The 17-year-old shiba inu who inspired internet memes and dogecoin cryptocurrency was diagnosed with leukemia and liver disease, owner said.
Screengrab from @kabusamama’s Instagram
The internet-famous dog whose quizzical expression inspired the ‘doge’ meme is very sick with leukemia and liver disease, the dog’s owner said.
Kabosu, the real-life ‘doge,’ is a 17-year-old shiba inu who lives in Japan, The Independent reported. Atsuko Sato, a kindergarten teacher and Kabosu’s owner, said that the dog has been in “a very dangerous condition.”
Kabosu stopped voluntarily eating and drinking on Christmas Eve, Sato said in an Instagram post from Saturday, Dec. 26. After being taken to hospital, she was diagnosed with “acute cholangiohepatitis and chronic lymphoma leukemia,” Sato said on Dec. 28.
Cholangiohepatitis occurs when an animal’s gallbladder, bile ducts, and surrounding liver are inflamed, according to the Veterinary Specialty Center. Lymphocytic leukemia is a type of cancer in the blood that is more common among older dogs, according to VCA Animal Hospitals.
According to the most recent Instagram update, Kabosu is jaundiced and has a very bad liver enzyme level. The dog is on antibiotics and has since begun eating and drinking again.
“It’s going to be alright. Because we get our power from all over the world!” Sato wrote in an Instagram post translated by The Independent.
Kabosu’s journey to internet stardom began with a 2010 photo, CNN reported. The photo shows Kabosu lying on the couch, paws crossed in front of her and a quizzical look in her eyes.
Internet users added Comic Sans captions of the dog’s inner monologue in broken English with phrases such as “wow,” “so scare,” and “much respect,” The Guardian reported. The ‘doge’ meme was born.
The meme inspired an alternative cryptocurrency called ‘Dogecoin’ in 2013, CNN reported. Dogecoin is considered the first “meme coin,” inspiring further satirical digital currencies, the outlet reported.
A non-fungible token, or NFT, of the ‘doge’ meme sold for $4 million in 2021, the most expensive NFT sold at the time, The Guardian reported.
The comment section on Sato’s Instagram posts is filled with well-wishers encouraging Kabosu to regain her health. Shiba inu’s have a typical life span of 12 to 15 years old.
Google Translate and Instagram Translate were used to translate posts from @kabosumama’s Instagram.
Aspen Pflughoeft covers real-time news for McClatchy. She is a graduate of Minerva University where she studied communications, history, and international politics. Previously, she reported for Deseret News.
