•It is the first time to concurrently assay melatonin and its metabolites by LC–MS.•The analytes were detected separately in positive and negative ionization modes.•The LC–MS method was proved to be convenient, specific and sensitive.•The method was applicable for rapid determination of the analytes in dog plasma.A convenient and specific liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry method was developed and validated for the simultaneous quantification of melatonin (MEL) and its major metabolites, 6-hydroxymelatonin (6-O-MEL) and 6-sulfatoxymelationin (S-O-MEL) in dog plasma. After plasma samples were deproteinized with acetonitrile, the post-treatment samples were analyzed on a Phenomenex Kinetex C18 column (50 × 2.1 mm, 1.7 μm) interfaced with a triple quadrupole tandem mass spectrometer. Electrospray ionization mode (ESI) and multiple reaction monitoring were used to assay MEL and its metabolites. Acetonitrile and 5 mM ammonium acetate were used as the mobile phase with a gradient elution at a flow rate of 0.2 mL/min. The analytical run time of 6.5 min was divided into two periods according to ionization mode. S-O-MEL was monitored in negative ionization mode (period 1), while MEL and 6-O-MEL were detected in positive ionization mode (period 2). All calibration curves showed good linearity (r > 0.991) over the concentration range with a lower limit of quantification (LLOQ) of 0.02 ng/mL for MEL, 0.04 ng/mL for 6-O-MEL and 0.50 ng/mL for S-O-MEL. The intra- and inter-day precision was within 13.5% in terms of relative standard deviation (RSD%) and the accuracy within 13.0% in terms of relative error. This convenient and specific LC–MS/MS method was successfully applied to the pharmacokinetic study of MEL and its metabolites in Beagle dogs after an oral dose of 2.0 mg MEL. After ingestion of MEL, S-O-MEL was the predominant component circulating in blood. 6-O-MEL showed similar pharmacokinetic profile to that of MEL.