In order to save his life, a veterinarian outfits Hermie the Turtle with a set of braces.

Zookeepers at New York State Zoo in Watertown's Thompson Park obtained the turtle in May. They noticed Hermie was having trouble eating. Tests showed he was unable to close his mouth completely, making eating a struggle. His lower jaw was actually growing downward, reports The Associated Press.

"He may have adapted to eat like this, or he may have not made it," said veterinarian Jeffrey G. Baier, who performed the procedure on Hermie along with Dr. Peter M. Virga, a Watertown dentist.

Baier injected the tiny 20-gram turtle with two anesthetics Wednesday morning, while Virga inserted two pins into the reptile's jaws, reports the Watertown Daily Times.

"I've worked on animals before but nothing this small," said Dr. Peter M. Virga, a Watertown dentist who along with veterinarian Jeffrey G. Baier performed the unique procedure.