Elizabeth Caron

On Saturday afternoon (9/10), I had discovered that my argentine tegu (large lizard), Jabba the Hutt had a rectal prolapse. It was not improved by at home treatments that I am well-versed in and my regular reptile vet had closed and was not open again until Monday.

In my experience with reptiles, I knew this was something that needed surgery ASAP. After calling around to various ER vets to see if they would work with Jabba – who is a docile, sweet boy that is extremely used to being handled and seeing the vet – no one within an hour of me felt comfortable with treating Jabba. I gave The COVE a call and they had a vet on staff who was more than willing to work with Jabba the Hutt. I immediately rushed an hour and a half away through a toll to see them. After waiting for a few hours while the doctor completed her rounds (which we did not mind, knowing how busy they were), we were seen and Jabba was prepped for surgery late Saturday night and ready to go home early the next morning. I picked him up around 2am and saw that he recovered well. A little sleepy but I knew he was going to pull through!

Jabba saw his reptile vet on Monday afternoon, where she removed the sutures that Dr. DeFalco had sewn in to keep his prolapsed rectum inside his body and he needed no further treatment. Thank you SO much to The COVE’s amazing staff and Dr. DeFalco for her prompt and hard work on my boy. She saved his life and I am forever grateful as Jabba The Hutt is just as much my baby as I would consider my dogs or cat. I CANNOT THANK YOU ENOUGH!!!