The Neapolitan Mastiff or Italian Mastiff, is a large, ancient breed of dog. This massive breed is often used as a guard dog and defender of family and property due to their protective instincts and their fearsome appearance.
Health
The Neo has some specific health concerns. The most common is Cherry eye.
Others include:
- Hip dysplasia
- Ectropion
- Entropion
- Elbow dysplasia
- Sebaceous adenitis
- Progressive retinal atrophy[citation needed]
- Hypothyroidism
- Cardiomyopathy
- Bloat
- Skin infections between skin folds called Pyoderma
- Anesthetic Sensitivity
Additionally, Neos do not do well in hot weather, and are prone to hyperthermia. Like most giant breeds, the Neapolitan Mastiff is not particularly long-lived, averaging 7 to 9 years, however, with a proper biologically appropriate diet, safe exercise, and proper weight maintenance, there is no reason that the average Neo cannot live beyond that.
In popular culture
- Alan from the film Babe: Pig in the City.
- Fang from the Harry Potter films (in the books, Fang is a boarhound, an old term for a Great Dane, while in the films he is a Neapolitan Mastiff).
- Pansy from the Burke series of novels by Andrew Vachss.
- Sweetie from Robert K. Tanenbaum's Butch Karp novels.
- A Neapolitan was featured in the movie American Gangster as a domestic pet belonging to an Italian Mafia Boss Dominic Cattano.
- A Neapolitan Mastiff appears in a scene in the movie DragonHeart.
- A Neapolitan Mastiff appears in the Movie "Hotel for Dogs"
- A Neapolitan Mastiff appears in a scene in the movie "Belly".
- Julius (Marguerite's dog) from the Argeneau Family novels is a Neapolitan Mastiff.
