to a news release from the DEA Seattle Field Division, Dr. Brenda Brown-Carlson was sentenced Jan. 13, 2026, in Multnomah County Circuit Court as part of a plea agreement. Investigators say her actions affected the care of more than 200 animals at two veterinary clinics where she worked.
Court documents show Brown-Carlson diverted hydromorphone, buprenorphine, and butorphanol — all controlled substances — and substituted diluted doses during surgeries and medical procedures. Co-workers noticed discrepancies in drug records and reviewed dispensing machine data and surveillance video, which authorities say showed Brown-Carlson removing the drugs and refilling vials with saline…