Columbus Veterinarians
Christinna Murphy, DVM
Dr. Christinna Murphy established Columbus' Capital City Spay and Neuter Clinic in 2004 and became owner in 2011. She comes from a family of farmers and she has always had an interest in agriculture, livestock, and equine projects. "My interest in animal health and welfare was solidified into a career choice. Various individuals along the way, including my parents and the veterinary practitioners I worked for as a young adult, encouraged me to follow this field," she said.
Dr. Murphy grew up in Galloway, Ohio, and was actively involved in 4-H as a youth. Her projects included horses, sheep and hogs. "These always provided special summertime memories," she said.
Dr. Murphy earned her undergraduate degree in Animal Science from The Ohio State University in 1997 and graduated Cum Laude. She then went on to The Ohio State University's College of Veterinary Medicine, from which she graduated in 2001. She earned the Dermatology Award in her fourth year of study.
"Most career choices are somewhat limiting in the areas where you can work after attaining your degree. This is not so in the field of veterinary medicine. For me, the most advantageous thing about being a veterinarian is having the flexibility within your field to practice in so many different areas," she said about her passion for being a veterinarian.
She remembered one incident early in her career that was particularly unique. "I received a call from a client whose horse had become entrapped in a barbed wire fence. When we arrived the owner had managed to free the horse and bring it down the hill for me to evaluate. The horse had a very severe skin injury on its rear leg. We spent several hours working on the horse and during that time learned that this horse was very special to the owner being that he was a Vietnam veteran and the horse helped him cope with the traumatic events he experienced during the war," Dr. Murphy recalled. "Since the injury took so long to repair, it became dusk and we had to work by the lights of my vet truck and the owner's car. Just as we were finishing up a thunderstorm rolled in and a downpour ensued! The owner was extremely grateful for my help and the horse recovered despite his severe injury. Thinking back I will probably never experience something like that again. Being miles from a veterinary clinic and working out of your truck in the elements, dealing with a severe injury and no trained personnel to help you, definitely forces you to be a creative thinker!"
Today, Dr. Murphy is a member of the Ohio Veterinary Medical Association and the American Veterinary Medical Association.
She is married and she and her husband Casey share their home with Popeye, a Pug, and Spinach, a cat. Dr. Murphy also shows Quarter Horses, something she has done since she was five years old. She is also a member of St. Paul's Lutheran Church.