Background: The role of neuroinflammation in epileptogenesis has been previously explored, and several biomarkers have been identified as being relevant in assessing the intensity of the inflammatory process. In human medicine, an increased C reactive protein (CRP) blood concentration and/or neutrophil-to-lymphocyte ratio (NLR) is considered a constant finding of epileptic activity. In veterinary medicine, only a few studies have been published regarding both of these topics. Hypothesis/objectives: Our aim was to assess the C reactive protein blood concentration and the neutrophil-to-lymphocyte ratio in epileptic dogs, regardless of etiology. Method: This retrospective study was based on changes in routine blood parameters in 59 dogs with epileptic activity. Results: An increased C reactive protein concentration was observed mostly in the dogs affected by structural epilepsy, and all epileptic dogs displayed abnormal neutrophil-to-lymphocyte values. Conclusions: Based on the authors’ knowledge, this is the first report regarding the NLR in epileptic dogs. Both the CRP concentration and the NLR might be considered feasible non-specific markers of the neuroinflamation involved in epileptogenesis and might be used in the diagnosis of and therapeutic approach to cluster seizures in dogs with idiopathic epilepsy and in patients with structural epilepsy. Dogs diagnosed with IEis and high CRP concentrations and NLRs may be subject to non-documented cluster seizures. Both CRP and the NLR have limited diagnostic value in dogs with reactive seizures.

Serum phenobarbital (PB) monitoring is recommended after treatment initiation and periodically thereafter, but real-world data on monitoring practice are scarce, particularly where imepitoin is not marketed and PB is a controlled substance. All in-house PB determinations performed on a point-of-care analyser reporting PB with a hepatic panel at a Romanian university referral hospital between January 2022 and August 2026 were retrieved and linked to the hospital register. A total of 143 canine runs from 66 dogs were obtained; 10 (7.0%) were suppressed by severe lipaemia. At the first valid determination, 47 of 65 dogs with a valid result (72.3%; 95% CI 60.4–81.7) were within the 15–35 µg/mL target range and 16 (24.6%; 95% CI 15.8–36.3) were below it. The median dose, given as fractionated human 100 mg tablets, was 5.62 mg/kg/day and was not associated with concentration; dogs under 10 kg received almost twice the weight-based dose of larger dogs without reaching higher concentrations. Alkaline phosphatase was increased in 36% of runs and was not associated with concentration in mixed-effects models. At least one determination was obtained in 79% of dogs in continued care and 88% of dogs with six or more prescriptions, but only 40% (95% CI 27–56%) of newly treated dogs were determined within 90 days and none of the 17 dogs seen only once or twice after initiation was determined. Monitoring therefore follows continuity of care; scheduling the first determination at initiation and coupling sampling with prescription renewal are proposed measures whose effectiveness requires prospective evaluation.