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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 > why did my guinea pig die:(

Guinea Pigs - why did my guinea pig die:(

Expert: Nicole Bury - 11/14/2009

Question
QUESTION: i bought my daughter a guinea pig several years ago, she lost interest in her, i loved the guinea pig, so i took over being her owner. we had her almost 5 years, she was a very spoiled guinea pig and loved guinea pig, she was very tame and held often. i would let her out of her cage every day. she would follow me to the fridge because she knew she was going to get a treat. she ate lots of carrots timothy hay and pellets. she also had apples and cilantro, and kayle. the other day while we were in the kitchen i was doing dishes, and when i turned around she was eating the dog food. im not sure how much she ate, but i took what i could from her mouth. it is meat based dog food. she seemed okay after that. the next night she was not feeling well. she seemed bloated. i tapped on her belly and it sounded hollow. i loved on her, and was encouraging her to eat and drink, in thinking if she ate and drank she would use the restroom and pass out the dog food if that is what was going on. later that night she seemed better, she was eating and drinking, and using the restroom. the next morning she was excited to see me, she was making her purr noises, and was happy. i loved on her as usual before going to work. when i got home from work she was dead. i am devistated. im not sure if this is normal, im a 40 year old mother of 3, but it is what it is. do you think the dog food had anything to do with her death. she seemed bloated, but was using the restroom, and why was she so happy looking and acting that morning. i called the vet, they couldnt tell me anything unless we brought her in to get cut open, not gonna do that, we already buried her. thank you for your time.

ANSWER: Hello Jakie!
I am so sorry for your loss!
I think that either she died of poisoning, or more likely she died of old age and it was a coinsidence that she had tummy trouble the night before. She was quite the elderly piggy. Thats really all I could come up with, hope it helps. Feel better.

---------- FOLLOW-UP ----------

QUESTION: what type of poisoning do you think. i cant think of anything else. is it okay to repost my question publicly, and if i do will my name show up. thank you

Answer
Hello Jackie!
Well actually I take back my previous response. I dont think poisoning was it, I just suspected it earlier because the sender before you had mentioned a re-call of poisonous giunea pig food in the states and I guess it was in my head. Stick to the part about how it was likely she died of old age and it was a coinsidence that she had tummy trouble the night before because I re-read your question and your giunea pig lived longer than the average life expectency of a giunea pig, so she probably just met her experation date. I can tell you that heaven accepted another angel resently and I told my giunea pigs to look out for her in heaven.

(PS: I made your question public)

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