Melatonin Treatment Web Page Links
Disclaimer (bottom of page)
As with any supplement or medication, it's important to consult with a veterinarian before giving melatonin to a dog, as the dosage and potential side effects can vary depending on the dog's health and individual needs.
High-Dose Melatonin Therapy can be used in dogs to help regulate sleep and provide other potential benefits, including:
> Reducing inflammation: Melatonin may have anti-inflammatory effects, which could be beneficial for dogs with conditions such as arthritis or inflammatory bowel disease.
> Studies show that Melatonin can ease the symptoms of dogs with Cushing’s disease because it blocks the uptake of excess cortisol.
> May help prevent age related bone loss
> Medical Disorders Related:
Reduce Cushing’s symptoms
Increase immune system
Reduce geriatric symptoms
Cushing’s Disease symptoms
Helps Old dog Dementia= Canine Cognitive Dysfunction Syndrome
Anti-inflammatory + Anti-arthritis + Anti-allergy
Supports bone density
> Stimulates hair follicular development and normal hair growth cycle.
> Improves hair growth and thickness in hail follicle dysplasia and hair follicle arrest disorders.
> Reduce thin hair due to age-related alopecia.
> Melatonin may help manage hair loss in dogs, particularly in breeds prone to hair loss or alopecia.
> Medical Disorders Related:
Increase hair growth
Follicular arrest syndrome
Follicular dysplasia
Seasonal recurrent flank alopecia
Alopecia X in Pomerainians = Black Skin Disease
Sex Hormone Alopecia
Sex hormone imbalance
Post Clipping Alopecia
Telogen/Anagen Defluxion or Effluvium
Reduces Shedding
Reduces Cushing’s Alopecia Symptoms
>>Reducing anxiety: Melatonin can have a calming effect on dogs and help reduce anxiety, particularly in stressful situations such as shelter dogs, traveling or fireworks.
> Melatonin can help regulate sleep patterns in dogs with sleep disorders, such as insomnia or circadian rhythm disorders.
>Melatonin for Seizure Management. The potential use and role of Melatonin in seizure occurrence and management is a relatively new research area.
> Melatonin can help with anesthesia induction and recovery.
> Medical Disorders Related:
Separation Anxiety
Barrier Frustration
OCD licking and chewing
Canine Cognitive Dysfunction Anxiety
Shelter Dog Anxiety
Noise Phobia (Thunder/Fireworks)
Sleep disorders
Seizures
> Reduces the Allergy immune reaction and may help restore the Epidermal Skin Barrier
>Supporting the immune system: Like in humans, melatonin has antioxidant properties that may help boost the immune system and protect against various diseases in dogs.
> Reducing inflammation: Melatonin may have anti-inflammatory effects, which could be beneficial for dogs with conditions such as arthritis or inflammatory bowel disease.
> Studies show that Melatonin can ease the symptoms of dogs with Cushing’s disease because it blocks the uptake of excess cortisol.
> Medical Disorders Related:
Allergy symptom reduction
Arthritis symptom reduction
Inflammatory Bowel Disorders
Cushing’s Syndrome
> Melatonin may help in the reduction of chemotherapy side-effects.
> Studies identify several potential cancer protective benefits of melatonin.
===========================================
How the High-Dose was studied and determined to be safe and effective:
1.0 to 1.3 mg/kg of body weight PO, every 12 hours
https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/10530323/
Melatonin was administered initially at 3-6 mg, every 12 h (to Pomeranians) … 62% of dogs had partial to complete hair re-growth.
https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/15500479/
…. doses of melatonin ranging from 10 to 80 mg per kg of body weight were given.
