bunny working his mouth oddly

Question
My old Netherland Dwarf bunny (11 years+) has started working his mouth, as if he were getting something sticky off his teeth [as opposed to grinding them]. He is also making small sounds that sound as if he were in distress, and his breathing seems more shallow than usual. He is not drooling, and a vet yesterday couldn't find anything odd about his mouth from doing an external check. What's going on with my little guy?

Answer
Dear Bobby,

An external check won't suffice for your bunny's most likely problem:  molar spurs.  They don't always cause drooling, but the signs you describe (and the fact that your bunny is an elder dwarf) all scream "molar spurs!"  Please read:

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

I'm surprised this is the first episode he's had if he's eleven, since this problem shows up in many dwarf rabbits at a much earlier age.  But I think you might need a more experienced rabbit vet who can solve this problem for you.  You can find one here:

www.rabbit.org/vets

I hope this helps.

Dana