Hi, My bitch is due to whelp in about 2 weeks. At present she is still on her original food but in two smaller meals rather than one large one. Is it reccommended that I switch to puppy food which is more easily digestable now? Also should I give a calcium supplement? There seems to be a lot of conflicting advice on these issues.

Don't give a calcium supplement before birth - from all I have read it is this is more likely to cause rather than prevent eclampsia.

She should be getting a more concentrated food - check with your pet shop to see if they do a higher quality of the food you generally use. When I was using kibbe (supposedly a complete food) I fed greyhound food and used maintenance for general use and racing/high performance when they were pregnant, feeding or adolescents. If you bitch has a large litter she may need feeding little and often as the pups take up the available space inside her.

I would suggest you get hold a copy of The Book of the Bitch - this will answer a lot of your questions over the next few weeks

Christine

My bitch whelped on 19 June and is still on the high protein food I put her on at about 4 weeks into the pregnancy. She is now on one cooked chicken a day and about thre times her normal amount of food. She is feeding nine pups and is doing relly well.I am not giving her any supplements. She looks really well and apart from the undercarriage you would not tell she is feeding nine.
Diane