One of the goodest of bois parted ways with us last Friday (18 Aug). Popular Shiba Inu and the subject of many meme templates Cheems, whose real name was Balltze, passed away during surgery, according to its owner.
In a touching post, Balltze’s owner thanked the medical staff as well as everyone who has loved and supported him.
Balltze’s condition had been deteriorating in the past few months.
According to an Instagram post, Cheems the Shiba Inu, affectionally known as “Ball Ball”, passed away on 18 Aug 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,” their owners, one of whom is a woman named Kathy, read.
Thoracentesis is a procedure that removes fluid from the lungs.
Despite the loss, they called on everyone to not be sad and “please remember the joy that Balltze brought to the world”.
The post went on to state that Balltze had helped many during the pandemic and brought much joy, but now his mission is compete.
“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, that’s my only humble request,” the owner said.
They also thanked the medical staff who had helped Ball Ball over the past six months.
“Your love and support for 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,” the owner said.
Source: @balltze on Instagram
They said they’d donate the money they received for the medical bills to local animal charities.
Thank you everyone, thank you, Balltze knows how much he was loved by all of you.
We’re not crying, you are.
According to an interview with Know Your Meme, Balltze was adopted at the age of one in Hong Kong and in his 12 years, certainly entertained many.
The account had been sharing updates about Balltze over the past six months while his health deteriorated.
In Jan, Cheems started falling as his hind legs were too weak.
He then went for physiotherapy every week, and thankfully, he stopped falling after that as his muscles had gotten stronger.
Unfortunately, his condition would get worse by April as he started coughing all night.
The next month, after examining a video of Balltze’s coughing, a vet diagnosed him with heart disease and revoked their earlier diagnosis.
X-rays showed there was fluid in his lungs although there was too little to drain.
But after six weeks, the fluid returned and Balltze had to undergo more treatment to remove the fluid.
Source: @balltze on Instagram
When his condition didn’t improve, the vet said it was “likely to be cancer” based on new X-rays showing a tumour.
Despite more operations to remove fluids, Balltze never fully recovered and he eventually fell asleep forever on 18 Aug, his last operation.
Although to many, Balltze was simply a Shiba Inu that appeared in many memes, to his owners, he was so much more.
Comments poured in paying tribute to the deceased doggo.
Source: @balltze on Instagram
Others called him a legend of the Internet world and a meme that is now immortal.
Source: @balltze on Instagram
Another concurred that Balltze wasn’t just a good boy — he was the best.
Source: @balltze on Instagram
Words can’t explain what a legend Balltze was, so here’s a meme to remember him by.
Source: Know Your Meme
Rest in peace, king.
Here are some other good bois and gworls. They are rescue dogs at Mandai Wildlife Reserve and they’re very adorable, too.
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Featured image adapted from @balltze on Instagram.
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