pregnant cavoodle

Question
hi again. my cavoodle is now at day 57 of prenancy. she seems to be looking for food all the time. i am now giving her wet food in the morning (cooked mince, pasta, rice, potato, pumpkin, cabbage and carrot) and at night dry food.if i give her wet food she gulps it down but dry food she eats only if she knows she is getting nothing else. should i be giving her more wet food during the day(say wet tinned puppy food). she started on the puppy dry food yesterday.she is part cavalier though, which like to scab for food all the time. just concered she is getting enough for her and the puppies.thanks for your reply.not long to go now.

Answer
Hi Leanne:

At this stage of her pregnancy she needs approximately twice her normal amount of food & once she's whelped & is nursing the litters she may require as much as 2 & 1/2 to 3 times her normal rations. I would suggest feeding her a high quality dry puppy food mixed with some wet food. I use chicken livers & gizzards (even though they totally disgust me!) as well as some rice, canned pumpkin, commercial wet puppy food, finely chopped carrots & once the dog is 45+ days gestation, I add either goat's milk (fresh if available or canned if not) or canine milk replacer like Just Born or Esbilac. I know every breeder has their own formula & certainly as long as the dog is receiving the proper nutrients it's fine. Also I would recommend feeding her smaller, more frequent meals. Due to the expanse of her uterus she's limited as to how much she can comfortably ingest at this time. I would also do this after whelping as she'll need to eat frequently to produce enough milk on a consistent basis. I also keep a bowl of dry puppy kibble available at all times in case she feels the urge -- I believe free-choice feeding works in cooperation with nature's instincts. Anyway, I hope this helps & wish you all the best with the upcoming arrivals. Please let me know if you have any additional questions.