Shiba Inu Dog That Inspired Dogecoin Is Battling Leukemia, Liver Disease

Kabosu, the online celebrity dog that inspired the "doge" meme and had a significant impact on digital culture and digital money, is currently in critical condition.

According to a series of Instagram photos by her owner, Atsuko Sato, a kindergarten teacher in Sakura, Japan, the 17-year-old Shiba Inu was diagnosed with acute cholangiohepatitis and chronic lymphocytic leukemia after stopping "eating and drinking voluntarily" on Christmas Eve.

CNN reports that Sato informed Kabosu's 407,000 Instagram followers that doctors had said the famous Shiba Inu dog is in a "very dangerous condition."

She said the doctors' diagnosis shocked her, but she was hopeful that Kabosu would get better because the dog's appetite had improved.

"I am sure she will show us a miracle once again," Sato said.

The Shiba Inu's Incredible Popularity Online

The iconic image was first uploaded to Sato's blog in February 2010, where she also posts images of her pets and home life. Sato adopted Kabosu from an animal shelter in 2008.

Sato told the digital news outlet The Verge in 2013 that she was caught "aback" by the sudden international fame of the Shiba Inu and that she had no clue that the animal had become so popular via viral internet memes.

When a 2010 image of Kabosu standing with her paws folded and a bewildered face went viral on Reddit, Tumblr, and 4Chan with scattered Comic Sans lettering, it helped make her one of the most famous animals on the internet.

Internet users quickly started adding Kabosu's visage to foods, buildings, and other animals. Later, companies like Oreo and Stockholm's Metro adopted the meme.

The meme, which was included in various lists of the best memes of the ten years, sparked discussions online regarding how to pronounce the word "doge," according to The Washington Post.

In December 2013, two programmers launched a rival cryptocurrency called Dogecoin as a satirical reaction to Bitcoin that mirrored the internet's love of animal memes, solidifying the "doge" meme's prominence.

It is regarded as the first "meme coin" or parody of bitcoin and peaked in value in 2014 at more than $400.

Dogecoin was backed by Elon Musk, and it has since grown to become a major participant in the cryptocurrency market, increasing in value by 10,000% in the first five months of 2021.

Well Wishes for Kabosu

Musk has molded the frequently erratic fate of Dogecoin; the Tesla CEO's appearance on Saturday Night Live in 2021 caused a rapid fall of almost 30% of the cryptocurrency's value. However, Tesla now takes Dogecoin as payment after Musk purchased Twitter after it had a significant price increase.

Many others expressed their solidarity after hearing the news. A Twitter user who sent Kabosu her best wishes pledged to pay for the expenses of the dog's treatment, according to Investing.com.

Even Billy Markus, a co-creator of Dogecoin, tweeted on December 26 to his two million followers to offer Sat and Kabosu "[love] and [prayers] and good thoughts."

It is noteworthy that Kabosu became 17 in the early months of 2022, given that a Shiba Inu typically lives 12 to 15 years.