Melatonin for Dogs

If you’re a dog owner, then you’ve probably heard about melatonin. What is melatonin? How does it work for your pet? Basically, melatonin is a supplement or substance that can help address or alleviate various symptoms related to health and mood issues with your pet dog. Melatonin can help your dog feel relaxed, and help it sleep better as well. It can also aid in various medical conditions.

But what can melatonin really do for your dog? While it is still important to consult your veterinarian when it comes to giving new supplements or medications to your pet, below are some effects of melatonin on dogs to give you an overview that can hopefully help you decide and think about what to ask your veterinarian:

1. Anxiety
Melatonin can act as a sedative, and it can be used to calm your dog. It can be used if your dog has separation anxiety, or fear of loud noises. It can also be used as medicine to help alleviate symptoms of epilepsy, hyper activeness and possible treatment of alopecia as well. Generally, melatonin can help calm your dog without having to turn to other medications that will sedate them.

2. Sleep Problems
Melatonin can also be used to help your dog sleep better during the night, and this can be very helpful if your pet has disrupted sleeping patterns as well. For example, there are dogs that have Canine Cognitive Dysfunction, and this condition can disrupt your pet’s sleeping habits or patterns, making them difficult to go to sleep. Melatonin can help your dog calm down, helping them sleep better. This can also be true if your dog has melatonin deficiency as well, as the medication can help regularize or regulate your pet’s circadian rhythm.

3. Cushing’s Disease
Cushing’s Disease is a condition that can affect people and dogs, wherein it causes weight gain and fatty deposits. Cushing’s disease is a hormonal imbalance that increases the cortisol levels of your dog. However, unlike humans, dogs can’t undergo medical procedures to solve the problem. Nonetheless, make sure that you learn about the possible side effects of using this type of medication to your dog, as they can cause brutal side effects like vomiting and even kidney failure.

4. Hair Loss
If your dog is losing a lot of hair during certain periods throughout the year, or if there are visible hair patches, you can use melatonin. There are various studies that suggest melatonin can help cure hair loss or alopecia.

Melatonin can generally be regarded as something that is safe for your pet. However, as a responsible pet owner, it is important to make sure that you’ve consulted with a veterinarian before giving it to your dog.

As for dosage, it will most likely depend on the type and size of dog that you have, along with how your pet will take the medication. Make sure that you get one that is recommended by your veterinarian. It is important to note that one huge side effect of melatonin can be lethargy, an upset stomach, and possible increased heart rates. It may even affect your pet’s fertility levels or insulin resistance as well. Make sure that you consult your veterinarian before giving melatonin to your dog because there can be the possibility of it overlapping or having adverse effect with other medications your dog is taking.