Famed Shiba Inu Behind Viral 'Doge' Meme Diagnosed With Leukemia And Liver Disease

Kabosu, the shiba inu who inspired the viral "doge" meme and cryptocurrency Dogecoin, is seriously ill with leukemia and liver disease, its owner has revealed in an Instagram post. According to a series of Instagram posts by its owner Atsuko Sato, the 17-year-old dog stopped "eating and drinking voluntarily" on Christmas Eve, and has been diagnosed with acute cholangiohepatitis and chronic lymphoma leukemia. Ms. Sato added that Kabosu also appeared to have jaundice and was taking antibiotics.

In another post, the owner said that Kabosu had blood tests done and that her doctor informed her that Kabosu “was in a very dangerous condition”. Pictures and videos posted online by Ms.Sato show Kabosu lying underneath a blanket, while trying to sip water from a bottle.

''To all of you who are worried, Thank you very much,'' she wrote in one of her posts.

Take a look at the posts:

The dog shot to internet stardom in 2010, when it was pictured sitting with its paws crossed with a slight smirk on its face. The image was shared on several social media websites including Tumblr and Reddit and it soon became the face of a popular meme template, with people referring it to as ''Doge.'' Kabosu's face was photoshopped onto famous landmarks and pastries, and even brands used the image as a part of their marketing campaigns.

In 2013, software engineers Billy Markus and Jackson Palmer used the same image of Kabosu as the logo for the cryptocurrency they created, Dogecoin. The currency's value was sent soaring after receiving the backing of Elon Musk, who declared its value was “going to the moon.”

Last year, the iconic "Doge" was sold for a whopping $4 million and become the most expensive meme non-fungible token (NFT) ever to be sold.

Meanwhile, Ms. Sato's post received an outpouring of love and support, and users flocked to the comment section to wish the shiba inu a speedy recovery. “It's gonna be alright, you have the world praying for you, stray strong Kabosu,” one user wrote.