melatonin

[lexterwayne]

ok so i was talking to @gatorfan last nite and we were talking about the pain pills they gave us for lex which is rimadyl. she was saying that rimadyl is bad for the kidneys and that melatonin is safe and it helps them relax. well i went to the store got ready to give lex some melatonin and the other ingredients has soybean oil .. so my question is, is it safe to give him since it has soybean oil

 

[cali~jenn]

that is interesting. I have no answer for you but am curious to know everyones response.

 

[froggz]

From my understanding Rimadyl is alot like our Ibuprofen. If taken improperly even ibuprofen can be dangerous. There are risks with ALL drugs, and if the FDA has approved it the risks do not outweigh the benefits of the drug. Another thing to keep in mind, just like us, our bullies all react to prescriptions differently.

 

[lexterwayne]

yes i know about the causes of ibpro "my family is paramedics/nurses" well my main thing is the ingredients in the melatonin cause of the soybean oil.. my last thread was about having to take lex to the emergency vet sun. lex has a sprained front leg and i was wanting something that would keep him relaxed so he can heal faster...

 

[froggz]

A quick search on wiki shows that even melatonin has its side effects. The main thing is that it just helps them sleep, or to feel tired. If he's in alot of pain though the melatonin probably won't do much.

The soy oil I have no idea, is the dog allergic to soy?

 

[Libra926]

Melatonin?....I'd stay away from that unless the vet says it's okay. It an herbal....so it isn't regulated by the FDA for medical purposes..only as a dietary supplement. Rimadyl is a great pain med..if you are having second thoughts about it, another one is tramadol. Tramadol is used as a pain med in humans. You can get this at a great price from Costco.

 

[gatorfan85]

I suggested the tramadol last night. Thats what they gae Baby joe when she had her tail amp and Georgia last year when she was bitten by a snake. My vet who is now retired after 40yrs recommened the melatonin to me. I use it to help me sleep and gave it to Georgia when she injured her leg, not for pain but so she wasnt running thru the house to avoid further injury.

 

[lexterwayne]

ya thats what i was wanting to use the melatonin for cause as soon as he feels better he starts running around and then it starts hurting him again did the soy do anything to georgia?

 

[gatorfan85]

no but the only reactions she has are to corn. Is he sensitive to soy? If so I wouldnt give it to him.

 

[lexterwayne]

i dont know ive read that soy is bad for bullies so we have steered clear of it, every article that ive ever read on the internet and bulldogs for dummies has said that!!!! i know every dog is diff but soy is suppossedly more common in bullies idk

i did give one to bo today and omg he has been sooooo relaxed its not even funny, he is sooooo calm that maybe we can give one to him everyother day or something

 

[gatorfan85]

lol yeah they do work, georgia slept and crept around the house which was great because her leg was better in a week. Go with your gut though don't use it if you think it may be bad for him. you could give him some chamomile tea.

 

[lexterwayne]

well he hasnt seem to have a reaction to anything we have given him, i'll probably just sleep on it and see how i feel in the tom about it... tea sounds good too, anything else?"

 

[gatorfan85]

Well natural lavender oil. Spray it in his bed... where he lays I've seen people spray it close to their nose to give them a good wiff. Has alot of calming effects.

 

[lexterwayne]

o i never even thought about that i have lots lavender oil since im a massage therapist too!!! ya i cant spray in his bed cause he never lays on it he has about 5 diff spots in the bed room thats right on the wood lol

 

[sheshistory]

Just wanted to weigh in quickly here. I take melatonin myself because I had trouble sleeping and before I tried prescription sleep aids, I tried melatonin. Other than make the dog more mellow, it will do nothing to relieve pain or discomfort from an injury. And it really doesn't make you sleepy as much as it can enhance the depth of sleep but commonly causes a "hung over" feeling for some people. But I would echo Libra's advice - it's a supplement and they aren't sure how much or for how long is the right dose for people much less dogs so I would lean towards things that have been tested on dogs. They are safer! I have used Rimadyl on all three of my bullies and used Metacam with Truman, which was very good. We also used Tramadol but that is indicated for more intense post-op pain, since it's an opiate.

I hope Lex feels better soon.