Melatonin administration to dogs
https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/7193238/
Melatonin. Often used as a first treatment, especially if alopecia is present, since it is cheap, has few side effects and is available in health food stores or via nutrient suppliers on the internet. Typically, a dose of 3 mg is given q12hrs (BID) for dogs <30 lbs; a dose of 6 mg is given q12hrs (BID) for dogs > 30 lbs. See Plumb’s Handbook. Regular melatonin is usually used rather than rapid release or extended release products. Melatonin has anti-gonadotropic activity, and it inhibits aromatase enzyme in tissues (decreases androstenedione and testosterone conversion into estradiol) and 21-hydroxylase enzyme (lowers cortisol level).
https://vetmed.tennessee.edu/wp-content/uploads/sites/4/Treatment-Considerations.pdf
Muller and Kirk's Small Animal Dermatology - 9781416000280
https://www.elsevier.com/books/muller-and-kirks-small-animal-dermatology/miller/978-1-4160-0028-0
Small Animal Dermatology - 9780323376518
https://www.us.elsevierhealth.com/small-animal-dermatology-9780323376518.html
https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/36769340/
https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/10530323/
https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S1558787817302575
https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/?term="Melatonin/therapeutic
https://vcahospitals.com/know-your-pet/melatonin
Melatonin for Dogs: Benefits, Safety, Dosage and More! - Veterinarians.org
https://www.veterinarians.org/melatonin-for-dogs/
===
Melatonin for Dogs: Benefits, Safety, Dosage and More!
https://www.veterinarians.org/melatonin-for-dogs/
https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/33706965/
Melatonin and healthy aging. Cardinali DP.
Vitam Horm. 2021;115:67-88. doi: 10.1016/bs.vh.2020.12.004. Epub 2021 Feb 5.
PMID: 33706965
Melatonin and healthy aging - melatonin exerts a significant cytoprotective action by buffering free radicals and reversing inflammation via down regulation of proinflammatory cytokines, suppression of low degree inflammation and prevention of insulin resistance. Because of these properties melatonin has been advocated to be a potential therapeutic tool in COVID 19 pandemic. Melatonin administration to aged animals counteracts a significant number of senescence-related changes. In humans, melatonin is effective both as a chronobiotic and a cytoprotective agent to maintain a healthy aging. Circulating melatonin levels are consistently reduced in the metabolic syndrome, ischemic and non-ischemic cardiovascular diseases and neurodegenerative disorders like the Alzheimer's and Parkinson's diseases.
https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/36798664/
Protective effects of melatonin against physical injuries to testicular tissue: A systematic review and meta-analysis of animal models.
Dehdari Ebrahimi N, Shojaei-Zarghani S, Taherifard E, Dastghaib S, Parsa S, Mohammadi N, Sabet Sarvestani F, Moayedfard Z, Hosseini N, Safarpour H, Sadeghi A, Azarpira N, Safarpour AR. Front Endocrinol (Lausanne). 2023 Jan 31;14:1123999. doi: 10.3389/fendo.2023.1123999. eCollection 2023. PMID: 36798664
https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/36793277/
Protective effects of melatonin against the toxic effects of environmental pollutants and heavy metals on testicular tissue: A systematic review and meta-analysis of animal studies.
Dehdari Ebrahimi N, Parsa S, Nozari F, Shahlaee MA, Maktabi A, Sayadi M, Sadeghi A, Azarpira N. Front Endocrinol (Lausanne). 2023 Jan 30;14:1119553. doi: 10.3389/fendo.2023.1119553. eCollection 2023.
PMID: 36793277
https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/36769340/
Oxidative Stress and Aging as Risk Factors for Alzheimer's Disease and Parkinson's Disease: The Role of the Antioxidant Melatonin.
Tchekalarova J, Tzoneva R.
Int J Mol Sci. 2023 Feb 3;24(3):3022. doi: 10.3390/ijms24033022.
PMID: 36769340
Melatonin for Dogs: Benefits, Safety, Dosage and More!
https://www.veterinarians.org/melatonin-for-dogs/
Melatonin in Dermatologic Allergic Diseases and Other Skin Conditions: Current Trends and Reports
https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/36835450/
Melatonin in Dermatologic Allergic Diseases and Other Skin Conditions: Current Trends and Reports. Bešlić I, Lugović-Mihić L, Vrtarić A, Bešlić A, Škrinjar I, Hanžek M, Crnković D, Artuković M. Int J Mol Sci. 2023 Feb 17;24(4):4039. doi: 10.3390/ijms24044039.
