In 2007, I adopted a beautiful champagne DMK boy from Diddy at the
MaFF. I know only a small number of DMKs made it to New England at all
and was very proud to be able to offer a forever home to a ferret who
had suffered so much.

Diesel was a delight from day 1. In the beginning, he was a nipper,
and took several chunks from my heels over the first few months, but
he responded to correction quickly and it didn't take long for him to
completely take over my life!

When I took on the notion to feed my ferrets a raw diet, Diesel didn't
hesitate one iota. He chomped into that first chicken wing with
ferociousness, and never went back to kibble.

Diesel slept in my bed with me every night, and most days would hop in
the shower with me too. He had such a forgiving and loving personality
and seemed to know just the right times to dance to make me laugh.

Diesel loved every ferret he met and was the glue that bonded all my
ferrets, especially when introducing newbies. He was a charmer and won
the admiration of many non-ferret people, too. There wasn't a soul that
Diesel couldn't tickle. His heart was just that big. I really believe
he knew how lucky he was - and how loved.

His brain was equally as big, and he was a master escape artist. In one
apartment I lived in, the ferrets had run of the living room, but I
barricaded my bedroom off with a playpen. Diesel, most mornings, would
push the pet stairs I have for them to get in and out of their cage
over to the playpen and then take a quick leap over, to visit with
me in bed.

He made me proud in many aspects, but he made us both proud at the 2009
Winter Nationals. He won Best Shelter Ferret, my first First Place
ribbon and his only one.

In 2010, Diesel began having a near constant battle with infections,
irritable bowel, and wasting. We tested him nearly weekly for
insulinoma as he often would appear drooly - but a trial run of
prednisone didn't help, and his BG was consistently about 110. In
February of 2011 he lost his best friend, NB's Captain Morgan. Diesel's
health declined rapidly after the loss and eventually we discovered the
real problem: he had a tumor on his liver.

I helped him cross to the bridge in September of 2011. There isn't a
day that goes by that I don't think of him, and the lessons he taught
me about ferret ownership but also about humanity. It wasn't in his
nature to hold onto bad memories, he only looked forward. He rejoiced
in small triumphs.

I think this is how we all need to view the DMK ordeal. So many ferrets
were put through so much trauma, but yet so many of them found the
ultimate life through the dedication and big heartedness of those in
the ferret community. The DMKs are like our big secret: loving,
personable, and trying - but if you mention DMK to many ferret owners,
they don't know what you're babbling about.

And here we are, rejoicing in small triumphs.

[Posted in FML 7395]