# My Shadow



## Tway325 (Dec 1, 2013)

I got my sweet Shadow when she was only 3 or 4 weeks old. I thought that she was the cutest thing in the world. She very quickly burrowed her way into my heart. She was so young when I got her that she tried nursing off of my other rat Echo. Shadow literally chased Echo around the cage all night the first time I introduced them. I separated them until Shadow was a little older, though.

Shadow quickly became the bigger and fatter of the two. She moved a little more slowly than Echo, and loved to just sit in my lap. I would stroke the top of her head and she'd lick me. She loved to lick everything. It was like the world was her lollipop.

Shadow has had a few episodes of respiratory illness, but antibiotics would take care of it pretty quickly. Then there came the time that the medications didn't work. The vet said that she might have a torn diaphragm and so it was a little hard to push the air out. He said he could do an X-ray but he wouldn't because he didn't deem it necessary. It would probably just heal on its own and she was still eating and drinking fine.

Then she started to lose her fur. At first I honestly believe it was because Echo has a barbering issue. I bought bitter spray, used it once, and the fur grew back. Everything went downhill at this point. She lost weight very quickly, lost hair again, and developed a lot of scabs. She would still eat out of my hand, so I figured it was maybe just the food. My mother was the one feeding them because I'm away at college and my apartment doesn't allow pets, and I learned that she wasn't feeding the correct amount. I corrected the food issue to see if it would help. On Friday the 20th I fed her a small piece of corn chip. She started gagging and I thought she was choking. I tried to dislodge the food in any way I could think. Then she started to tense up and jumped, but it was like she wasn't doing it consciously. She couldn't keep her balance and she went limp a few times. I rushed her to the vet and they had someone take a look at her. 

Shadow had a mass surrounding her heart that was crushing her lungs. She was struggling to breathe. She hadn't been eating or drinking because it was so hard to just breathe. This was one of the most difficult decisions to make, but I had to euthanize her. I came in to say my goodbyes and she perked up. She jumped on my shoulders and cuddled real close. It almost made me change my mind, but I knew she was suffering. I was there for the whole process. It was devastating, but she's not suffering anymore. I'm sorry for the whole memoir, but I just needed to do this for closure. She meant so much to me. Echo has been searching for her every time I bring her out to play, and it breaks my heart.








This is Shadow right after I got her. She's about 4 weeks old in this picture







Shadow licking my leg














Shadow and Echo. It's really hard to get a picture of Echo because she's always running around














I always thought of Shadow and Echo as my own special yin and yang. I think this photo shows it well.


----------



## DustyRat (Jul 9, 2012)

Sad news indeed


----------



## PurpleGirl (Oct 12, 2012)

I'm sorry for your loss of such a special little sweetheart, what a pretty girl. R.I.P.


----------



## Ratty_Mama2 (Apr 13, 2013)

Sorry for your loss, Shadow seemed like a beautiful and good rat.
R.I.P Shadow


----------



## TachisMom (Oct 17, 2012)

This story tore me apart...I just lost my heart rat, Tachi, the EXACT same way...My heart goes out to you and yours...*hugs*


----------



## Simons mum (Dec 19, 2013)

Your words break my heart. I'm so sorry for your loss and I feel as if I knew her too through your words.
You made the right choice and in my heart, I know they watch over us and never truely leave us. (((hugs)))


----------

