A 15-month-old toddler from Sarnia, Ontario, is recuperating at his residence after being bitten by a rattlesnake while at a family cottage during the Thanksgiving long weekend. The incident led to his treatment at two hospitals, where he received a total of 18 doses of antivenom.
The boy, Wells Gladwish, sustained the snake bite on his thumb around 12:45 p.m. on a Sunday afternoon while at the family cottage in Cape Chin North on the Bruce Peninsula. According to his father, Matt Huggett, the toddler encountered the snake near a bonfire and attempted to pick it up, resulting in the bite. The thumb started turning white within approximately five minutes of the incident.
Recognizing the severity of the situation, the family rushed Wells to the nearest hospital in Lion’s Head. Upon arrival, medical staff faced challenges starting an IV on the active toddler. Following a test dose to check for allergic reactions, the team administered 10 vials of antivenom out of the 14 available at the hospital.
A family member captured a photo of the snake, later identified as an eastern massasauga rattlesnake, the only venomous snake species in Ontario found along the eastern shore of Georgian Bay and the Bruce Peninsula.
Due to the critical nature of the case, doctors and toxicology experts coordinated an emergency transfer of Wells to London Health Sciences Centre (LHSC), specifically Victoria Hospital, for further treatment. Despite initial plans for an Ornge air ambulance transfer, delays prompted a decision to use a land ambulance to transport Wells to London after receiving the remaining four vials of antivenom from Lion’s Head Hospital.
Following a three-hour ambulance journey, Wells reached LHSC’s Pediatric Critical Care Unit, where Dr. Rishi Ganesan, a pediatric critical care physician, oversaw his treatment. Antivenom was sourced from outside London under a police escort to ensure its availability for Wells. In total, Wells received 18 doses of antivenom during his care in London.
Dr. Ganesan emphasized the importance of timely treatment in achieving positive outcomes, indicating that he anticipates no significant long-term complications for Wells. The medical team closely monitored Wells’s condition, including swelling and blood tests, to determine the necessity of additional antivenom.
Expressing gratitude for the collaborative efforts of medical staff and specialists involved in Wells’s care, Huggett highlighted the exceptional support received during a challenging situation. Wells was discharged after being transferred to the children’s inpatient unit and is currently back home in Sarnia, showing signs of normal thumb usage with minor blistering at the bite site.
Dr. Ganesan advised individuals bitten by rattlesnakes to treat it as a medical emergency and seek immediate assistance by calling 911. He stressed the importance of timely care in ensuring a full recovery, cautioning against delays in seeking medical attention. Additionally, he provided guidance on how to avoid snake encounters while outdoors in areas where rattlesnakes are present.