Dog lovers worldwide mourn the death of Balltze, a Shiba Inu whose adorable photos captured the hearts of many.

The dog's death on August 18 was announced on his official Instagram account the following day.

“He fell asleep on Friday morning during his last thoracentesis surgery. Originally, we wanted to arrange chemotherapy or other possible treatment for him after this operation, but it is too late now.”

According to Johns Hopkins University, thoracentesis is a procedure to remove fluid or air from around the lungs.

Balltze, more popularly known as Cheems, lost one of his toes in June 2022 due to melanoma, a type of skin cancer. A month earlier, the dog was diagnosed with pancreatitis after experiencing diarrhea and vomiting.

Come May 2023, Kathy, the owner of Balltze, announced on her pet’s Facebook page that the pooch suffered from pleural effusion or excess fluid in his lungs, which resulted in his difficult breathing.

More than a month later, it was revealed that the dog had neoplasm or abnormal cell growth in his pleura, the membrane surrounding the lungs. It prompted veterinarians to conduct regular thoracentesis, which was successful until the last update in June.

Even as the Shiba Inu suffered from melanoma, he remained “happy and energetic,” according to his fur parent.

On July 18, the pet owner announced the expansion of the tumor in Balltze’s lungs. More than a week later, the dog’s condition worsened, losing two kilograms as more liquid pressed his lungs.

In her message, Cheems’ fur-mom says fans should not be sad and “remember the joy that Balltze brought to the world.” She recalled how her cute pet “has helped many people during the pandemic and brought a lot of joy to many.”

“[N]ow his mission has completed. I believe he is running freely in the sky and having a lot of delicious food with his new friends. He will always be inside my heart. I hope he can continue to bring joy to everyone in the online world,” Kathy adds.

-- ‘Doge’ meme --

The 12-year-old Balltze, also known as Ball Ball, gained worldwide popularity when one of his Instagram photos became a meme. In the picture, the dog is seated with his back on a marble step. The pose and quirky smile of the furball led one user to comment that Balltze “looks like Cheese.”

The Hong Kong-based dog entered the world of memes two years later and has since been one of the most prominent canines online.

In the memes, the Shiba Inu is often depicted hungry for cheeseburgers, hence his nickname Cheems.

View this post on Instagram

A post shared by Cheems_Balltze (@balltze)

Kathy donated Balltze merchandise proceeds to animal charities to further spread joy.

“All of you have been very generous and helpful, and I’m truly grateful to all of you, your love and support to Ball Ball is so unconditional and I found that is the purest love in the world, having Ball Ball in my life is the best thing ever happened… Thank you everyone, thank you, Balltze knows how much he was loved by all of you.”

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