Hello All – I have read a lot of the threads here about syphilis and have a few questions still and wanted to see if some of those who had experience with skin issues on the mouth/chin and syphilis to help chime in.
Bunny: Tulip is a 2ish year old spayed grey lionhead adpoted from the local rabbit centric shelter here in Chicago. She came to that rescue in April 17 and I adopted her in May 17.
Background: In late 8/17 my bunny developed a bald chin and ‘under chin’/fold of neck. She also had dry, cracked, scabby lips. Initially I took her to my local vet who has several years of exotics experience as I was rushing away on vacation. They said to treat for basic skin infection, wait for fungal culture, and if all else fails test for syphilis. When I got home I took her to the major exotics vet in Chicago who diagnosed her as having a yeast turned bacterial infection from her fur being saturated by her salads and drinking from her water bowl (said NO syph). We were given oral anti-biotics, betadine scrub, and a phyto (antifungal) wipe. They also took a fungal. BOTH fungal cultures were negative. We were told to bleach our floors/bun area/litter/bowls etc, and teach her to drink from a bottle not a bowl. Sept – Nov. we kept this up and saw slow but gradual improvement. Mid-Nov. they gave us the all clear that as the last scabs fell off she’d be 100%. Well w/o the oral anti-biotics she was bald again with bloody lips w/in 3 weeks. We went back into the exotics vet and I basically was like ‘WTH’ but nicely. They gave me the same ‘make her drink from a bottle and sterilize your home’. I got really pushy about they syphilis and she agreed to check, she did a microscope test and confirmed she saw spirochetes indicating a syphilis infection. We were given Pen-G shots to give at home. I gave her a pen-g shot every other day for the most of December as perscribed. She healed beautifully very quickly after that. To be honest though I did not follow up with the vet like I was supposed to. This vet had really frustrated me (for obvious reasons), is 30+ min from my house and I don’t drive so have to take a cab, and by the New Year I had developed that horrible flu that kept everyone sick all winter so I pretty much couldn’t leave the house all Jan/Feb. Tulip healed perfectly though.
NOW: About 2 weeks ago I noticed the skin around Tulips mouth was looking dry. A few days later I noticed a couple flakes/scabs. I called to get an appt. with the local vet who first called the possible syphilis but she was on vacation until this week so I got one for this weekend. Today when I was hand feeding her salad I noticed that she has open cracks at the corner of her mouth (again!) and that she has two little bald patches under her chin again! UGH!
So here are all my questions after all that!
– What is the correct way to diagnose syphilis? Seems like some people here got blood tests but the exotics vet here in Chi just looked in the microscope.
– What is the required course of Pen-G for treatment?
– Has anyone’s bunny ‘relapsed’ after the required course of Pen-G/needed more than the standard?
– Anyone ever have repeat skin issues w/ bun actually related to water retention in the fur? I have tried to ‘catch’ her with wet fur, apart from a tiny dribble here or there she’s pretty bone dry all the time.
Thanks!
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