Kabosu, the dog that inspired ‘doge’ meme and Dogecoin, seriously ill with leukemia, says owner

Kabosu the dog, the famous internet sensation who inspired the “doge” meme and digital currency for nearly a decade, is seriously ill with leukemia and liver disease, her owner said. 

According to an Instagram post on Dec 26 by Atsuko Sato, a kindergarten teacher, the 17-year-old Shiba Inu stopped eating and drinking on Christmas eve, and has been diagnosed with acute cholangiohepatitis and chronic lymphoma leukemia, CNN reported. 

Sato added that the dog was moving around very less and slowly.  The owner said that her appetite had returned.

Earlier posts by Sato about Kabosu also said that the dog was in a dangerous condition and appeared to have jaundice. 

Kabosu became one of the most recognisible animals in 2010 when a photo of her with folded paws and a curious expression went viral on Reddit, Tumblr, and 4Chan with a monologue in English in Comic Sans text. 

Soon users began photoshopping her pic on pastries, landmarks, and even on other animals. 

The meme was later co-opted by Oreo and even Stockholm’s subway. 

The popularity increased in 2013 when two programmers introduced an alternative cryptocurrency called ‘Dogecoin’ a response to Bitcoin. 

With endorsement from Tesla chief Elon Musk, it soon reached a peak and was valued at nearly $400 in 2014.  It became the first “meme coin.”

The Dogecoin was able to sponsor England’s Watford Football Club with Kabous’s face appearing on the jersey. 

Kabosu’s legacy continues till now.

Recently, the North Atlantic Fellas Organisation, a pro-Ukraininan social media group that mocks Russia over its invasion, raised funds for the Ukrainian military. 

Ukraine’s defence ministry tweeted thanks with photoshopped pics of Shiba Inu. 

(With inputs from agencies)