Have received a heart-felt and heart-wrenching complaint about one of the
sites listed, the cardiology site, in relation to consultation.
 
It is important to recall that sometimes the vets involved have very
little time or are exhausted, and that can sometimes result in a reply
that simply doesn't fit the situation.  That can also happen if the
volunteer vet doesn't know ferrets or doesn't know them well.  I do not
know what caused the situation mentioned.  Obviously, any site will have
its strengths and weaknesses, and I don't think that I know anyone who has
tried every feature of each site mentioned.  Still, I do welcome others
letting people know the strong and weak points they have found, and also
folks letting me know when a site is having difficulties, or recommending
sites to add to the list.  That can help us all.  At times it can even
help the folks who run the sites to know what might be changed for the
better.
 
I welcome private comments about the sites.  If it is a
complaint/improvement-suggestion then letting the individual who runs the
site know might prove useful.  Tackling complaints privately and politely
is the best way to get improvement and to respect the individual who
has already put in so much time and effort, even if past correspondence
soured for an individual.
 
Conversely, certainly, recommendations of other health sites should be
public, since that will benefit the most people.  Two common problems have
to be:
1. volunteers with very little time( who may also be exhausted), and
2. lack of knowledge about ferrets.  I also know that sometimes when
people are worried that their letters are understandably affected by
those tensions so it can be difficult to know what is being asked.  Have
no idea what came to bear in the case of the complaint received, but hope
that improvements will be borne from it.
[Posted in FML issue 3629]