Melatonin - Circadin
What is it used for?
Sleep
Supplementing with melatonin can help animals with disrupted sleep cycles. This can be due to behavioural concerns, as well as health issues such as vision loss or changes in cognition that can affect sleep.
Anxiety
Melatonin also promotes calmness in anxious dogs by reducing the amount of dopamine. High dopamine levels are linked to anxiety.
How is it used?
Any behaviour medication works best when used alongside a behaviour modification.
Melatonin is typically given before bed to encourage proper rest.
How does it work?
Melatonin is a naturally occurring hormone that is produced by part of the brain in charge of sleep and wake cycles. Melatonin levels should be high at night when it’s time to sleep, and lower during the day. By increasing melatonin levels at night through supplements, this encourages the body to feel sleepy.
What are the side effects?
Side effects with using melatonin are rare. Though they should be used with more caution in undesexed pets.
Changes in fertility
Gastric upset and stomach cramps
Increased heart rate
Itching
Confusion
Are there any other interactions?
Melatonin can be used safely with many other medicines and supplements. There are rare cases in which pets with other illnesses should not have melatonin.
Where do I get it?
As a human medicine, melatonin is available through human pharmacies with a script. Be careful of over the counter options which often don’t have reliable concentrations of melatonin in their formulations.
Off label use
In Australia, we only have only one medication registered for treating behaviour problems. This means many of the medications we use are considered ‘off label’. These medications still have excellent evidence for their use, and lots of data about their effects and side effects, however it is essential that you feel well informed about their off label use. Please read all the information thoroughly to ensure you feel well informed about the risks and benefits of using this medication.