BREED HEALTH COORDINATOR : Miss P Drake EMAIL : tnmcbhc@hotmail.com
In 2012 TNMC launched its Breed Specific Health Assessment scheme for all or any Neapolitan owner, whether they belong to the club or not. Or if they have one dog as a pet or a kennel full. Its particularly useful tool for any breeding being undertaken as the breed can prove to any would be buyer that an independent vet health assessment has been done, after your dog reaches 12 months of age, that covers, not only the overall health of the dog, but non -evasive test on eyes, heart, movement & patella.
Its approved by the Kennel Club and BVA, the assessment was also commended by Professor Sheila Crispin at the KC Eye Health Seminar. The Health Assessment form was developed by the Breed Club with the assistance of other Breed Clubs and MRCVS Veterinary Surgeons. It is not intended to replace KC / BVA Health Screening Schemes, but to provide an additional relatively inexpensive option to compliment current recognised hip, elbow, heart and eye schemes.
We use three levels of assessment, Bronze, Silver and Gold, a signed and dated certificate is given to those who participate fully and can be used as promotion material for your dog/name/stud or kennel, as is for other breeds currently using and promoting the same scheme. Yours & your dog’s details will be displayed on the breed club website to show that you have participated in the scheme. The Bronze test is a non-invasive check of your dog by a vet (once agreed to do this testing). It covers an overall view of your dog’s temperament, eyes, movement, condition, heart & spine. Your dog must be 12 months (or over) of age to participate in the scheme.
It is hoped that the Health Assessment will now be fully adopted by Neapolitan Mastiff owners to monitor the health of individual dogs and assist with collection and collation of much needed data regarding the health of our breed as a whole. Since the High-Profile Schemes have been introduced by the KC (our breed is on the highest – Cat 3), breed health is now another aspect that is required to gain Challenge Certificates in the future. In 2016 the KC changed its policy and the BHC now has to do a separate annual return advising of what health initiatives, schemes or challenges have been met. Therefore, the KC are fully aware of what support is received from Mastino owners and breeders to our breed health.
HOW OUR HEALTH SCHEME WORKS
· Download the copy of the bronze certificate from our website and see if the vet of your choice will be prepared to do it
· Email our BHC (Philippa) and give over the Vets full details, so that she can contact the vet and give further scheme details. Once done, our BHC will contact you back when the vet confirms they are happy to support our breed heath scheme
· Arrange with our BHC for your unique BRONZE assessment form to be assigned to you, the cost of this is £4. You will need, YOUR dogs, Full KC name, KC pedigree Number, Microchip number & D.O.B
· Our BHC will post to you, your unique numbered Bronze assessment form with your dog’s details on it. This is an NCR 3 copied page form, 1st one goes back to the BHC, 2nd is for the owner to keep and the 3rd part is for the vet to keep
· You arrange your vet appointment for the assessment (it should be no more than a normal charge as it can be done within 15 minutes). However, the cost is up to your vets. The completed, signed, dated and stamped form (top part) is to be returned to our BHC
· Once received, the health records will be updated & your dog’s bronze certificate will be sent to you
· To gain the SILVER certificate, you must FIRST have the bronze in place. You then organise the relevant heart test by KC approved cardiologist and eye test by an Examiner of the BVA/KC/ISDS. Plus, hip and elbow testing under the BVA/KC Schemes (there are now several vet clinics that do this under a mild sedation option) Then email our BHC a copy of all the official forms with the results to get your silver certificate.
· Our BHC can give you information on who/what/where does the tests
· The above applies to the GOLD certificate, however the result must be clear for heart & eye. Plus, an Elbow score, of 0 or 1 & a hip score equal to or less than the breed average mean score, as recorded by the KC, currently 26.1 (if the silver results show this, then GOLD is automatically awarded).