All Melatonin Is Not Created Equal

[Guest KsFrets]

Magnus had a bald butt, and is thunder phobic, and can be snarky in public. After reading the virtues of melatonin, we started giving him 3 mg a day. Wow, after 30 days he started getting peach fuzz and after several months, not only did he get a full thick fluffy butt, but he grew hair on his belly and chest. It’s been a couple years. We also give him 6 mg before thunder storms or social functions, and it takes the edge off the storm, and he behaves socially.

 

We’ve always gotten our melatonin from Walgreens, and get the “Finest” brand name. Several months ago, they were having a 2 for 1 sale on “Nature Made” brand, and I bought some. Mistake. Within a week his butt hair was thinning, coat feeling corse, and his skin was red and itching. Although it still worked for his personality, it was no longer working at all for his hair. It didn’t click at first, and we were blaming the red itchy skin on laundry detergent, food allergies, spring time or whatever else we could think of. But... since we hadn’t changed anything... I finally went DUH... and realized it all started with the different Melatonin. Last week I went to Walgreens and got a fresh bottle of the “Finest” brand. Unbelievable. Within 24 hours the redness in his skin was gone. After a couple days his hair is soft again, and the spots where he lost his hair, are growing back again. Lesson learned.

[seeh2o]

Interesting, I just bought a bottle of Nature Made and started Carl on it this morning. Normally, I give him Nature's Bounty, that's the one he had dramatic results with. I switched him to another brand last month just because I was in the health food store and it was convenient. Now that you mention it, his fur is a lot thinner and he is really shedding. Claire isn't shedding much at all. Hmmmm....

[LaFlaca]

My husband's Godfather is an M.D. who is open to using alternative modalities such as supplements, acupunture, etc. He personally researched several brands of supplements and found that, by far, Solgar is one of the best on the market. You actually get what the label says and the quality is excellent. Wendy gets 5 mg of Solgar brand melatonin nightly.

[seeh2o]

Thanks, LaFlaca!

[Guest sirsmom]

I wonder if there are more fillers in some brands

[greysmom]

There is virtually no oversight or standards for the homeopathic/supplements market. Quality can vary widely from brand to brand.

[Guest FullMetalFrank]

This post reminded me of when we made Frankie a fuzzy bublet! That was our nickname for him after the melatonin experiment went almost too well! Hardly any butt fur, but the rest of him go so thick and bunny plush; poor guy, when summer came around the hair stayed on, even though we'd discontinued the melatonin a couple of months prior. :-)

[juliemac]

Thank you guys for this thread! Throwing out the stuff I have and heading out shopping this afternoon.

[racindog]

You know Gilly's coat had mysteriously started to regress as well then I opened a new bottle and had just noticed that it right away improved. I rushed home yesterday anxious to see what brand it was that was working- it was the Finest brand. I don't remember for sure the brand that didn't work. Thanks for starting this thread. It explains everything. I'll definitely 2nd the vote for the Finest brand.

[Guest snakes]

hmm, my girl is hairy/fluffy enough but i wonder if a little melatonin could help her with her dog meet dog social graces....or lack thereof!

[seeh2o]

My husband's Godfather is an M.D. who is open to using alternative modalities such as supplements, acupunture, etc. He personally researched several brands of supplements and found that, by far, Solgar is one of the best on the market. You actually get what the label says and the quality is excellent. Wendy gets 5 mg of Solgar brand melatonin nightly.

Thanks so much for the tip. I bought a bottle of 3mg Solgar, HOLY COW!!!!!!!!! I've used 3mg of a variety of brands, including Walgreens per the recommendation on GT (couldn't find Walgreen's Finest, maybe it's under a different name sold in the West...like Hellman's mayonnaise in the east is Best Foods in the west). I tried the Solgar myself and it knocked my socks off! I slept like a baby, but felt hung over in the morning, really had a hard time getting out of bed an starting my day. I think cutting it in half might to the job. It seems like it was good for Carl, too. I took him off a week before his thyroid panel as he had a wonky result before (though I think it was because his pills were not given at the proper time...note to self-if you want it done right, do it yourself). I might try giving him 1/2 tab every other day, the stuff is amazing! Thanks so much for the tip. I'm switching all the supplements I can over to Solgar from now on!

[Neighsayer]

Who sells the solgar brand?

[seeh2o]

I got it from a local yokel health food store, here is a link to their store locator.

[Neighsayer]

thanks

[seeh2o]

De nada.