Beloved shiba inu who inspired 'Doge' meme is very sick with leukemia

Misty Severi

December 29, 02:31 PM December 29, 02:31 PM

The beloved shiba inu, Kabosu, who inspired the "Doge" meme and is known for her side-eye expression, is very sick with leukemia and liver disease, the owner shared Wednesday.

Kabosu, who is currently 17 years old and lives in Japan, first began displaying worrying symptoms on Christmas Eve, her owner Atsuko Sato said. Kabosu stopped eating and drinking voluntarily on Christmas Eve and was taken to an animal hospital where she was diagnosed with “acute cholangiohepatitis and chronic lymphoma leukemia,” Sato said.

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According to the most recent update, Kabosu has begun eating and drinking again but is very jaundiced and has badly elevated liver enzymes. However, she is on antibiotics.

“It’s going to be alright. Because we get our power from all over the world!” Sato wrote in an Instagram post. "To all of you who are worried, thank you very much."

Kabosu rose to internet fame in 2010, when an image of her with her paws folded and a quizzical expression took off on social media. Internet users have edited her face onto pastries and landmarks, following her success, and brands such as Oreo have also used the meme.

The meme has since inspired dogecoin, a cryptocurrency that was established in 2013 and was the first meme-based currency.

Lymphatic leukemia is a type of blood cancer that typically occurs in older dogs, according to VCA Animal Hospital. Kabosu is considered old by shiba inu standards because shiba inus typically live 12-15 years, according to the Miami Herald. Kabosu's other condition, Cholangiohepatitis, occurs when an animal’s gallbladder, bile ducts, and liver are inflamed, the outlet reported.