United States Neapolitan Mastiff Club

Welcome to the new and improved home of the United States Neapolitan Mastiff Club!

The USNMC is the official AKC-recognized parent club for the Neapolitan Mastiff Club. As Parent Clubs go, the USNMC is young - only 17 years. Nevertheless, we are rich with history and a strong core of dedicated members, the numbers of which continue to grow. Explore this site for information on our breed, our club, and how you can become involved.

Please be sure to check out the Gallery for pictures of the 2008 Nationals. If you have pictures you would like posted from the show please email them to jennifergroves@gmail.com

Thanks!

Also don't miss the "Events" listed to the right for information on National Club Supported Entries, Regional Specialties, Seminars and more! If you are interested in having one of these events in your area please contact sharonmcostello49@hotmail.com

Neapolitan Mastiff Study (Feb 2008 – Mar 2009)
LEISH STUDY Downloadable Form
Beginning March 2008 the very first formal research project for the Neapolitan Mastiff in the United States began! Leishmaniasis (LESH-ma-NIGH-ah-sis) is a disease which was first identified in Italy in 1903 and in 1940 it was determined that 40% of all dogs in Rome were positive for Leishmaniasis. A 2007 Study of dogs in Southern Italy revealed 29.9% of kennel dogs seropositive for Leishmaniasis. Current studies indicate a rise of Leishmaniasis in S. America as well. This disease has also migrated to the United States, as of July 2008; 150 Italian Spinones and 2000 Foxhounds have tested positive for Leishmaniasis Infantum. Positive dogs have been identified in 22 states and 2 provinces of Canada. Since a significant number of Neapolitan Mastiffs enter the United States from Italy it is important for breeders and owners to be aware of this disease and participate in testing! All test results and samples are maintained by Iowa State University Veterinary Teaching Hospital Department of Pathology with Dr. Christine Petersen and are confidential. We have a great opportunity to contribute to research being conducted at Iowa State University by submitting samples to the current Neapolitan Mastiff Leishmaniasis study. This project not only screens for the presence of parasite DNA but is a stepping stone to future research involving T Cell function. T-cell research has the possibility of examination of overall immune system function. Leishmania infected dogs may hold the key to several unknown immune mediated problems in our breed and others. A few factors which have puzzled researchers are; the high prevalence of Ehrlichia-positive dogs becoming sero-positive for Leishmania infection later, a large number of breeds live in endemic areas and yet don’t contract the disease, what is the mode of transmission here in the United States and many more questions which can be answered with our help. The samples provided to Iowa State University have many useful applications for future studies but first we have to establish the United States Neapolitan Mastiff community as a community that is concerned and active in promoting research and most importantly PARTICIPATING in research. One of the most significant aspects of this study is to establish the Neapolitan Mastiff as a viable research subject. Breeds who establish themselves as active participants will be chosen/ included in future research. Often times before a research team is willing to accept a breed for their project they want to know that they can count on the collaboration of owners and breeders to submit samples. If we as a community want to have researchers include our breed in their projects we have to establish ourselves as ACTIVE PARTICIPANTS. Research goes beyond political lines and beyond us as individuals, what we do today can help our breed for future generations. I sincerely hope that our community will step up and support research no matter who recommends it or what club is involved with it. Thank you for your interest and support. Lisa Cinciripini (360) 357-4309 cmastino@gmail.com