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Murphy – a Pain Clinic Patient Story
Murphy is an ever-so gentle beautiful black Labrador who comes from an Irish direct-line of champion gun-dogs and whose subtle greying muzzle belies his near 14 years.
Over the years, Murphy has led many family adventures, heading back out west to counties Cork & Kerry and up to Co. Mayo on epic road trips. Having swum off many beautiful, deserted and unspoilt beaches and walked many a beautiful country lane, Murphy would often peruse the opportunity of the next road ahead through the truck windscreen by standing forward and cutely resting his chin on a shoulder of one of his chauffeurs for many miles!
Now struggling with osteoarthritis in both shoulders and elbows, Murphy’s gait & movement is now somewhat pronounced, laboured & harder in these, his latter years. Murphy walks with a very pronounced dip and lameness, but is still very happy and keen to walk, now sensibly restricted to manageable ‘sniffari’ walks. Having recently seen Murphy stumble and his rear quarters slip from under him on a few occasions his owners requested a little assistance; Murphy’s usual vet recommending Matt Gurney’s Pain Clinic to his owners, making the requisite referral to Eastcott.
Now, alongside an Eastcott adapted walking & exercise regime & updated diet, Murphy is in the excellent day-to-day care of his two favourite people; Hannah Simpson & Mar Diaz; receiving physiotherapy massage and laser heat treatment alongside electro-acupuncture, and few oral medications.
Treatment began in December 2025. Since then, trigger points on his lumbar and lumbosacral region have improved greatly through repeated physiotherapy & acupuncture and rear muscle tone is returning; the team now working to shift his body weight forward from the hind limbs and strengthen his hamstrings.
Murphy follows his homework exercises religiously/fanatically, especially those that he believes could be immeasurably improved by the inclusion of food bribes! Back home, he continues to bond happily with his new 18 month old Labrador companion, Hector, who looks up to Murphy as an elder statesman with much worldly doggie wisdom to impart. The senior & junior black Labrador chums may no longer be up for tearing around the garden, but they continue to thrive and enjoy each other’s company (alongside Tess their one-eyed golden Retriever village neighbour), lazing in the garden sunshine as 3 best pals together, thanks to the excellence and wonderful care received from the Eastcott Pain Clinic team.
