possible blockage

Question
I taped by Boston Terriers ear up with 2 breathe right strips and a small piece of masking tape. A few hrs. later it was gone. We have searched everywhere and the only conclusion I can come up with is that our pot bellied pig picked it up and ate it. What are the chances that he will pass it? He eats Mazuri Pot Belly Pig pellets, salad and gets flax seed meal and psysillium husk once a day on his 2nd meal.  Thank You,

Answer
I am not a veterinarian and can't say for sure what is going to happen. I'm not sure how small "small" is, or what the tape and glue are made of. Pigs eat a lot of things they shouldn't. Sometimes, these things pass without incident, other times, they can lead to blockage. Stringy things can tangle in the bowels, things that swell can turn into a plug.

At this point, there's really only two options. Option 1 is X-rays, and I'm not sure the tape would show up on a x-ray. Option 2 is the "Wait and See" approach. Wait for a day or two. Watch what happens, keep an eye on his poops. There is a chance the tape may simply pass through him, and you'll find the tape in the litter box.

Take piggy to a vet if he shows signs of illness or distress, such as vomiting, straining to poop, no poop, fever, listlessness, lack of appetite, or diarrhea. The last symptom may seem a little strange, but that can be a symptom of a partial blockage. The blockage prevents solids from passing, but liquids can get around it. So, only liquids come out.

Now, some things are just plain dangerous if eaten. For example, if a pig eats clumping cat litter, there's no point in waiting around. Clumping litter is poisonous and will create a blockage. But, I believe it's unlikely this small piece of tape will be a big problem.

There's a list of vets that see pot-bellied pigs here www.farec.org