# Weird sex



## GalfvensjÃ¶ (Feb 11, 2007)

When I was sexing a litter today I noticed that a buck had a really weird sex.

It looks like this:



















What could it be? Maby he have been biten? Or could it be syphilis?

The rabbit is about 3Â½ months old.


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## MaggieJ (Feb 6, 2006)

I've never seen anything like that. :shrug: I was hoping someone else would know... but since there have been no other replies so far, I will venture a guess that it may be a split penis.

This forum has been slow this weekend. Likely tomorrow there will be more people visiting here and you may get an answer then.

Whatever the problem with that rabbit's genitals, I would suggest culling him. Even if he is able to breed, which seems unlikely, you don't want that problem to show up again in other litters.


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## Pony (Jan 6, 2003)

Wow. That is weird.

It does not look like there is a wound, so I don't think it's a bite.

Hm. I will look and see if I can find a picture of split penis, but agree with Maggie that the rabbit should be culled. Not the sort of genetic material you want to pass to the rest of your herd.

Pony!


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## Pony (Jan 6, 2003)

OMG.

You have no idea what sort of things come up in a google search for images.

I need to wash my eyeballs and brain with very strong bleach.

Ugh.

ANYway, split penis looks like it's the actual penis itself, not the opening. 

GalfvensjÃ¶, I don't know if the rabbit is old enough for you to be able to do this, but can you get the penis to "pop" out? There is a graphic at this page that shows what split penis looks like:

http://www.barbibrownsbunnies.com/gender.htm

Good luck, and let us know what happens.

Pony!


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## Somerhill (Dec 13, 2005)

That IS weird! either a healed bite wound. There is one of those pimple looking things some rabbits get on their genitals that causes judges to DQ them on the show table, though. 
Somewhere on the net, there is a good picture of a split penis - can't find it now. 
Anyway, the sheath on a split penis is normal looking. But when you push on it to get the npenis to pop up, instead of the penis being a solid tube structure, it has a slit down the length of it that causes it to kinda open up. Very hard to describe. 

Lisa


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## Beaniemom (May 25, 2007)

I would think it was vent disease (syphallis?) But I've never seen it in person! Is it a valuable rabbit? I read you could treat it with a massive dose of antibiotics according to my rabbit book, but that the treatment may kill the rabbit...

I would cull it, and check and does you used him on to be sure they aren't infected too


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## white eagle (Feb 8, 2007)

Looks like a miss lick to me.. Didn't developed correctly so was a miss lick. Cull the animal. My wife makes me cull the bad animals if any or it kill unless she has axe to dehead a chicken or other birds. I have to do the other dirty work like rabbits, dogs or goats.


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## MaggieJ (Feb 6, 2006)

I wonder if perhaps it is a hermaphrodite rabbit and that is why it looks so weird.

Here's an article with a line drawing. You have to click on the pages to enlarge it so it is readable.

http://www.pubmedcentral.nih.gov/articlerender.fcgi?artid=1252732


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## GalfvensjÃ¶ (Feb 11, 2007)

Here is one more photo:










The penis looking normal. But if it's syphilis, could other rabbits get infected? Should I put my rabbit barn in quarantine? For how long time? The other in the litter looks OK.

When I tattoed the rabbit for about 3 weeks ago everything was normal.


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## MaggieJ (Feb 6, 2006)

Culling it and sending it for testing might be the best thing. Definitely get it away from your other rabbits and watch them for any signs of problems. If you keep your rabbitry closed until you get results from the necropsy, you will have a better idea how to proceed.

Edited to Add: If any other rabbits have been directly exposed to him since the last time you checked him (the day you tattooed) they should also be quarantined away from the main herd, if at all possible, and kept under observation. Use good biosecurity procedures to prevent any germs being carried between the two groups.


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## Beaners (Feb 23, 2005)

All of the syphilis pictures I see also mention lesions around the nostrils. Is there anything in that area too?

Kayleigh


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## GalfvensjÃ¶ (Feb 11, 2007)

******* said:


> All of the syphilis pictures I see also mention lesions around the nostrils. Is there anything in that area too?
> 
> Kayleigh


No, it's nothing there. But at the first stage they don't get anything around their nostrils. That come after a while.


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## SILEIGH (Jul 11, 2007)

what have you decided to do?


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## mwhit (Jun 8, 2006)

It's either syphilis or hutch burn. You can treat it with oral antibiotics (dura pen) if it's vent disease, but you would use a topical antibiotic for hutch burn. A vet can scrape it and determine which it is if he's a rabbit you really want to keep. If it's syphilis you need to treat all other rabbits that have come into contact with him (even young offspring if there are any). 

Michelle


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## turtlehead (Jul 22, 2005)

I don't have any info or ideas to add to the thread, but I did want to say thank you for coming here with pictures and asking your question. I learn SO MUCH from this forum because of threads like this.


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## dlwelch (Aug 26, 2002)

I agree that you need to treat for syphilis. It looks like you
caught it in the early stages. The recommended treatment
would be Long Acting Penicillin (injected) with the correct dosage 
according to weight. 
I would also increase the fiber (free-choice hay) in the 
diet while the rabbits are on penicillin (if that's what you decide to use).

I've never dealt with rabbit syphilis but other breeders have said
that it is fairly easily to treat.

Good luck! I hope things go well for you.

Linda Welch
http://www.texasrabbitconnection.com/forums/


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## white eagle (Feb 8, 2007)

Rabbit Syphilis
http://homepage.mac.com/exoticdvm/mammal/PhotoAlbum72.html

Treponema cuniculi or Rabbit Syphilis, can be spread during mating, caused by a spirochete. The symptoms include scabs around the genitals, which can also appear on the face due to the animal cleaning itself. Treatment includes application of penicillian or intramuscular shot of Penicillian G for 3 days, standard anti-spirochete drugs. Always check the genitals of any rabbit before you breed it.


http://www.sounddiagnosticsinc.com/infectious.htm

http://islandgems.net/vd.html

Vent disease and Hutch Burn
http://www.geocities.com/bellsbunnies/vent.html

Something you might just want to add in FAVOS. 
http://www.barbibrownsbunnies.com/meds.htm

BK


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## GalfvensjÃ¶ (Feb 11, 2007)

Some Swedish breeders says that it more looks like an evil wound. 
But I'm going to cull the rabbit, I should not keep the rabbit either because it is to small and don't look so good.


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