# Melatonin



## MillysMom (Nov 5, 2008)

I've read that you can give Melatonin to help ease dogs anxiety in thunderstorms. Does anyone know if you can give the human kind? I have a bottle of 3mg tablets from CVS. 

There is a terrible storm right now, and Milly is in a panic.


----------



## fostermom (Sep 6, 2007)

Yes, though since the storm has already started she may not feel the melatonin since it takes about 30 minutes to kick in. One 3 mg pill. Put a tshirt on her and tie it snugly against her so she is feeling swaddled, that may help.


----------



## MillysMom (Nov 5, 2008)

fostermom said:


> Yes, though since the storm has already started she may not feel the melatonin since it takes about 30 minutes to kick in. One 3 mg pill. Put a tshirt on her and tie it snugly against her so she is feeling swaddled, that may help.


We're in the lull between two storms. I gave her some Melatonin (1 3mg pill) and she's sporting my Aiken Steeplechase t-shirt with a knot tied in the end, very 80's of Milly. Maybe I should put a scrunchie on her tail to complete the look. :

Let's hope the next storm is not bad. We had one last night and a tree fell on our tool shed, said tree is now inside our tool shed, and the shed is split in half.

My roommates just left thinking the storm was over, I promised them it wasn't, because my joints still hurt, but they didn't listen to my shoulder's forecast.


----------



## desilu (Nov 2, 2006)

I give Desi 2 of the 3 mg tablets (with my vet's ok - she is a golden of the taller and longer variety - our vet calls her the extended cab version) and it really helps. It is better to give it before a storm hits, but I am not always able to do that. I find it kicks in after 20-30 minutes.


----------



## Wendy427 (Apr 4, 2009)

*Melatonin Side Effects in Dogs*

Just saw this thread. Here's a link concerning Melatonin Side Effects in Dogs:

http://www.buzzle.com/articles/melatonin-side-effects-in-dogs.html

Some excerpts to note:

Under any circumstance, *DO NOT* administer a dosage of melatonin to your dog without consulting a veterinarian. This can cause your dog a great deal of harm, as you may not be aware about the amount of dosage to be given, and the intervals to give between each dosage.

No matter what happens, do not give dogs the melatonin products that are meant for human beings. This will make them extremely sick.


----------



## Debles (Sep 6, 2007)

Our vet told us it is OK to buy regular melatonin (which is of course for humans) as long as there are no other additives . Just melatonin. 3 mg every 6 hrs for a 75 pound golden retriever. we did give Gunner two once and it had no adverse effects.


----------



## AquaClaraCanines (Mar 5, 2006)

I don't know about that, but it grows the hair in thick and soft within in 3-4 weeks on racing Greyhounds who have "bald thigh syndrome"


----------



## Wendy427 (Apr 4, 2009)

Debles said:


> Our vet told us it is OK to buy regular melatonin (which is of course for humans) as long as there are no other additives . Just melatonin. 3 mg every 6 hrs for a 75 pound golden retriever. we did give Gunner two once and it had no adverse effects.


Thank you for letting us know....phew!


----------



## jackie_hubert (Jun 2, 2010)

You may also want to discuss using Triptophan-based calming products. Our aggressive cat is on it and it calms him a lot. We have the one by Rx Vitamins: "Rx Vitamins for Pets: Liquid Nutricalm: A Formula Designed to Calm and Sooth." May not do anything but you never know.


----------



## fostermom (Sep 6, 2007)

My vet okayed the human brand of melatonin, too.


----------



## Bender (Dec 30, 2008)

Have not needed it for dogs, but highly recommend it for kids! 

Really. Those nights where they just won't go to sleep, they get half a tablet and it's 'night night' within 10 minutes. Sounds bad but with the sun not setting all summer till 10 pm it's hard to get them into the 7:30 bedtime routine for school otherwise.

Lana


----------



## Bob Dylan (Mar 31, 2009)

I have been using Melatonin 5mg. for our Frankie for 2 years and my vet was OK with it.
It does work better if you know a storm is coming, he gets 3, but he is a large Golden that has a real thunderstorm phobia.


----------



## cubbysan (Mar 13, 2007)

Both my former and now my new pediatrician has me giving it to my seven year old daughter every night because she won't settle down to sleep. 

Without it, she is still bouncing off the walls until midnight. With it, she is asleep in 20 minutes. It gets to the point that if I stop giving it to her, like during the summer vacation, she will beg for it if she can't sleep.

This has improved her concentration in school, otherwise she was zoning out (probably from fatigue).


----------



## Taz Monkey (Feb 25, 2007)

I gave a 3mg tablet to buddy, my 25 lb foster, when he came to my house because he was literally trying to dig his way out of his crate, and destroying himself and my carpet and crate in the process. Worked wonders.


----------



## Debles (Sep 6, 2007)

Wow, maybe I should increase Gunner's before storms!


----------



## RedDogs (Jan 30, 2010)

The other thing to consider is the product itself.... There are some specific products that are better than others... I'm not able to find my notes at the moment... but our behavior vet did have a specific product recommendation if we tried melatonin.


----------



## marieb (Mar 24, 2008)

I take 3 mg of Melatonin when I have trouble sleeping at night and I also give the same melatonin to Maddie (3 mg) for thunderstorm anxiety.


----------



## gold'nchocolate (May 31, 2005)

cubbysan said:


> Both my former and now my new pediatrician has me giving it to my seven year old daughter every night because she won't settle down to sleep.
> 
> Without it, she is still bouncing off the walls until midnight. With it, she is asleep in 20 minutes.
> 
> This has improved her concentration in school, otherwise she was zoning out (probably from fatigue).


My 2 adopted children take Melatonin every night before bed. They both have anxiety issues and it helps them fall asleep in minutes rather than hours. It has also helped with the temper tantrums of one of the kids--probably because he is getting a better nights sleep.



Wendy427 said:


> Just saw this thread. Here's a link concerning Melatonin Side Effects in Dogs:
> 
> http://www.buzzle.com/articles/melatonin-side-effects-in-dogs.html
> 
> ...


Jack takes 6 mg in the morning and 6 again at night. He is severe noise phobic and it really helps. He has been taking this (CVS people version) for several years and has never had a problem



MillysMom said:


> I've read that you can give Melatonin to help ease dogs anxiety in thunderstorms. Does anyone know if you can give the human kind? I have a bottle of 3mg tablets from CVS.
> 
> There is a terrible storm right now, and Milly is in a panic.


I hope Millie is O.K. I hate thunderstorms because of what they do to Jack. Just wanted to let you know that every now and then CVS has a 'buy one/get one free' sale on Melatonin. I always stock up during the sale, because it's so expensive.


----------



## AquaClaraCanines (Mar 5, 2006)

The primary side effect I have noticed in dogs is that they grow twice the coat they had before. I wouldn't call that a bad thing!


----------



## Debles (Sep 6, 2007)

Lol! I hadn't even thought of that for Gunner! His coat is so lush and soft! Guess it's the salmon food and the melatonin!


----------

