Ahna Brutlag, DVM, MS, DABT, DABVT

VP, Veterinary Services & Sr. Clinical Toxicologist

Dr. Ahna Brutlag has been with the organization since 2004 and currently serves as the Senior Director of Veterinary Services. She also holds an adjunct assistant professor appointment at the University of Minnesota’s College of Veterinary Medicine. Dr. Brutlag received her veterinary degree (DVM) from the University of Minnesota and subsequently practiced small animal medicine in the Minneapolis area before pursing post-graduate training in veterinary toxicology. She completed a Master’s of Science in toxicology at the University of Minnesota and a professional externship at California Animal Health and Food Safety (CAHFS) Laboratory at the University of California, Davis, School of Veterinary Medicine. Dr. Brutlag is a Diplomate of both the American Board of Toxicology (ABT) and the American Board of Veterinary Toxicology (ABVT)—a distinction shared by less than 80 people in North America. She served on the ABVT Executive Board as Treasurer, President-Elect, and then President from 2016-2024. She is one the consulting editors for the toxicology textbook Five-Minute Veterinary Consult Clinical Companion: Small Animal Toxicology (2011, 2016, 2024). Dr. Brutlag has personally managed over 40,000 cases involving potentially poisoned pets, has authored dozens of textbook chapters and scientific articles, and given more than 150 lectures throughout North America in the field of companion animal toxicology. The primary focus of her publications and presentations include rodenticide toxicosis, toxic plants, common pharmaceutical poisonings, toxic foods, the safety of household products, adverse event management, post-market product/drug safety, and pharmacovigilance. She prefers to spend her free time reading fiction, expanding her culinary palate, birding, and canoeing Minnesota’s many waterways. She and her husband share their home with two dogs—a standard poodle named Monty, and a pit bull named Sherman.

 

Papers

  • Becker J, Brutlag A, Hovda L, Rendahl A, Tart K. A retrospective evaluation of hops ingestion in 177 dogs (2005–2018). J Vet Emerg Crit Care, 2023;33(3):348-353. doi.org/10.1111/vec.13282
  • Kingston R, Sioris K , Gualtieri J, Brutlag A, Droege W, Osimitz TG. Post-market surveillance of consumer products: Framework for adverse event management. Regulatory Toxicology & Pharmacology. 2021 Nov;126:105028. doi: 10.1016/j.yrtph.2021.105028. Epub 2021 Sep 3
  • Brutlag AG. General approach to Intoxication. Clinician’s Brief. Nov/Dec 2020
  • Brutlag AG & Hommerding H. Toxicology of Marijuana, Synthetic Cannabinoids, and Cannabidiol in Dogs and Cats. Veterinary Clinics of North America: Small Animal Practice. 2018;48(6).
  • Brutlag A. Xylitol toxicosis in a miniature Australian shepherd crossbreed. Clinician’s Brief. August 2017
  • Khorzad R, Lee JA, Whelan M, Brutlag AG, Martin EP, Miyahara L, Hovda LR. Baclofen toxicosis in dogs and cats: 145 cases (2004-2010). J Am Vet Med Assoc. 2012;241(8):1059-1064.
  • Brutlag AG, Flint CTC, Puschner B. Iron intoxication in a dog consequent to the ingestion of oxygen absorber sachets in pet treat packaging. J Med Toxicol. 2012;8(1):76-79. DOI1007/s13181-011-0201-3.
  • Brutlag AG, Hovda LH, Della Ripa M. Corneal ulceration in a dog following exposure to the defensive spray of a walkingstick insect (Anisomorpha spp.). J Vet Emerg Crit Care. 2011;21(4):382-386.
  • Fernandez AL, Lee JA, Brutlag AG, Hovda LR, Rahilly L, Engebretsen K. State of the art review. The use of intravenous lipid emulsions as an antidote in toxicology: a review. J Vet Emerg Crit Care. 2011;21(4):309-320.
  • Gray SL, Lee JA, Hovda LR, Brutlag AG. Zinc phosphide rodenticide toxicity in dogs: 362 cases (2004-2009). J Am Vet Med Assoc. 2011; 239:646–651.
  • Kaplan MI, Lee JA, Hovda LR, Brutlag AG. Acute neurotoxicity due to accidental intravenous procaine penicillin G administration in 1 cat and 2 dogs. J Am Vet Med Assoc. 2011; 238:507-510.

