Update on Charlie and possible syphilis

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This topic has 2sd replies, 2 voices, and was last updated 2 years, 3 months ago by whispercalm.

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- 02/27/2023 at 1:41 PM
  whispercalm
  Participant
  92 posts
  I’ve got some clarity on all the confusion. It was as I had figured that her vet mistakenly thought he called and left me a lengthy message, but left it on somebody else’s phone instead.
  He decided to do research on her symptoms after our office visit on Thursday. Then he called an exotic specialist that he says he has very high regards for to confer. Her opinion is we are either dealing with pastuerella or possibly rabbit syphilis.
  Charlie’s previous long term bout with this same thing was treated as snuffles.
  
  The exotic expert suggested we treat with the Baytril antibiotic and if no improvement either test or just switch to treatment for syphilis to see if that clears things up.
  My question to him was from what info I can find (and also knowing another rabbit owner who’s bunny actually did have syphilis) was if it’s possible Charlie could still have syphilis if she has never shown any kind of sores, pimples, lesions.
  He really couldn’t answer that, saying he’s never had a rabbit with syphilis before, but some research and his conversation with other vet said it’s possible. I asked if she could possibly have lesions inside her nose or sinuses that can’t be seen, which again he said syphilis is just a possibility to explore.
  So the opinion between him and the exotic expert is either snuffles or syphilis. I mentioned I realize that if Charlie is a carrier of pastuerella that this is something we could be dealing with off and on throughout her life. With her just coming out of the GI Stasis crisis a few weeks ago, I am leaning more towards her being a pastuerella carrier and this is stress induced.
  However, if this is syphilis, she would have contracted it from the birth canal of her mother. She did start this nasty sneezing URI stuff when only 10-12 weeks old. So, we will see.
  He explained a little about treatment for syphilis if we go that route and it is totally treatable.
  He said he’s sure we will get on top of this. I am to call him next Monday with an update. Along with the Baytril we are keeping her on the benedryl for now and will review that on Monday.
  I did thank him for doing further research and reaching out for another opinion to the exotic expert.
  I’m skeptical about the syphilis issue, but we will see.
- 02/27/2023 at 5:50 PM
  LBJ10
  Moderator
  17109 posts
  If it is pasteurella, has the vet considered that maybe the Baytril isn’t effective enough. Maybe it just keeps it a bay, but then the bacteria builds back up once the Baytril isn’t in her system anymore. The typical treatment for syphilis is pen G shots. Pen G can also be used for chronic pasteurella infections. Just some thoughts.
- 02/27/2023 at 6:33 PM
  whispercalm
  Participant
  92 posts
  Interesting! I will ask him about this when we talk again on Monday. Sounds like Pen G injections may be the way to go since it covers either of the possibilities. I agree with your thought that the Baytril might only be controlling and not strong enough.
  
  He did briefly talk about Pen G as the traditional treatment for syphilis. He said the exotic expert told him that syphilis in rabbits has started to become somewhat resistant to Pen G. He mentioned another fairly new treatment she told him about for rabbits which I don’t remember what the name of it was. It’s something that used to be used in humans but has been taken off market for human use because of problems it caused, but is safe for veterinary use and is safe for use with rabbits. It’s suppose to work well for rabbit syphilis. I don’t know if it would work for pastuerella.
  
  I definitely want to talk with him about Pen G for her.
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