Cheems: Internet's viral meme dog loses battle to cancer, dies mid-surgery at 12

Cheems Balltze, a viral internet meme dog who became famous for his smiling facial expression and chunky build, has died at the age of 12 after battling cancer.

Cheems, a 12-year-old Shiba Inu also known as Ball Ball, underwent thoracentesis operation on Friday but never awoke, according to a post on Instagram from his owner Kathy. 

She stated that following the operation, Ball Ball would continue his cancer treatment.

She added that the chubby dog with a "round smiling face" was adored by many. Instead of becoming depressed, she urged her followers to "remember the joy that Balltze brought to the world."

“He has helped many people during the pandemic and brought a lot of joy to many of you, but now his mission is completed,” the post said. “I believe he is running freely in the sky and having a lot of delicious food with his new friends.”

Ball Ball, a Hong Kong resident dog, gained notoriety in 2017 after an Instagram user said that he "looks like Cheese". This occurrence led to the development of his stage moniker "Cheems" or "Cheemsburger." Two years prior, his owner started documenting his emotions on Instagram by sharing photos of him.

He was also well-known for the meme "Swole Doge vs. Cheems," which shows an overly muscular dog next to a smaller, more subdued dog.

After sharing the news of his cancer diagnosis in May, Kathy posted pictures of it to Instagram. She expressed gratitude to his supporters for helping him along the way and expressed her wish that "he can continue to bring joy to everyone in the online world, that's my only humble request."

“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 that ever happened,” the post said. “Balltze knows how much he was loved by all of you.”