Textbooks

  • Hovda LR, Brutlag AG, Poppenga RH, Epstein SE eds. Blackwell’s Five-Minute Veterinary Consult Clinical Companion: Small Animal Toxicology. 3rd ed. Ames, IA: Wiley-Blackwell, 2024. ISBN 978-1-394-15872-0.
  • Hovda LR, Brutlag AG, Poppenga RH, Peterson, KL eds. Blackwell’s Five-Minute Veterinary Consult Clinical Companion: Small Animal Toxicology. 2nd ed. Ames, IA: Wiley-Blackwell, 2016. ISBN 9781119036548.
  • Osweiler GD, Hovda LR, Brutlag AG, Lee JA, eds. Blackwell’s Five-Minute Veterinary Consult Clinical Companion: Small Animal Toxicology. 1st Ames, IA: Wiley-Blackwell, 2011. ISBN 978-0-8131-1985-3.

Textbook chapters

  • Brutlag AG. Anticoagulant Rodenticides. In: Romano, eds. Small Animal Toxicology. 4th St. Louis, MO: Saunders Elsevier, in progress.
  • Puschner B, Brutlag AG. Metaldehyde. In: Romano, eds. Small Animal Toxicology. 4th St. Louis, MO: Saunders Elsevier, in progress.
  • Brutlag AG. Antidepressants and anxiolytics. In: Bonagura JD, Twedt DC, eds. Kirk’s Current Veterinary Therapy XVI. 16th St. Louis, MO: Saunders Elsevier, in progress.
  • Murphy MJ and Brutlag AG. In: Bonagura JD, Twedt DC, eds. Kirk’s Current Veterinary Therapy XVI. 16th ed. St. Louis, MO: Saunders Elsevier, in progress.
  • Brutlag AG. Anthelmintics (Appendix 2). In Hovda LR, Brutlag AG, Poppenga RH, Epstein SE eds. Blackwell’s Five-Minute Veterinary Consult Clinical Companion: Small Animal Toxicology. 3rd ed. Ames, IA: Wiley-Blackwell, 2024
  • Brutlag AG. Anticoagulant Rodenticides. In Hovda LR, Brutlag AG, Poppenga RH, Epstein SE eds. Blackwell’s Five-Minute Veterinary Consult Clinical Companion: Small Animal Toxicology. 3rd ed. Ames, IA: Wiley-Blackwell, 2024
  • Folska A & Brutlag AG. Hydrofluoric Acid. In Hovda LR, Brutlag AG, Poppenga RH, Epstein SE eds. Blackwell’s Five-Minute Veterinary Consult Clinical Companion: Small Animal Toxicology. 3rd ed. Ames, IA: Wiley-Blackwell, 2024
  • Brutlag AG & Poppenga RH. Identification and Management of Unknown Toxicants. In Hovda LR, Brutlag AG, Poppenga RH, Epstein SE eds. Blackwell’s Five-Minute Veterinary Consult Clinical Companion: Small Animal Toxicology. 3rd ed. Ames, IA: Wiley-Blackwell, 2024
  • Babcock SL & Brutlag AG. Medico-legal Considerations for Companion Animal Practitioners. In Hovda LR, Brutlag AG, Poppenga RH, Epstein SE eds. Blackwell’s Five-Minute Veterinary Consult Clinical Companion: Small Animal Toxicology. 3rd ed. Ames, IA: Wiley-Blackwell, 2024
  • Brutlag AG. Topical Toxins: Common Human OTC Dermatological Preparations (Appendix 6). In Hovda LR, Brutlag AG, Poppenga RH, Epstein SE eds. Blackwell’s Five-Minute Veterinary Consult Clinical Companion: Small Animal Toxicology. 3rd ed. Ames, IA: Wiley-Blackwell, 2024
  • Brutlag AG. In: Cital S, Kramer K, et al., eds. Cannabis Therapy in Veterinary Medicine – A Complete Guide. Springer, 2021. ISBN 978-3-030-68316-0
  • Brutlag AG. Baclofen toxicosis. In: Tilley LP, Smith FWK, eds. Blackwell’s Five-Minute Veterinary Consult: Canine and Feline. 7th Ames, IA: Wiley-Blackwell, 2021.
  • Brutlag AG. Marijuana toxicosis. In: Tilley LP, Smith FWK, eds. Blackwell’s Five-Minute Veterinary Consult: Canine and Feline. 7th Ames, IA: Wiley-Blackwell, 2021.
  • Brutlag AG. Dimercaprol (BAL). In: Plumb DC. Plumb’s Veterinary Drug Handbook. 9th Ames, IA: Wiley-Blackwell, 2017.
  • Brutlag AG. Deferoxamine mesylate. In: Plumb DC. Plumb’s Veterinary Drug Handbook. 9th Ames, IA: Wiley-Blackwell, 2017.
  • Brutlag AG. Prescription and Over-the-Counter Drug Toxicoses. In: Ettinger SJ, Feldman EC, and Cote E, eds. Textbook of Veterinary Internal Medicine: Diseases of the Dog and Cat. 8th St. Louis, MO: 2017.
  • Brutlag AG. In Hovda LR, Brutlag AG, Poppenga RH, Peterson, KL eds. Blackwell’s Five-Minute Veterinary Consult Clinical Companion: Small Animal Toxicology. 2nd ed. Ames, IA: Wiley-Blackwell, 2016.