PMID: 36835450
Melatonin has cytoprotective, immunomodulatory, and anti-apoptotic effects. Melatonin is also one of the most powerful natural antioxidants, directly acting on free radicals and the intracellular antioxidant enzyme system. Furthermore, it participates in antitumor activity, hypopigmentation processes in hyperpigmentary disorders, anti-inflammatory, and immunomodulating activity in inflammatory dermatoses, maintaining the integrity of the epidermal barrier and thermoregulation of the body. Due predominantly to its positive influence on sleep, melatonin can be used in the treatment of sleep disturbances for those with chronic allergic diseases accompanied by intensive itching (such as atopic dermatitis and chronic spontaneous urticaria). According to the literature data, there are also many proven uses for melatonin in photoprotection and skin aging (due to melatonin's antioxidant effects and role in preventing damage due to DNA repair mechanisms), hyperpigmentary disorders (e.g., melasma) and scalp diseases (such as androgenic alopecia and telogen effluvium).
Calming Sleep, Brain and Nerve Benefits:
Melatonin for Dogs: Benefits, Safety, Dosage and More! - Veterinarians.org
https://www.veterinarians.org/melatonin-for-dogs/
Serum Melatonin Values in Normal Dogs and Dogs with Seizures
https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/30653360/
https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/31351807/
Melatonin for Dogs: Benefits, Safety, Dosage and More!
https://www.veterinarians.org/melatonin-for-dogs/
Preliminary findings on the effect of melatonin on the clinical outcome of cataract surgery in dogs
https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/25959258/
Anti-inflamatory benefits after eye surgery
Preliminary findings on the effect of melatonin on the clinical outcome of cataract surgery in dogs
https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/19793331/
Topical application of melatonin and growth hormone accelerates bone healing around dental implants in dogs. Muñoz F, López-Peña M, Miño N, Gómez-Moreno G, Guardia J, Cutando A.
Clin Implant Dent Relat Res. 2012 Apr;14(2):226-35. doi: 10.1111/j.1708-8208.2009.00242.x. Epub 2009 Sep 29. PMID: 19793331
https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/36949499/
Daytime administration of melatonin has better protective effects on bone loss in ovariectomized rats.
Li TL, Liu HD, Ren MX, Zhou Z, Jiang WK, Yang M.
J Orthop Surg Res. 2023 Mar 23;18(1):234. doi: 10.1186/s13018-023-03695-8.
PMID: 36949499
Melatonin for the prevention and treatment of cancer
https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/28415828/
Melatonin for the prevention and treatment of cancer.
Li Y, Li S, Zhou Y, Meng X, Zhang JJ, Xu DP, Li HB.
Oncotarget. 2017 Jun 13;8(24):39896-39921. doi: 10.18632/oncotarget.16379.
PMID: 28415828 Free PMC article. Review.
Melatonin could also be utilized as adjuvant of cancer therapies, through reinforcing the therapeutic effects and reducing the side effects of chemotherapies or radiation. Melatonin could be an excellent candidate for the prevention and treatment of several …
Neurobiological effects of melatonin as related to cancer
https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/18090123/
https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/36798664/
Protective effects of melatonin against physical injuries to testicular tissue: A systematic review and meta-analysis of animal models.
Dehdari Ebrahimi N, Shojaei-Zarghani S, Taherifard E, Dastghaib S, Parsa S, Mohammadi N, Sabet Sarvestani F, Moayedfard Z, Hosseini N, Safarpour H, Sadeghi A, Azarpira N, Safarpour AR.
Front Endocrinol (Lausanne). 2023 Jan 31;14:1123999. doi: 10.3389/fendo.2023.1123999. eCollection 2023. PMID: 36798664
ttps://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/36793277/
Protective effects of melatonin against the toxic effects of environmental pollutants and heavy metals on testicular tissue: A systematic review and meta-analysis of animal studies.
Dehdari Ebrahimi N, Parsa S, Nozari F, Shahlaee MA, Maktabi A, Sayadi M, Sadeghi A, Azarpira N. Front Endocrinol (Lausanne). 2023 Jan 30;14:1119553. doi: 10.3389/fendo.2023.1119553. eCollection 2023.
PMID: 36793277