MADISON, Wis. -- Doctors at the University of Wisconsin-Madison School of Veterinary Medicine performed a first-of-its-kind surgery on an exotic yellow-footed tortoise.

The tortoise, named Baskin Robbins, lives at the Milwaukee County Zoo. His caretakers noticed that Baskin Robbins wasn't walking and appeared to be in pain, so they sent him to Madison for a checkup.

"Baskin Robbins is here because he is lame, meaning he's not bearing weight on his front left leg, and we think it's because he had a problem with his humerus, which is the arm bone. Part of it has broken off, and that part needs to be removed so that he's not lame and in pain," said Dr. Gretchen Cole, a veterinarian at the UW-Madison School of Veterinary Medicine.

Doctors at UW-Madison School of Veterinary Medicine are recognized across the country for being able to recognize pain in exotic species like reptiles or birds.

Tortoises live a long time, so if the surgery is successful, doctors said Baskin Robbins should have many pain-free years ahead of him.

Baskin Robbins got his name because his previous owner used to feed him Baskin Robbins ice cream.