Is my rabbit choking?

Question
I have a lop eared dwarf rabbit and he is about 5 months old. He seems a happy, healthy bunny, but every so often he yawns and when he does he looks like he's choking or trying to be sick and starts shaking. When he stops doing it he looks happy enough and he doesn't look in any pain or discomfort, should I be worried? I'm worried because he's been eating a lot of paper lately, could this be affecting him? Could it be hair balls?

Answer
Dear Stephanie,

It's not hair balls, but it could have something to do with hair, if he has hair stuck on his back teeth.  More likely, he has molar spurs or other dental problem causing him discomfort.  Please see:

www.bio.miami.edu/hare/dental.html

and find an experienced rabbit vet here:

www.rabbit.org/vets

who can have a look deep into the mouth to see if there are any spurs (or foreign objects) that need to be removed.

Hope that will help.

Dana