Fifteen dogs with a diagnosis of ischemic stroke and 10 healthy control dogs had CSF evaluated for 14 cytokines: GM-CSF, IFN-γ, IL-2, IL-4, IL-6, IL-7, IL-8, IL-10, IL-15, IL-18, IP-10, CXCL1, MCP-1, and TNF-α. The gene discussed is IL18; the disease is ischemic stroke.