Bold vet gives a bald eagle the peck of life, performing 'mouth-to-beak' resuscitation



A vet has been hailed as a hero after performing ‘mouth to beak’ resuscitation on an injured bald eagle when it stopped breathing.



Jeff Cooney clamped his lips onto the stricken bird’s beak and repeatedly blew air into his mouth until his chest puffed up and down.



Minutes later the eagle - nicknamed Patriot - came to life and suddenly began breathing on his own.

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Drastic measures: Vet Jeff Cooney performs 'mouth to beak' on injured bald eagle named 'Patriot' after it was brought in after being hit by a car

The bird had been brought in to see Mr Cooney by two concerned members of the public who found him by the road side after having apparently been hit by a car.



The eagle had suffered, among other injuries, a dislocated shoulder and paralysed right leg.



But two days after being admitted to the surgery in Bend, Oregon, his condition suddenly worsened whilst under anaesthesia so Mr Cooney was forced to improvise with the ‘mouth to beak’ resuscitation.

Stricken: Two days after being admitted to the surgery in Bend, Oregon, his condition suddenly worsened whilst under anaesthesia

A video taken by a colleague shows the vet bending down so he is level with the bird before putting his lips over its beak.



He then holds a tube with oxygen up to Patriot’s mouth so that he gets a steady stream of air.



When word of the eagle’s recovery spread, locals in Bend held a competition to decide on a name and Patriot was the winner.

Recovery: Patriot's condition has started to improve, he has gained 10 per cent of his body weight and is eating fish like crazy (file picture)

The bird’s condition has started to improve and will hopefully recover now, said Mr Cooney.



‘He has gained 10 per cent of his body weight and is eating fish like crazy.



‘His attitude is greatly improved, and he’s starting to act like a normal, rambunctious bald eagle.’



He added however that Patriot was still was not out of the woods, as it were - and could yet be put down.



‘The dislocated shoulder and his paralysed right leg are his major problems right now.



‘His shoulder is really badly damaged. It’s not a surgical repair, so if he was going to live forever in pain from the shoulder injury, I’d have to euthanise him,’ he said.



