No matter how much you love animals, not everyone is cut out for being a veterinarian. Yes, you’ll spend your days surrounded by cuteness. But you’ll also have to see and deal with the not-so-nice side of the job: sick, injured, neglected, or dying animals.

For Dr. Riaan Pont, being a vet was a calling he couldn’t ignore. Pont is a surgical resident at Panorama Veterinary Clinic and Specialist Centre in South Africa. He took some time out of his very busy schedule to chat to us about what his job entails.

“I grew up on a farm in Limpopo, where my passion for the veterinary profession started. Every school holiday I used to work together with the wildlife vet in the area and ever since, I also wanted to become a veterinarian,” Pont told Bored Panda during our interview.

After completing his veterinary degree, Pont went on to do a year of compulsory community service. Naturally, having worked with wildlife before, he has a keen interest in that area. But he also has a passion for little creatures, which led him to complete his Honours degree in small animal surgery in 2022.

Fascinated with surgery, Pont decided this was where he would specialize. He embarked on a residency under the guidance of two expert vets in 2024. "I enjoy the surgical side of the veterinary profession, as it constantly challenges you and you can often make a big difference to the quality of life of a pet," he told us.

As expected, Pont says his job is not all fluffy cuteness all the time. He has some tough moments. "Unfortunately, in our profession there is not always a black and white answer and it can be difficult to make a diagnosis in some cases," he revealed, when asked what the hardest part of being a vet is. "The big emotional component can also be challenging. For example, having to euthanize a dog and seeing a family lose their loving pet can be very difficult."

We asked Pont what pet owners should look out for when it comes to the well-being of their furry friends. According to the expert, general signs of illness include lethargy, a loss of appetite, weight loss, vomiting and diarrhea. But there are some other signs that warrant an emergency trip to the veterinarian.

Pont says you should never ignore “difficulty breathing, collapse, seizures, swollen face, severe bleeding, or dehydration,” which could be the result of severe vomiting and diarrhea. But also, trust your gut. If you feel there is something seriously wrong with your four-legged furkid, get them to an animal doctor as soon as possible.

Pont says the most common problems he sees in dog patients are osteoarthritis, gastroenteritis (vomiting and diarrhea), allergies, itchiness and periodontal disease. The vet has the following advice for pooch owners to help keep their pets happy and healthy: Make sure they have their annual vaccinations, have regular deworming, tick and flea treatments, get regular dental check-ups, eat good quality dog food and get all the exercise they need.

We’ve often heard that a cold, wet nose signals good health in a dog and that a warm, dry nose could mean your mutt is under the weather. We wondered whether this is true. So, we asked Dr. Pont. "Unfortunately we cannot use the moistness of the nose as an indicator of health status," he said.

"The moisture of the nose is more dependent on the environmental temperature, therefore a healthy dog can have a dry nose." So now you know... No matter what's happening with Fido's nose, if he shows any of the signs Pont warned of earlier, it's best to seek professional advice.