A 15-month-old boy from Sarnia, Ontario, is recuperating at home following a rattlesnake bite sustained during the Thanksgiving long weekend at a family cottage, which necessitated care at two hospitals and 18 doses of antivenom.
Wells Gladwish was bitten on the thumb around 12:45 p.m. on Sunday while enjoying time with family at their cottage located in Cape Chin North, situated on the Bruce Peninsula.
According to his father, Matt Huggett, the young child was walking near a bonfire when he encountered a snake and attempted to pick it up. The snake struck, biting Wells on the thumb, which began to whiten within approximately five minutes.
“We realized we were in a very serious situation immediately,” Huggett remarked. “The closest hospital was Lion’s Head, and we did everything we could to get him there as quickly as we could.”
At Lion’s Head Hospital, staff struggled to establish an IV in the energetic toddler. Following a test dose to assess for a potentially dangerous allergic reaction, the medical team provided 10 vials of antivenom, out of a total of 14 available at the facility.
A relative captured an image of the snake, which was confirmed to be an eastern massasauga rattlesnake, the only venomous snake species found in Ontario, inhabiting the eastern shore of Georgian Bay and the Bruce Peninsula.
A family member photographed the snake that bit Wells Gladwish. It was identified as an eastern massasauga rattlesnake. (Matt Huggett)
Transfer from Lion’s Head to London
Huggett stated that medical professionals and toxicology experts coordinated an urgent response and determined that Wells required further treatment at London Health Sciences Centre (LHSC), specifically at Victoria Hospital.
The Ornge air ambulance had arranged a transfer, but Huggett noted that multiple delays and cancellations left the family waiting as the swelling progressed. A nurse at Lion’s Head advocated for Wells to receive the remaining four vials of antivenom and for him to be transported to London via land ambulance.
“We could no longer wait for Ornge to decide,” Huggett explained. “They ultimately placed him in an ambulance.”
After a three-hour journey by ambulance, Wells arrived at LHSC’s Pediatric Critical Care Unit.
Wells Gladwish was eventually taken to the Children’s Hospital in London, Ont., for additional treatment for a rattlesnake bite (Matt Huggett)
Dr. Rishi Ganesan, a pediatric critical care physician at LHSC’s Children’s Hospital, stated that his primary focus upon receiving the call was to assist Wells and ensure antivenom was available, as it is not stocked at the London facility.
He acknowledged the team at Lion’s Head for having antivenom ready and administering it promptly. Ganesan indicated that they procured additional antivenom and transported it to London under police escort from the Toronto area for when Wells arrived.
Wells received two more double doses while under care in London, bringing the total to 18 doses.
Ganesan mentioned that during his decade in Canada, he had never treated a venomous snakebite, but his training in India was beneficial.
“I trained in India many years ago and have managed snakebites of all kinds: cobra, viper, krait,” he shared. “Some of that knowledge resurfaced, and I felt quite at ease.”
Ganesan explained that antivenom is derived from horses and can induce severe allergic reactions, which is why the initial dose must be administered cautiously with appropriate monitoring.
He stated that children do not necessarily require less antivenom than adults. Treatment is based on the amount of venom present rather than the patient’s body size, and children can become critically ill more rapidly due to the venom’s significant impact relative to their smaller size.
Doctors treated Wells for a rattlesnake bite with 18 doses of antivenom. (Matt Huggett)
Medical professionals monitored Wells’s swelling and conducted blood tests to assess whether additional antivenom was necessary. The venom can harm tissue and affect blood clotting, while significant swelling can also impede blood flow to the injured limb.
“Antivenom doesn’t resolve all issues associated with snake envenomation,” Ganesan remarked. “It is certainly a fundamental component.”
He noted that prompt treatment generally results in favorable outcomes, and he does not foresee any major long-term complications for Wells.
‘Incredibly thankful’
Huggett expressed gratitude, stating that many of the medical personnel had never encountered a case like Wells’s but collaborated and consulted specialists to ensure the best care possible.
Ganesan commended the teamwork among hospitals, pharmacists, the Ontario Poison Centre, and other experts who assisted in obtaining the necessary medication.
“This was an extraordinary experience,” he noted. “So many individuals came together and contributed in various small ways to ensure that he received the excellent care he deserved.”
Wells was moved to the children’s inpatient unit before being discharged and returning home to Sarnia.
According to his father, Wells seems to be using his thumb normally, although a blister remains at the site of the bite. The family is continuing to monitor his recovery and is vigilant for potential serum sickness, which is a delayed reaction to antivenom.
“We don’t want to claim we’re completely out of the woods yet,” Huggett stated. “But it appears he’s using it now, he seems content, and things are looking better.”
What to do if you’re bitten
Ganesan advised that anyone bitten by a rattlesnake should consider it a medical emergency and call 911 without delay.
While not every bite delivers venom, he emphasized that it is impossible to accurately determine that in the field.
“With prompt medical attention, full recovery is typically the expected outcome in these cases,” he mentioned. “The real danger lies in the delay, not the snake.”
Eastern massasauga rattlesnakes generally steer clear of humans and are more likely to bite when provoked, attacked, or accidentally stepped on, Ganesan explained.
He recommends that individuals hiking or enjoying the outdoors in regions inhabited by these snakes should be mindful of where they step, refrain from reaching into bushes or hidden areas without inspecting first, and leave any encountered snake alone.