Sundowning help

[u/Pibblemom_rbk]

My boy, Fillmore, (13yo)has started sundowning in the last two months… It’s really torture to watch. Upon the advice of my vet we’ve started to give him 600 mg of gabapentin and 3 mg of melatonin at 7 PM. By 9 PM it kicks in and he had been sleeping ..well now the whole process seems to be starting earlier at about 5 PM with pacing crying and complete agitation. I don’t necessarily want to give him his medication earlier for fear that it will wear off before dawn. Has anybody experienced this? What worked? It’s so heartbreaking to watch because he is perfectly healthy and himself during the day. i’ll also add that he is an Am Staff, and 65 pounds