Weezlwatcher isn't a business if memory serves right; it's a shelter's
way of helping to offset costs through the shelter family's own efforts;
I recall feeling goo d about that way back when we got our's at first.  I
sympathize that they are so affected by the huge forest fires in their
areas; has to be terrible to have shelter with those worries.  Since you
requested your refund only about a week ago be prepared to wait about
another week or more if your check was already deposited because they
would have to make sure with their bank that your check cleared if you
didn't send them a photocopy of the cancelled check, and then they would
have to cut and mail your check.  (It always speeds up refunds to send
a photocopy of a cancelled check.)  If you are a distance away then you
have to expect the mail itself to take a week.  We have found that when
we need refunds from businesses of any type and a check was used then we
have time-frames of as long as a month and a half for refunds to get to
us which is from the business making sure the check cleared, then writing
the check on their book-keeping days if the place is small, then the time
the post office takes.  In our now-a-days fast paced world it's sometimes
a shocker to do things the way they happened decades ago; the time frames
are totally different.  Sounds like there were miscommuncations all
around on both sides with your check being short $10 which delayed things
but with you somehow not learning that (perhaps due to a notice not
arriving?), then her suffering from a major forest fire taking out
someplace essential to the process, and now with you not realizing the
time-frame of a refund and from the sounds of what you wrote possibly
calling or sending an e-mail but not a copy of the cancelled check.
 
The United test has been around longer and has a stronger track record
of independent testing, plus the last I heard Avecon was (is?) trying to
understand a problem they encountered, so personally, until I hear an
announcement that the problems have been ironed out I'd go with United,
but remember that the Avecon ones have value but need some work.  Here is
what the vets I have talked with have said the last time I asked (which
may be out of date now since a few months old): If you get a questionable
result with either type of test then check it with the other or with the
tests that are sometimes available from U.  GA.  rather than take any
individual test under questionable circumstances at face value with ADV.
I know; it doesn't help much... but it should help some because it sounds
like your ferrets don't socialize beyond your group and you didn't
mention health problems that may be related, so if you get negative
results those wouldn't seem questionable, but if you get positive ones
then a second test to be sure could provide useful info to maintain
their health no matter which way it goes.
 
>until I found out the price.  Its $125.00 + shipping.  For that price I
>can buy the monthly shot for 8 months($12.00 at my vets office).
 
I've NEVER heard of prices that low for Lupron.  Normally around $400 for
the longer shot and $150 for the shorter one is pretty normal, if memory
serves.  Are you sure that Lupron is what your vet is discussing or is
your vet perhaps mentioning something else like Melatonin implants?  (Or
are you not in the U.S.?)
 
Foods: actually, there are a number of well balanced foods out there
based on the current state of info on ferret diet.  (An interesting BC
post series in the Ferret Health List went into whether the vitamin A
approximations may need study.)  Except for our IBD boys who get z/d, we
use a mix: Marshall Food (which is great for some of the needed fatty
acid types even if fish oil does smell), Ferret Supreme (If I recall the
name of the one from the Ferret Store right), Totally Ferret, Zupreem, 8
in 1 Ultimate, and some others.  We'll be adding the Path Valley one to
the mix when we next order from the Ferret Store.  Our ferrets normally
live to be in their late 7th year to middle 8th year, with some older and
some younger.  Back in the years before there were the ferret-specific
foods and before very much at all was known about ferret veterinary care
the typical life span here was off-set downward by about a half year of
where it is now in our household, but how much of that was just us
learning more, vets learning more, food changes, a combo, or something
else is impossible to know.  (Ferrets have been in our family for 20
years.) According to friends in Britain who use a BARF diet, the quality
lifespans we are getting are similar to what they get.  Sometimes I think
that the food issue approaches a faith discussion more than one with
factual discussion.  Sorry if that bothers, but just do... BTW, there are
some interesting vet posts on this in the FHL archives, esp. vet Jerry
Murray's on fatty acid types.
 
Sukie
http://fhl.sonic-weasel.org/ (Easily searched FHL archives)
http://www.smartgroups.com/groups/ferrethealth (the FHL addy for
several weeks now)
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/Ferret-Health-list/files/ (Until FHL
moderators finish going through and moving the rest of the last year
and half's Files)
http://geocities.com/sukieslist  (which I badly need to update)
[Posted in FML issue 3852]