dog foster carer need help with pregnant dog

[apmnally]

i work at an animal welfare org and i also foster care dogs who are to ill injured or have stayed to long at the shelter.
last week i fostered a pregnant red cattle x bearded collie.
The welfare org has given me pamphlets on delivering puppies and she has regular vet check threw the welfare vet but i know there is alot more to know about whelping a healthy litter.
I know that anything green or smelly is bad and means she needs the vet straight away but like human pregnancies and labours there would be much more i needed to know.
This dog has had a very tough time before coming to the shelter and is very nervous and stressed and i need to know of techniques to calm her down
if anyone has any bit of info they can give me it would be very appreciated
the vet has made an estimate of 2 weeks left of her pregnancy and we know that she is have a large litter based on her size and the fact that before 2 weeks ago she was recieved minimal to no food before she was rescued from her owners they have done an ultrasound and would like to do an x ray but i was told this could be harmful and i do not want to put her threw anymore than she has already been through


I have been to numerous message boards and have been abused about cross breading dogs before anybody posts a message
to me like that please remember i DID NOT breed this dog i am just trying to give her and her puppies the best chance
they have if you are still thinking of writing a remark that is still not informative i do not want to hear it it is not
going to help me or the mum to be you are just going to waste what little time i have left until she delivers and anybody who gives
me any helpful advice thankyou very much in advance and if i have time i will write a thankyou to everyone that helps and let you all know how she goes

okay do you ahve questions or did i miss that... i have delivered everything from rabbits to cows.. i could help ya if you need help let me know

abuse isnt tolerated here hun... so dont worry the mods dont allow it

http://www.ehow.com/how_2261_deliver-puppies.html

so far i read alot of things and this is the best ive seen so far.

[apmnally]

my main questions are how i can keep her calm she was beaten and starved and she is getting used to me and is actually quite affectionate the last couple of days but i know that that could change when she is in labour and due to the fact that she didnt have the best start to her pregnancy and is from what the vets are guessing could be anywhere over 6 pups it could be a bit of a strain on her and i would have to be nearby to know if she is in trouble so i know to take her to the vets

so main questions would be

how do i know or suspect there is trouble ? (besides from green or smelly disharge)
how do i keep her calm enough with my presence there ?
the obvious signs of labour ?
whats the best way to keep her energy up ?
how do i know she has had all of the pups and there are none stuck ?
where is the best place for her to have them ? (i have a whelping box but she shivers and stresses when i put her near it as she was confined in a very small bathroom at the place she was rescued from) she doesnt want to be anywhere else in the house besides my bed ive been spoiling her and letting her have it her way as not to stress her but i definetly dont want her having puppies on my bed as im sure it is very messy
and how do i know if there is a bad puppie in the litter ?

i have asked the vet these but he kinda treats me like they are dumb questions and gives me very vague answer what he doesnt realise is that this is the first litter i have ever delivered and i was the only foster carer that would take her because i was the only person she didnt bite she is quite affectionate and trusting of me but she still has a long way to go before she completely trusts me and knows i wont hurt her and unfortunetly i only have approx 2 more weeks to gain her complete trust

also i can feel her puppies move is that an indication it could be sooner than 2 weeks ?

is an x ray safe ?

[GSDMom]

Originally Posted by Whitedobelover

http://www.ehow.com/how_2261_deliver-puppies.html

so far i read alot of things and this is the best ive seen so far.

EXCELLENT information
everything you need to know is right there !
I do the temperature thing - gives me a heads up on the delivery day

[apmnally]

not sure of the exact date we are guessing between the 10th - 20th nov i have been giving from now until a couple of days after she gives birth of work so i can give her my complete undivided attention which i think she is loving i dont think she has ever had this much attention before its going to be so hard saying goodbye to her when she is ready to go up for adoption probably one of the hardest ive ever had to do but until then i have just over 2 months with her

[bjolly]

I'm sorry I can't give you any advice, but bless you for taking her in and giving her such love!

[epundt]

Check the dog's temp daily. When it drops below 100, keep an eye on her. She should start trying to nest. I had my mini dachshund xrayed to see how many puppies she was carrying so I would know that she had had them all when she delivered. She delivered the same day as the xray. She delivered all 4 puppies without my help. Keep a close eye on the puppies after they are born. If mom was malnourished during her pregnancy the puppies may be affliced with demadex (mange mites). All dogs are born with them but have a natural immunity against them. This may have been compromized in the puppies. This can be cured but is a long drawn out ordeal if you don't get it in a hurry. Feed her puppy chow 3 times a day, she needs the extra vitimines, keep feeding her this way as long as the puppies are nursing. The above mentioned web site is an excellent place to get advice. Print it out for reference when delivery is in progress. If all else fails, you should be able to leave her at the vet's so they can monitor her progress during her delivery.
Good luck.
Eileene

[bubbatd]

Get the book " How To Raise A Puppy You Can Live With " Rutherford and Neil for after the pups are whelped too. You can get a used one through Amazon. Good luck !!