  • Brutlag AG. In Hovda LR, Brutlag AG, Poppenga RH, Peterson, KL eds. Blackwell’s Five-Minute Veterinary Consult Clinical Companion: Small Animal Toxicology. 2nd ed. Ames, IA: Wiley-Blackwell, 2016.
  • Brutlag AG. Appendix 5, Topical Toxins: Common Human Dermatologic Preparations. In Hovda LR, Brutlag AG, Poppenga RH, Peterson, KL eds. Blackwell’s Five-Minute Veterinary Consult Clinical Companion: Small Animal Toxicology. 2nd ed. Ames, IA: Wiley-Blackwell, 2016.
  • Brutlag AG. Baclofen toxicosis. In: Tilley LP, Smith FWK, eds. Blackwell’s Five-Minute Veterinary Consult: Canine and Feline. 6th Ames, IA: Wiley-Blackwell, 2016.
  • Brutlag AG. Marijuana toxicosis. In: Tilley LP, Smith FWK, eds. Blackwell’s Five-Minute Veterinary Consult: Canine and Feline. 6th Ames, IA: Wiley-Blackwell, 2016.
  • Brutlag AG and Murphy M. Rodenticide toxicosis. In: Tilley LP, Smith FWK, eds. Blackwell’s Five-Minute Veterinary Consult: Canine and Feline. 6th Ames, IA: Wiley-Blackwell, 2016.
  • Patel T and Brutlag AG. Drug Store Toxins in Small Animals. In: Plumb DC. Plumb’s Veterinary Drug Handbook. 8th Ames, IA: Wiley-Blackwell, 2015.
  • Brutlag AG. Antidepressants and anxiolytics. In: Bonagura JD, Twedt DC, eds. Kirk’s Current Veterinary Therapy XV. 15th St. Louis, MO: Saunders Elsevier, 2014.
  • Brutlag AG, Puschner B. Metaldehyde. In: Peterson ME and Talcott PA, eds. Small Animal Toxicology. 3rd St. Louis, MO: Saunders Elsevier, 2013.
  • Puschner B, Brutlag AG. Approach to diagnosis and initial treatment of the toxicology case. In: Peterson ME and Talcott PA, eds. Small Animal Toxicology. 3rd St. Louis, MO: Saunders Elsevier, 2013.
  • Brutlag AG. Acids. In: Osweiler GD, Hovda LR, Brutlag AG, Lee JA, eds. Blackwell’s Five-Minute Veterinary Consult Clinical Companion: Small Animal Toxicology. 1st Ames, IA: Wiley-Blackwell, 2011.
  • Brutlag AG. Alkalis. In: Osweiler GD, Hovda LR, Brutlag AG, Lee JA, eds. Blackwell’s Five-Minute Veterinary Consult Clinical Companion: Small Animal Toxicology. 1st Ames, IA: Wiley-Blackwell, 2011.
  • Brutlag AG and Adams C. Appendix 4, Topical Toxins: Common Human Dermatologic Preparations. In: Osweiler GD, Hovda LR, Brutlag AG, Lee JA, eds. Blackwell’s Five-Minute Veterinary Consult Clinical Companion: Small Animal Toxicology. 1st Ames, IA: Wiley-Blackwell, 2011.
  • Angle CA, Brutlag AG. Phenols/Pine Oils. In: Osweiler GD, Hovda LR, Brutlag AG, Lee JA, eds. Blackwell’s Five-Minute Veterinary Consult Clinical Companion: Small Animal Toxicology. 1st Ames, IA: Wiley-Blackwell, 2011.
  • Cohen SL, Brutlag AG. Mothballs. In: Osweiler GD, Hovda LR, Brutlag AG, Lee JA, eds. Blackwell’s Five-Minute Veterinary Consult Clinical Companion: Small Animal Toxicology. 1st Ames, IA: Wiley-Blackwell, 2011.
  • Cohen SL, Brutlag AG. Tea Tree Oil. In: Osweiler GD, Hovda LR, Brutlag AG, Lee JA, eds. Blackwell’s Five-Minute Veterinary Consult Clinical Companion: Small Animal Toxicology. 1st Ames, IA: Wiley-Blackwell, 2011.
  • Renken, CL, Brutlag AG. In: Osweiler GD, Hovda LR, Brutlag AG, Lee JA, eds. Blackwell’s Five-Minute Veterinary Consult Clinical Companion: Small Animal Toxicology. 1st ed. Ames, IA: Wiley-Blackwell, 2011.
  • Osweiler GD and Brutlag AG. Appendix 2, Metallic Toxicants. In: Osweiler GD, Hovda LR, Brutlag AG, Lee JA, eds. Blackwell’s Five-Minute Veterinary Consult Clinical Companion: Small Animal Toxicology. 1st Ames, IA: Wiley-Blackwell, 2011.
  • Brutlag AG. Chemical Toxicities. In: Ettinger SJ and Feldman EC, eds. Textbook of Veterinary Internal Medicine: Diseases of the Dog and Cat. 7th ed. Louis, MO: Elsevier, 2010:565.
  • Brutlag AG. Topical Toxins. In: Ettinger SJ and Feldman EC, eds. Textbook of Veterinary Internal Medicine: Diseases of the Dog and Cat. 7th ed. Louis, MO: Elsevier, 2010:571.

