Two Easy Ways to Start Earning Rewards!
Become a member today!
Members-only pricing and offers, personalized care notifications, Vital Care points back on every purchase and more!
Already a member? Sign in
Become a credit card member today!
Earn 2X Pals Rewards points at Petco
when you use Petco Pay!
APPLY NOW
Learn More About Petco Pay Benefits

My dog has hair loss. Can I give melatonin? What form and brand?

Updated on September 23rd, 2025

Pet's info: Dog | Bulldog | Male | neutered | 45 lbs

My bulldog has seasonal flank alopecia and I was told to try Melatonin. Is it ok to give him softgels (or tablets only)? Also, which brand is recommended for dogs?

1 Answer

Most Helpful Answer

Answered By Megan, DVM, CVA

Veterinarian

Published on December 17th, 2017

Melatonin does help with stress if that is what you vet thinks is causing the alopecia. I would just get a high quality brand like natures made and I think tablet or capsule is fine. Just be sure it has the correct milligram your vet recommended. For stress, there are also composure chews that help. See link below. Neither of these supplements work on everyone though. If this only happen during certain seasons, you may also consider this being an allergic reaction. If he is itchy, I would talk to your vet about trying an allergy medicine like apoquel. This will help to decrease the itch and help the hair grow. I hope this helps!

VIP-_-92700026086767577&kwid=p26086767577&device=m&gclid=EAIaIQobChMIoK2R5PiR2AIVRR1pCh2zdQarEAQYASABEgLVPPD_BwE&gclsrc=aw.ds

1Pet Parents found this answer helpful

Smart Picks for Smart Questions

Related Questions

Health & Wellness

Why is my dog losing hair on its body? Melatonin isn't helping.

There is a possibility that your dog is suffering from hypothyroidism, so your vet should also do a thyroid test. Hypothyroidism can also cause hair loss as you describe. Another possibility could be seasonal alopecia, also called cyclic follicular dysplasia which causes hair loss on the flanks and back, just as you describe. The treatment is melatonin. It will not be a remedy showing success within a few days, so the melatonin will have to be given over several months, if not life-long. In some dogs the hair will never grow back. Your vet may want to take a skin biopsy and send it in to a pathology lab. This can also give valuable information about the cause of the alopecia.

Updated on September 23rd, 2025

Training & Behavior

My dog's anxious from separation. Can I give more melatonin?

Melatonin is generally used for sleep disorders and phobias. The dosage for Melatonin is 0.1mg/kg OR 1-9 mg per dog (depending on size), given 1-3 times a day. So that is around 2 mg or up to 5mg every 8 hrs for a medium sized dog like Sadie. Therefore I would recommend waiting at least 8 hrs in between doses before giving Sadie another dose. Also I would consider asking your vet for another anxiety specific medication such as Alprazolam. I hope this helps and best of luck getting Sadie calm during the remainder of her time away from her regular owner. Take care.

Updated on September 23rd, 2025

Food & Nutrition

My dog won't sleep at night. What calming supplements can I give him?

You can try NaturVet Quiet Moments Calm Chews with Melatonin and see if this works. You can pick this up at your local Petco and give as directed on the container. If this does not work, he may need an anti-anxiety / sedative. Something may also be bothering him as well so it may be worth having a veterinarian examine him so that the most appropriate diagnostic and treatment recommendations can be made. I hope this helps! Please let me know if you have any other questions or concerns and I would be more than happy to help you further.

Updated on September 23rd, 2025

Health & Wellness

My dog is aggressive at the vet. Can melatonin help with anxiety?

Hello, thank you for your question. I’m sorry to hear that visits to the vet are stressful for Luke. Yes, melatonin can be safely given to dogs. There are other medications that can also be used to help with anxiety prior to vet visits (gabapentin, Benadryl, acepromazine). I would recommend contacting your veterinarian to discuss which product they prefer and to get accurate dosing for Luke. Hope this helps!

Updated on September 23rd, 2025

My senior cat has ear fur loss. Is melatonin safe with her lymphoma?

Melatonin has been reported to stimulate hair growth in dogs, ferrets and mink. There are no reports of similar results in cats. While melatonin has been reported to increase platelet counts in dogs, there are no reports of increased white blood cells or reactivation of blood cancers. There is no transdermal formulation for melatonin although there is an implant for sustained release. One thought is if the hair loss is occurring at the same site as the prednisilone transdermal patch, you could consider an oral formulation of the steroid.

Updated on September 23rd, 2025

How much melatonin and fish oil can I give my large dog for dry skin?

There are no published studies to give doses of either of these supplements. However, 40-100mg/kg of body weight is commonly recommended for fish oils (combined DHA and EPA). So for your dogs, that would be 1500-3600mg EPA+DHA per day. The biggest side effect of fish oils is greasy or loose stools. It may also cause pancreatitis in dogs that are sensitive to excess fat. You can try 3-5mg of melatonin once per day. I would do it at night since it may make them sleeping. You will need to check the list of ingredients in the supplement you choose to make sure it does not contain xylitol.

Updated on September 23rd, 2025

Health & Wellness

My dog is shedding excessively. Is stress causing his hair loss?

Hello. Yes, stress can do this, as well as, external parasites ( fleas & mites ), endocrine problems ( hypothyroidism ), skin infections ( bacterial & yeast ) & allergies. You can try & relieve stress with calming products such as Zylkene or use a dog appeasing pheromone product in the home called Adaptil. Both of these are available at Petco. If there seems to be no relief from the hair loss, please see your veterinarian about additional diagnostics & treatments. Thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach.

Updated on September 23rd, 2025

Have A Vet Question?

Book an appointment with the pros – our expert vets are here to help.

Share