Posted By Cassie on 3/30/2015 5:18 PM

Hello my bunny Hash Brown is going through some tough times now. I took him to his first vet visit (he was about 4 or 5 months old) on February 10 2015 and his doctor noticed a scab of his upper right eye. It was a small scab and told me everything would be fine and if it did not heal after 2 weeks to bring him back in. Within those two weeks he started sniffling and sneezing, one of his nail looked really irritated, he was growing another little bump on his other eye lid, and his previous scab grew bigger. On March 24 2015 I took Hash Brown back to the vet to get examined she told me he had a respiratory infection and she told me the scabs might be caused by the respiratory infection but wasn’t sure since she had told me to take him back if they don’t go away or get worse. She did give me medication for it that he has to take for 3 weeks.Other than that he is eating, active, and weighs the same. I’m just scared these bumps/scabs will get worse and start multiplying.

Does anyone know what could possibly cause these bumps or is from a respiratory infection? The image below was a smaller scab a month ago but it got way bigger. He also is growing a similar scab by the other eye recently.

Hi there. Sounds like Hash Brown might have a case of T Cuniculi, essentially rabbit syphilis. Pretty common, often with eye, nose and genitalia sores. You’ll want to check those areas and report back. Doesn’t have to be all three and very often isn’t. I suspect the sneezing and sniffling could be from hay dust or something unrelated, especially if it’s stopped. Treatment is a good course of penicillin (injected). She can get this even if she’s alone, especially if she’s young. Warrants a trip to the vet tomorrow I think. Best of luck and be sure to report back!

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I would get your rabbit to a rabbit savvy vet – Syphillis does sound like a possibility though and pen-g injections are the only thing I know that can clear that up.

I just went through this exact process… it’s a tough one as the beginning symptoms could lead to a number of different diagnosis – but they all sort of look like one-another in the beginning until things begin to progress. With your bun being so young, tophdade & Sarita are spot on in rabbit Syphillis being a very likely culprit.

You need to find the best rabbit vet you can…. but you ALSO have to arm yourself with the info you need to solve this. It’s like a mystery, and it is possible you may end up knowing more than the vet in terms of what you see – the vets are such a wildcard in this type of situation.

Either try to find a really good rabbit vet… or also if that’s hard to do (and it IS for a lot of people depending on where they are) research info and go in armed and dangerous with what you know and what you see going on with your bun. Don’t underestimate your power to watch your bun and the symptoms that arrive. Below are a few good links on where to start with these first symptoms (don’t even look at sebacious adenitis unless the other two have been ruled out…. you don’t need to be unnecessarily worried and it is highly unlikely with your young bun). Time might add other scabbing/issues that will help you puzzle things together and formulate a proper testing (lab work or xrays) and treatment plan.

I wish you the best of luck! Keep us posted!

I was going to say syphilis too. Just went through this with Pumpkin. Her symptoms were all on her genitals and never spread to any other area, but I’ve seen a ton a pictures.

Pumpkin went through three rounds of pen g shots but that didn’t get it all (via bloodword, her outward symptoms are long gone) and is just finishing up another round of them tomorrow.

It’s very treatable but can only be diagnosed with bloodwork. I go to a very rabbit savvy vet but they didn’t even think to test for it until I brought it up. Good luck!