National Presentations (select)

Household and Consumer Goods Association (HCPA), 2024 Annual Meeting

Supporting Safety Claims Substantiation in Pet Products

VMX Veterinary Meeting & Expo 2024

Alternate Careers: Stepping Outside the Clinic Comfort Zone

National Animal Supplement Council (NASC), 2023 Annual Conference

Your Pet Ate What?! Best Practices for Managing Accidental Ingestion in Dogs and Cats   

United States Animal Health Association (USAHA) & American Association of Veterinary Laboratory Diagnosticians (AAVLD) 2022 Annual Conference

Case presentation: Accidental intravenous injection of liquid dog food

American Veterinary Medical Association Annual Convention 2022

One Pill Can Kill: Drugs of Significant Concern to Companion Animals 

Poison Center Perspectives: Top 10 Toxins and Emerging Trends in Companion Animals

United States Animal Health Association (USAHA) & American Association of Veterinary Laboratory Diagnosticians (AAVLD) 2021 Annual Conference

Common Toxins & the Impact of COVID-19

National Animal Supplement Council (NASC), 2021 Annual Conference

Pets & CBD: Real world data from animal poison control

American Veterinary Medical Association Cannabis Symposium 2020

Cannabis Toxicosis in Veterinary Companion Animals

United States Animal Health Association (USAHA) & American Association of Veterinary Laboratory Diagnosticians (AAVLD) 2020 Annual Conference

Pet & human CBD exposures: A real world experience

American Veterinary Medical Association Annual Convention 2018

Pot and Pets: Updates on Marijuana Intoxication in Dogs and Cats, Parts I and II

Focus on the feline: Pearls in managing feline toxicities, Part I and II

North American Congress of Clinical Toxicology (NACCT), 2017 Annual Meeting

AAPCC Veterinary Symposium. Tasty and Toxic? Species differences in food toxicology. 

