Rare canine encephalocele case highlights surgical option
Bottom line
A newly published case report in Animals describes what appears to be one of the very few documented surgical treatments of a canine encephalocele communicating with the nasal cavity. The authors, from BON Animal Medical Center in South Korea, reported on a young American Cocker Spaniel presented for seizures; MRI identified intracranial tissue protruding through a cribriform plate defect into the nasal cavity. Surgeons performed dorsal rhinotomy, resected the herniated tissue, and reconstructed the skull base, with the dog recovering well and remaining seizure-free on follow-up. The paper was published on May 2, 2026, and frames the case as evidence that surgery can be a viable option in selected dogs with this rare skull-base defect. (mdpi.com)
Why it matters: For veterinary professionals, the report adds practical detail to a condition most clinicians will rarely see, but that can sit on the differential list for young dogs with seizures, forebrain signs, or suspected cerebrospinal fluid leakage. Prior literature suggests epileptic seizures are the most common presenting sign in dogs with meningocele or meningoencephalocele, and most reported canine cases involve intranasal lesions affecting the ethmoidal region. CT and MRI remain complementary for diagnosis, with CT helping define the skull defect and MRI clarifying whether meninges, brain tissue, or both are involved. (academic.oup.com)
What to watch: The key next question is whether additional case reports or series can clarify which dogs benefit most from surgery versus medical management, and what long-term risks remain for seizure recurrence, infection, or reconstruction failure. (frontiersin.org)
A new case report in Animals highlights the surgical management of a rare canine encephalocele communicating with the nasal cavity, a skull-base defect in which intracranial tissue herniates through the cribriform plate into the nasal passage. In the reported case, a young American Cocker Spaniel presented with seizures, and advanced imaging showed brain tissue extending into the nasal cavity. The surgical team resected the protruding tissue and reconstructed the skull base, after which the dog recovered without further seizures during follow-up. The article was published on May 2, 2026. (mdpi.com)
That matters because canine encephaloceles and meningoencephaloceles are rare enough that most of the veterinary literature consists of isolated case reports and small retrospective series. A 2017 study in the Journal of Veterinary Internal Medicine reviewing 22 dogs found that epileptic seizures were the most common presenting sign, seen in 77% of cases, and that 17 of 22 dogs had intranasal meningoencephaloceles, usually involving the ethmoidal bone. The same study also noted that some dogs were managed medically with favorable outcomes when tissue protrusion was mild, underscoring that treatment decisions are still individualized rather than protocol-driven. (academic.oup.com)
In the new Animals report, the lesion specifically communicated with the nasal cavity through a cribriform plate defect, which raises concerns beyond seizure control alone. Prior veterinary reports and comparative literature point to the risk of ongoing exposure between the nasal environment and the central nervous system, with potential complications including suspected cerebrospinal fluid rhinorrhea, inflammation, and ascending infection. A 2020 Frontiers in Veterinary Science feline case report made a similar argument for surgery when seizures were progressing and communication with the nasal cavity created concern for liquorrhea and bacterial meningoencephalitis. (mdpi.com)
The available literature also helps put this case in context. The 2020 feline report stated that, at that time, only a dog with intranasal meningoencephalocele and a cat with parietal meningoencephalocele had been described as surgically treated veterinary cases. Earlier canine literature likewise documented surgical treatment of intranasal meningoencephalocele, but the overall evidence base remains sparse. That makes each new operative report useful not just as a novelty, but as a source of technical detail on approach, reconstruction, and short-term outcome. (frontiersin.org)
Expert commentary specific to this new paper was limited in initial web reporting, but the broader specialty literature is fairly consistent on a few points. CT is especially useful for identifying the bony defect, while MRI is better for defining the contents of the lesion and associated brain changes. Human and veterinary reports alike also suggest surgery is most compelling when there is active neurologic progression, suspected CSF leakage, recurrent infection risk, or substantial tissue protrusion into the nasal cavity. That’s an inference drawn from the published case literature rather than a formal guideline, because no veterinary consensus recommendations were identified. (academic.oup.com)
Why it matters: For general practitioners, neurologists, and surgeons, this case is a reminder that not every young dog with seizures has idiopathic epilepsy. When signalment, imaging, nasal signs, or neurologic findings are atypical, congenital skull-base defects belong on the differential list. For referral teams, the report reinforces the value of cross-sectional imaging and suggests that surgery may be reasonable in carefully selected cases, particularly when the lesion creates a direct brain-nasal communication. For pet parents, that can translate into a more precise diagnosis and, in some cases, a treatment path beyond lifelong seizure management alone. (mdpi.com)
What to watch: The field now needs longer follow-up and more case accumulation, especially around recurrence, postoperative seizure control, infection prevention, and reconstruction durability. If more centers publish similar cases, clinicians may start to see clearer patterns on which imaging findings, clinical signs, and lesion anatomies predict the best surgical candidates. (mdpi.com)