Toxic Gut Syndrome:The Silent Killer

By Charles C. Kruger,DVM

Dr. Charles Kruger is a well-known veterinarian and breeder of champion show dogs. His most celebrated achievement involves his work with Helen ("Scootie") Sherlock and Judith Hale on Toxic Gut Syndrome (TGS), which had been killing many German Shepherd Dogs, including Ch. Karagin's Crusader ROM. Based on their analysis of Toxic Gut Syndrome, Dr. Kruger went on to develop his now-famous formula - Dr. Kruger's Ultimate Supplement (now called Everyday Health) - that helps prevent the infection from taking hold in the first place, and offers many other health benefits as well. Dr. Kruger is now retired from veterinary practice after more than 40 years as a small animal practitioner. Here, in his own words, is the story of how Toxic Gut Syndrome was identified and controlled.

As a veterinarian and a breeder of German Shepherd Dogs and Pembroke Welsh Corgis for over 40 years, I have always been concerned with the medical and practical aspects of canine health. My greatest challenge came, however, when circumstances turned me into a medical researcher. It all began when I felt personally compelled to discover the cause and means to control a mysterious disease that was ravaging the champion German Shepherd Dog population. This disease, which we now know as Toxic Gut Syndrome, or Clostridial enterotoxemia, is an intestinal infection that affects several species of animals. In the canine world, it primarily affects German Shepherd Dogs. In 40 years of veterinary practice, I have seen a couple of cases of Toxic Gut Syndrome in other breeds - the Irish Setter and the Irish Wolfhound. However, a related disorder, Clostridial enteritis, a lesser form of intestinal infection, is seen quite frequently in many breeds of dogs.

While veterinarians had long known of these conditions, around 1980 something unusual began happening with the German Shepherd breed. Dogs would die suddenly, apparently from mesenteric torsion. However, post mortem examinations yielded surprising results. These dogs did not display the telltale twist at the mesenteric root. After examining several dogs that exhibited this strange pathology, I went to work to discover what this new killer might be. Library investigation turned up several references to a condition known as Clostridial enterotoxaemia, although very little scientific research was available on the subject. I began to wonder if perhaps this might be the key to understanding this puzzling new condition. Meanwhile, a promising solution to the problem presented itself. In the 1980s, the German Shepherd breed was very heavily line-bred. Very close breeding of this type is a twoedged sword, bringing out the best and the worst features of a breed. I cannot say for sure that the breeding practices at that time prompted the frequency of Toxic Gut Syndrome, but we do know that close breeding can suppress proper immune system functioning.There were definite families of German Shepherds with a great propensity to develop Toxic Gut Syndrome