Just wondering, do you add any supplements for a bitch in whelp or is a quality food enough? If so, what are you adding and when? Throughout gestation, last few weeks or just while she's whelping? Everyone seems to have a different opinion.
I give Folic Acid and Vit C throughout the pregnancy. I don't switch food until about a week or so before she's due - go to a performance food which she's on throughout nursing. Really don't increase the amount either until about a week before and then only slightly.
When I know my bitch is in whelp, I switch to puppy kibble and increase the amount as she gets closer to her due date.
I was told you should not feed a pregnant bitch puppy food because of the calcium levels? It was ok post whelp, but not before. Anyone else heard this?
Depends on the puppy food. It's interesting to look at the range of puppy formulas offered by Eukanuba alone: Large breed, "Growth" (formerly medium breed I think) and Small breed puppy. The formula of Small breed puppy mirrors that of their Weaning formula, btw, but with that exception, calories, protein, fat, and calcium (at least in the LBP formula) vary a fair amount.
Many regular/growth puppy foods aren't much different in calcium values than adult foods. So I guess the question is what are you feeding NOW, and why might it not be adequate to maintain pregnancy?
Large breed puppy food isn't recommended for pregnant or lactating bitches if I remember right, but then it'd not have more calories than a good adult food anyhow (so what is the use?). Some breeders will go to a "growth" or "performance" formula but I keep with my standard (Canidae) which is already 468 kcal/cup.
