My bitch who whelped a few days ago just won't eat. She's been picking at various bits but I'm now starting to get worried. I've tried hand feeding her all sorts, can anyone suggest anything? If I cook her joints of meat she will eat that, but I'm concerend she's not getting enough of what she needs

When my bitches have whelped they are reluctant to eat for a few days.   We then feed poached white fish in milk, added to which is buttered wholemeal bread, for the first few days this is offered about 4 times a day.   After which we gradually introduce a suitable food for lactating bitches, gradually increasing and at the same time decreasing the amounts of fish, milk and w/meal bread.

Best of luck.

Thanks for your reply, I shall keep offering her bits. The others will eat it if she doesn't so it won't go to waste

You will find that as the pups become more demanding she will soon start eating. 

Depending on how many of the placentas she ate? they are very rich and you will find she won't eat for a good while after eating them.  But like others have said, once the demand on the milk bar comes into full force she will start eating again.

She ate them all.

I usually start my girls off on the gruel (recipe on here somewhere).  They love it and its gentle on their tummies, I graudally reduce it in the following few days and get them back onto puppy kibble/meat.

you may also find she will take food off you if hand fed for a while until she has the strength to help herself. I sit outside the box and hold the food in my hand over her bowl , they love lots of fussing.

She was taking bits to start but today has just turned her nose up at everything... Good lob I have a freezer full of various joints of meat

try some naturediet warmed up in the microwave and mashed up with a fork to make it soft and smelly, its what started my girl eating again after her last litter. I kept her on it for a few weeks then gradually mixed in her own food (arden grange) and less naturdiet eventually she returned to her own food after a few weeks ...I also weaned my last litter on it for the first time, it was so easy I would def use it again.

I always hold the bowl under their noses, and hand feed for a few days.  Most bitches are extremely reluctant to put a foot out of the whelping box.

I try not to worry about whether the food is what I want her to eat.  At this stage I pander to them, and give them whatever they will take.