American Veterinary Medical Association Annual Convention 2017

Getting the Bad Out: Tips and Tricks for Appropriate and Effective GI Decontamination in Dogs and Cats

One Pill Can Kill: Drugs of Significant Concern to Companion Animals

Know When to Feast and When to Fret: Foods Toxic to Pets

Topical Toxic Titans and How to Treat Them

American Veterinary Medical Association Annual Convention 2016

Focus on the Feline: Pearls in Managing Feline Toxicities

Learning from Our Mighty Mistakes: Common Flubs with Poisoned Patients & Other Tidbits Picked Up Along the Way

Topical Toxic Titans and How to Treat Them

Common Pharmaceutical Poisonings, from Adderall to Zocor

CVC Washington D.C.

Joint presentation with Robert Poppenga, DVM, PhD, DABVT

Stump the toxicologists

North American Congress of Clinical Toxicology (NACCT), 2014 Annual Meeting

AAPCC Veterinary Symposium: Pets, Kids, and Pot: You may think it’s funny but it’s not. 

North American Veterinary Conference (NAVC) 2013

Common Pharmaceutical Poisonings in Small Animals (Master Class)

Rodenticides—It’s More Than Just Vitamin K!

From the Planter to the Carpet: Toxic Plants

AVMA Committee on Environmental Issues

Presentation to the committee.

Potential Impact of the EPA’s Rodenticide Risk Mitigation Efforts on Companion Animals. December 13, 2012.

American Animal Hospital Association (AAHA) 2012 Conference

One Pill Can Kill

  • It’s not just marijuana anymore: A review of illicit drugs.
  • Topical Toxic Titans…and How to Treat Them!

FIFRA Scientific Advisory Panel Meeting

Washington D.C.

Impact of the EPA’s Notice of Intent to Cancel and Notice of Denial of Registrations for Certain Rodenticide Bait Products on Domestic Animals, November 29, 2011

North American Congress of Clinical Toxicology (NACCT), 2010 Annual Meeting

AAPCC Veterinary Symposium: “My Baby is Poisoned!” Human and Vet Tox Conundrums

Western Veterinary Conference (WVC) 2010

    • Rodenticides: An Oldie but a Goodie
    • Common Pharmaceutical Poisonings from Adderall to Zocor
    • Snakes, Spiders, and Scorpions, Oh My! or, Managing Envenomations
    • Topical Toxic Titans…and How to Treat Them!
    • From the Planter to the Carpet: Toxic Plants and the Small Animal Patient
    • It’s not just marijuana anymore: A review of illicit drugs.

North American Congress of Clinical Toxicology (NACCT), 2009 Annual Meeting

Joint presentation with Tina Wismer, DVM, DABVT

AAPCC Veterinary Symposium: Plants, Pills, and Poisons: Which Ones are Problems? 

Abstracts

  • Brutlag AG, Kingston R, Forrester MB, Borron SW. Pet poisonings involving new, EPA-approved bromethalin rodenticides: Implications for pets and humans. Poster at the North American Congress of Clinical Toxicology (NACCT) 2013, Atlanta, GA. October 2, 2013. Clin Toxicol 2013; 51:711.
  • Borron SW, Forrester MB, Kingston R, Brutlag AG. Bromethalin (BR) vs. long-acting anticoagulant (LAAC) rodenticides: A 10-year comparison of exposures and toxicity. Poster at the North American Congress of Clinical Toxicology (NACCT) 2013, Atlanta, GA. October 2, 2013. Clin Toxicol 2013; 51:627-628.
  • Brutlag AG, Flint CTC, Puschner B. Iron intoxication in a dog consequent to the ingestion of oxygen absorber sachets in pet treat packaging. AAVLD Annual Conference Proceedings, Buffalo, NY. September 2011:59.
  • Brutlag AG, Adams CM. Elevated serum iron concentrations following hand warmer ingestions in 4 dogs. Poster at the North American Congress of Clinical Toxicology (NACCT) 2011, Washington DC. September 25, 2011. Clin Toxicol 2011; 49:556.