Hi there! A week or so ago we asked some advice concerning what we thought was a boil on Josie's behind, near the rectum. Thanks to all who responded. When we finally got to take her to the vet, we found out that she had infected anal glands. We had her spayed, but not decented, around the beginning of last August and she was doing well. It is amazing how fast these little guys bounce back. She has never used her scent glands (not like some of the others do anyway) and they just clogged up. We were treating her with Chlorpalm and warm packs to try and keep infection away and get the swelling down. We could get the scent glands blown out and hope for the best or get her decented. We figured that since she never used them anyway and keep her from having this problem again, we would get her decented. The swelling just did not go down and since the tissue around the rectum was healthy, the vet decided to go ahead with the operation. She pulled through just fine. The glands were several times the size that they were supposed to be. One was a real mess and the other one was still in pretty good shape but it had to come out. We just cannot believe that something that large (the vet kept them in a jar with formaldahyde (sp) so we could see them) could come out of such a little rear. In one of the previous posts, someone had said that decenting is not without its problems and complications. What does this mean? What kind of things can happen after such an operation? What kind of things should we be looking out for? Cam and Therese Miller, Tawny the dog along with fuzzies Bud the Stud, Mookie, Jasper, Scooter, Snoopy, Josie, Nikki, Benji, Sadie, and BJ. Tryntje Miller Net:[log in to unmask] Conrad Grebel College Library Tel: (519) 885-0220 ext. 239 Waterloo, Ontario Fax: (519) 885-0014 N2L 3G6 [Posted in FML issue 1437]