rabbit not drinking

Question
My rabbit hasn't been drinking any water since Sunday a week ago. I have been feeding her plenty of greens drenched in water, following some of your suggestions in other places.    This past Sunday she also stopped eating her pellets, though she's still eating hay and salads and chewing away on grass mats, cardboard boxes, and a very tough grapevine "cone tree" I have. I took her to the vet on Monday since her poops looked a bit smaller and drier, and the vet said she didn't appear dehydrated but gave her 300 cc of subQ fluids just in case (she weighs 10 pounds).  Bunny also got a thorough checkup and there are no visible dental problems. She is not acting lethargic or in pain, though the doc gave me some metacam in case she's having tooth pain, and I'm giving it once a day. I'm also giving simethicone and tummy rubs since she appeared to have a bit of gas (no serious discomfort though).  She is still not eating pellets or drinking water, and acts as if water is her mortal enemy.  She is even waiting now till her greens have dried off to eat them, and jumps away from my hands if they are wet, shaking her head and ears.  She backs away from any water I put in front of her, no matter what I've mixed in or what temperature it is.  

She stopped drinking in the middle of a 10-day car trip even though I took water from home, and I thought she would resume drinking when we got back.  But we've been back a week now and she isn't drinking. She acted pretty relaxed on the trip except in the car, and was without water for about 7-8 hours straight even though I offered it every hour.  Her poops and urine look normal, though not as plentiful as usual. She looks bright and healthy other than this weird behavior of "hydrophobia."  The vet and other people have told me she may have a tooth problem, so we'll be doing bloodwork and more fluids tomorrow, and then dental xrays after the blood results come back.  Any other ideas?  And should the vet give less than 300cc this time?  After the vet visit, bunny reduced her eating for 24 hours and also had an uncomfortable "skin skirt" around her rear for a day, making it  difficult for her to hop.  

Oh, one more thing -- several days before we left on the trip, I noticed she would drink and then snort as if some had gotten up her nose.  Could it be she's just gotten afraid of this happening again? The vet checked for a fistula and found none.  It is very odd that she is so put off by anything wet.

Thanks for any thoughts,
Petra

Answer
Dear Petra,

Okay, that really *is* weird.

I agree with your vet that the most probable scenario is a molar problem, such as a spur.  But why this would make her so violently adverse to water is a mystery.

Many rabbits don't drink much, and get all they need from their greens.  If your bunny wasn't dehydrated, then the vet may want to be more conservative with the fluids (tell the vet what you said here about perhaps giving less).

My money is on the molar spur, so until the dental exam is done, I'll stick with that.  But if her molars turn out to be fine, and the radiographs show no sign of molar root infection or other problems, this will be a major mystery.

Please let me know how it turns out, if you have time.

Dana