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About Nicole Bury
Expertise
I can answer every question anyone has! I am always willing to hit the books for other owners! I and my husband between me have 6 guinea pigs and one expecting, that we intend to keep 2 of. I can help with idle questions, everyday problems to serious health problems but I always sugget seeing a vet!

Experience
I have had 14 guinea pigs in my life with more to come. I have volunteered at the local shelter just to work with the small animals on a weekly basis and I have been to countless vets to soak up there advice, as well as looking in my 50 something books on guinea pigs. I know almost everything I can wrap my head around about guinea pigs! Sometimes my husband, who is an exotic bird vet/guinea pig fanatic helps me with the questions to!

Organizations
I belong to S.A.R.S. BC. It stands for Small Animal Rescue Shelter.

Publications
The Vancouver sun.

Education/Credentials
I have taken community courses for pet care, including small animals, but I have not been to school formal education (I am not a vet). Currently I am in the process of becoming a published author and I have my degree in creative writing. Someday I will have my masters. I teach local classes for advanced creative writing and literature for teens.

Awards and Honors
I have had my writing published in the paper for the fourtenth time about animal pet care facts. Nothing big, just me and a few other writers.

You are here: Experts > Animals/Pets > Exotic Pets > Guinea Pigs > Post-upper respiratory infection.

Guinea Pigs - Post-upper respiratory infection.

Expert: Nicole Bury - 10/21/2009

Question
Hello,

I have a young adult male guinea pig named Pickles. Recently I brought home a friend for him because I thought he might be lonely. It all went very well until the two of them developed URIs, and the new baby died of pneumonia. Pickles was on Baytril for a week after I took him for the vet, and all his symptoms cleared up (crusty eyes, runny nose, congestion, wheezy breathing). Now, however, I feel very paranoid about his health and every little thing sends me into panic mode.

For example, today he would not eat either lettuce or dandelion greens, although he usually loves both of those (he did eat grass, however). He's picky in general, but usually he is enthusiastic about his hay and he at least nibbles at his pellets--not today. I haven't seen him drink any water, either. He is usually lethargic during the day, so I can't be sure if his lethargy today is indicative of a problem. However, one thing that is not normal for sure is that he occasionally breathes loudly and rapidly for short periods of time, and sometimes he emits little hiccup-cough sounds. At the moment he seems fine. I'm worried, though. Do you think the URI has come back?

Answer
Hello Inness.
I can tell you something about your paranoia about pickles health, I have it too. Of coarse for my own piggys though. Ever since I was 12 years old and my piggy died in 3 days of ovarian cancer and my other girl, Rhinestone, died of the same thing a few monthes later, I have been put into 'panic mode' everytime something goes wrong with one of the other five girls, and that was 13 years ago. It probably will never go away.
As for Pickles, I do think that everything points to another URI. I am sorry for this, but you must take him to the vet ASAP. I hope this helps.

-Nicole

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