A 15-month-old toddler from Sarnia, Ontario, is recuperating at home following a rattlesnake bite incident during the Thanksgiving holiday weekend. The child, Wells Gladwish, was bitten on the thumb around 12:45 p.m. on Sunday while at a family cottage in Cape Chin North on the Bruce Peninsula.
The child’s father, Matt Huggett, recounted that Wells encountered the snake near a family bonfire and attempted to pick it up, resulting in the snake biting his thumb. Observing the thumb turning white within minutes, Huggett realized the severity of the situation and rushed Wells to Lion’s Head Hospital for immediate treatment.
At Lion’s Head Hospital, medical staff faced challenges in starting an IV on the active toddler. Following a test dose to check for allergic reactions, they administered 10 vials of antivenom out of the 14 vials available at the hospital. The snake responsible for the bite was identified as an eastern massasauga rattlesnake, the only venomous snake species in Ontario.
Due to the seriousness of the situation, doctors and toxicology specialists determined that Wells needed further treatment at London Health Sciences Centre (LHSC), Victoria Hospital. Ornge air ambulance delays led to the decision to transport Wells via land ambulance to LHSC’s Pediatric Critical Care Unit in London.
Dr. Rishi Ganesan, a pediatric critical care physician at LHSC’s Children’s Hospital, commended the quick actions taken at Lion’s Head Hospital and arranged for additional antivenom to be brought to London. Wells received a total of 18 doses of antivenom during his treatment in London.
Ganesan emphasized the importance of timely treatment for snakebites and reassured that Wells is expected to recover fully without significant long-term complications. Wells has been discharged from the hospital and is back home in Sarnia, with his family closely monitoring his progress.
Reflecting on the experience, Huggett expressed gratitude for the collaborative efforts of medical staff and specialists involved in Wells’s care. Ganesan also praised the teamwork and coordination among healthcare providers and specialists throughout the ordeal.
In the aftermath of the incident, Ganesan advised that individuals bitten by rattlesnakes should seek immediate medical assistance by calling 911. He highlighted the importance of prompt care in ensuring a positive outcome and cautioned against approaching or provoking rattlesnakes in their natural habitat.